NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/5/17
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Aaron Dobson
- P Richie Leone
Atlanta Falcons
- WR Anthony Dable
Carolina Panthers
Jacksonville Jaguars
- S Elijah Shumate
New York Jets
- LS Zach Triner
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- G Jarvis Harrison
- WR Derel Walker
Washington Redskins
Kawann Short Willing To Sign Franchise Tender
Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him, he told the Associated Press. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short, who was unable to reach a long-term deal with the Panthers last offseason. On Norman, whom Carolina let go last April after he wouldn’t sign the tender, Short commented, “Me and Josh are not the same. … He could have stayed here if he wanted to. He could have (signed) the franchise tag.” The durable Short just wrapped up his fourth straight 16-game season, one in which the 27-year-old ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender and totaled six sacks. Placing the franchise tag on Short should cost Carolina approximately $13.468MM in 2017.
More from around the NFL:
- It appears soon-to-be free agent wide receiver Kamar Aiken‘s third season with the Ravens will go down as his last. “Probably, it’s been the most frustrating year I’ve ever had since I’ve been in the league,” Aiken said of 2016 (via Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun). “I would say I was proud of how I handled it.” Aiken was a key piece in the Ravens’ 2015 offense with 127 targets, 75 catches, 944 yards and five touchdowns, but his numbers dropped precipitously this season. In 16 games and six starts (eight fewer than he logged the prior year), Aiken accumulated 50 targets, 29 receptions, 328 yards and only one score. He spoke to offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg during the season about an expanded role, but nothing came of it. Mornhinweg will return to the Ravens next season, which seemingly increases the likelihood of an Aiken departure. The 27-year-old revealed that he’s “looking forward to” hitting the open market.
- Defensive tackle Nick Fairley took a cheap deal with the Saints last July and proved to be a steal in 2016, starting in all 16 of their games and amassing 43 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Fairley is now facing free agency for the third straight offseason, but he’d rather stay with the Saints than test the market. “I think I played my most consistent ball this year. I just feel like it’s the right fit for me,” Fairley told Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. The 28-year-old Fairley, a former Lion and Ram, finished as PFF’s 33rd-ranked interior defender this season.
- As is the case with Fairley, cornerback Sterling Moore was an effective buy-low defender with the Saints this season. Now, like Fairley, Moore wants to re-sign with the club, he informed Herbie Teope of NOLA.com. “I see myself growing with these guys and just doing something special, so I don’t look at myself necessarily as a free agent even though my contract is coming to an end. I have full intentions on coming back,” said Moore, who made $760K in 2016. The early September signing set career highs in starts (12), tackles (56) and interceptions (two), and PFF rated him 67th among 120 qualified corners.
- The Patriots worked out a pair of free agents – tight end Rob Housler and cornerback Tharold Simon – on Tuesday, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. New England didn’t sign either, but the team could keep the veterans in mind as emergency options in the playoffs or circle back to them in the offseason, notes Reiss.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/3/17
Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Cap Capi
- WR Marvin Hall
- WR Chris Hubert
- G Kaleb Johnson
- OL Daniel Munyer
- RB Elijhaa Penny
- CB Ronald Zamort
Carolina Panthers
- FB Darrel Young
Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs
- OT Isaiah Battle
Minnesota Vikings
- OT Reid Fragel
- P Taylor Symmank
San Diego Chargers
- OL Brett Boyko
- CB Randall Evans
- CB Mike Lee
- LB Chris McCain
- S Adrian McDonald
- TE Jake McGee
Tennessee Titans
- OLB Reshard Cliett
- TE Tim Semisch
Latest On Chargers’ Head Coaching Search
The Chargers’ list of candidates to take over for fired head coach Mike McCoy continues to grow. Former Falcons head coach and current Buccaneers defensive coordinator Mike Smith is likely to interview with the Chargers, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Meanwhile, Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub will meet with the Bolts this week, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, and FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager adds that San Diego has asked Carolina’s permission to interview defensive coordinator Sean McDermott (all Twitter links)
The Chargers now have five potential successors to McCoy – and no offensive coordinators – on their radar, as PFR’s head coaching search tracker shows, though Smith is the only one with previous experience.
The 57-year-old was at the helm with the Falcons from 2008-14 in a stint that began swimmingly but ended poorly. Atlanta started Smith’s tenure with five straight above-.500 seasons, four of which resulted in double-digit-win campaigns and playoff berths, and then went a combined 10-22 during his final two years on the job. All told, the Falcons posted a 66-46 regular-season record and a disappointing 1-4 playoff mark under Smith. Of the other five teams in need of head coaches, only the Jaguars have shown interest in Smith to this point.
Toub, who’s on a bye with the AFC West champion Chiefs, will also meet with the Broncos this week, relays Biggs. McDermott has a Wednesday interview set up with the Bills.
Bills To Interview Sean McDermott
Many assume that interim head coach Anthony Lynn is a shoo-in for the Bills job, though that might not be the case anymore. Even if Lynn does want the role, the Bills are insistent that they are going to explore multiple options before reaching a decision. One of those options, Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, will interview with the Bills on Wednesday, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News.
McDermott’s name came up with a few different coaching searches last season. The Browns and Buccaneers both interviewed McDermott last season before going with Hue Jackson and Dirk Koetter, respectively. The Eagles had an “informal” chat with McDermott, though they did not formally interview him before selecting Doug Pederson as their guy. The Giants internally discussed McDermott, but they neglected to ask during the Panthers first-round bye week.
Although he did not land a head coaching job last year, it was widely reported that he interviewed well. After the Panthers led the NFL in sacks this year, McDermott figures to get a few different looks again this season. Whether the Bills job is truly available, however, remains to be seen.
Coaching Rumors: Rams, Chargers, Patricia
We have six head coaching vacancies and it’s not easy to keep track of every candidate and development in each search. That’s why Pro Football Rumors rolled out the 2017 NFL Head Coaching Tracker this week. Bookmark the page and keep up with every bit of news out of Los Angeles, Buffalo, Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, and Jacksonville.
Here’s the latest coaching news from around the league:
- The Rams‘ interview with Panthers assistant head coach Steve Wilks will take place today (Tuesday), a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). This marks the Rams’ first coach interview of this cycle.
- The Chargers have requested to interview Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Broncos, he adds, are expected to do the same. Special teams coordinators are not often considered for head coaching jobs, but we have seen a few serve as interim head coaches. In the past, Toub has been an advocate for special teams coaches to get a chance at running the show.
- Matt Patricia‘s interviews with the Rams and Chargers will go down this weekend, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Patricia, the defensive coordinator for the Patriots, must get his interviews out of the way before the Pats’ first playoff game.
Steve Wilks To Interview For Rams HC Job
- The Rams are planning on interviewing Panthers secondary coach and assistant head coach Steve Wilks for their head coaching gig, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). The 47-year-old has been in the NFL since 2008, and he’s also coached for the Bears and Chargers.
[SOURCE LINK]
Panthers Sign Nine To Reserve/Futures Contracts
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Baltimore Ravens
- WR Kenny Bell
- OL Jarell Broxton
- RB Stephen Houston
- OL Jarrod Pughsley
- OL Matt Skura
- QB Dustin Vaughan
Carolina Panthers
- T Blaine Clausell
- DT Eric Crume
- WR Keyarris Garrett
- CB Tyler Patmon
- RB Jalen Simmons
- TE Scott Simonson
- T Pearce Slater
- T Tyrus Thompson
- TE Eric Wallace
2017 NFL Draft Order
The Browns almost blew it yesterday. In the regular season finale, the Browns took the Steelers to overtime before ultimately losing 27-24. Had they won, the Browns would have been picking at No. 2 instead of the top position. Meanwhile, the Jaguars nearly slipped to No. 5, but they held their ground in the draft order when they lost 24-20 to the Colts. Phew.
The playoffs will help determine the bottom 12 picks, but the draft order has now been set for most of the NFL. Here is the list, with ties being broken by strength of schedule:
1. Browns (1-15)
2. 49ers (2-14)
3. Bears (3-13)
4. Jaguars (3-13)
5. Titans (via the 4-12 Rams)
6. Jets (5-11)
7. Chargers (5-11)
8. Panthers (6-10)
9. Bengals (6-9-1)
10. Bills (7-9)
11. Saints (7-9)
12. Browns (via the 7-9 Eagles)
13. Cardinals (7-8-1)
T-14. Eagles (via the 8-8 Minnesota Vikings)
T-14. Colts (8-8) (Note: The Vikings and Colts have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broke by coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 14 and the other team getting the No. 15 pick.)
16. Ravens (8-8)
17. Redskins (8-7-1)
18. Titans (9-7)
19. Buccaneers (9-7)
20. Broncos (9-7)
Steve Smith Announces Retirement
As was expected, veteran Ravens receiver Steve Smith announced tonight that his 16-year NFL career is officially coming to end. “It’s been real,” the 37-year-old Smith tweeted, along with a photo noting many of his career accomplishments.
As a third round pick in 2001, no one could have predicted the kind of career that Smith would have. The wide receiver became the face of the Panthers’ organization in his 13 years there and he played with a chip on his shoulder upon joining the Ravens in 2014. In his age-35 season, he caught 79 passes for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns, silencing doubters who thought his best days were behind him. He lost most of the 2015 season to injury, but he rebounded nicely this season as he caught 67 passes for 765 yards and five scores.
Smith will leave the game as a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection. He’s also one of just eleven players to have 1,000+ catches and 14,000 yards receiving. His legacy of tenacious play coupled with his gaudy stats should make him a strong candidate for the Hall of Fame. We here at PFR wish No. 89 the best in retirement.