Panthers Have Made Contract Offer To Brian Burns
The Panthers and edge rusher Brian Burns commenced extension talks last month. The two sides have reached one significant milestone in those discussions, as Carolina has submitted a contract offer to Burns, according to Darin Gantt of the team’s official website.
The details of that offer are presently unclear, so it is difficult to handicap the likelihood of an agreement coming together before the start of the regular season. Additionally, as Gantt observes, Burns may want to wait until the 49ers’ ongoing negotations with Nick Bosa, another standout pass rusher from the 2019 draft class, are completed before he puts pen to paper on his own contract. While Burns’ next deal will not be as lucrative as Bosa’s, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, the aphorism “a rising tide lifts all boats” is applicable here.
Regardless of what happens with Bosa, Burns is expected to land a contract that places him among the top-five or top-six highest-paid edge defenders. In the current market, such a deal would include an average annual value upwards of $22MM and practical guarantees of more than $53MM, though it is possible that Burns will top those figures by a comfortable margin.
The Panthers may want to wrap their talks with Burns sooner rather than later in light of the ever-rising price tag for high-end pass rushers, but there is no real urgency from a club control persepctive. Burns is set to play out the 2023 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal — which will pay him just north of $16MM — and the team can hit him with the franchise tag next year if it so chooses. The value of the tag is projected to be in the $24MM-$25MM range, which is roughly what Burns’ AAV on an extension would be anyway.
Burns’ on-field performance has obviously set a high baseline for his second NFL contract. Though Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics suggest that his run defense could still use some work, teams place a higher value on pass rushing ability these days, and Burns has that in spades. He set a career-high with 12.5 sacks in 2022, and since he turned pro in 2019, he has generated 38 sacks, which is the 11th-highest total in the league over that four-year timeframe. He has also earned Pro Bowl acclaim in each of the last two seasons.
Another factor that will help him in negotiations is the fact that the Panthers rebuffed a trade proposal from the Rams prior to last year’s deadline that would have netted Carolina 2024 and 2025 first-round selections and a 2023 second-rounder in exchange for Burns. Obviously, that gives the Florida State alum some extra leverage, and it is certainly possible that the Panthers’ shift to a 3-4 front under new DC Ejiro Evero could improve his all-around performance, which would drive his value even higher.
Matt Corral Likely To Get Majority Of Panthers’ Preseason Snaps
Although new Panthers head coach Frank Reich has yet to officially declare Bryce Young — the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft — his team’s starting quarterback, there is every expectation that Young will be under center when Carolina takes the field against the Falcons in Week 1. The fact that Young began taking full first-team reps towards the end of OTAs only reinforces that belief.
Veteran Andy Dalton, who signed with the club in March, will presumably serve as Young’s backup. At this stage of his career, Dalton has nothing to gain by playing in the Panthers’ preseason slate, and the team has everything to lose by deploying Young in the preseason. That leaves 2022 third-rounder Matt Corral as the most likely candidate to see the bulk of Carolina’s preseason snaps, as Joseph Person of The Athletic writes (subscription required).
Corral, part of a much-maligned draft class of quarterbacks in 2022, may have already missed his best opportunity to show what he can do in meaningful NFL contests. Given the injuries and underwhelming play that plagued the Panthers’ QB depth chart in 2022, Corral almost certainly would have had the opportunity to take regular season snaps if not for a preseason Lisfranc injury that ended his rookie campaign before it started. Now, with his already limited window to become the Panthers’ franchise signal-caller having been closed by the selection of Young, Corral will want to generate as much good film as he can in the upcoming preseason.
There was already trade chatter surrounding Corral this offseason, though the cost to acquire him at this point would obviously be low in light of last year’s developments. Corral is also reportedly content to remain with the Panthers for the time being since Reich, a renowned QB mentor, is now the head coach. Still, the Ole Miss product may welcome a move to a team that offers him at least some semblance of upward mobility, and Carolina GM Scott Fitterer would be happy to recoup some value for his third-round investment. A strong preseason showing for Corral could therefore be beneficial for both player and team, so it stands to reason that he would get plenty of burn in August’s exhibition contests.
Corral suffered the above-referenced Lisfranc injury during the Panthers’ second preseason game in 2022. Over his two preseason appearances, he completed just 10 of 24 passes for 69 yards, though he earned second-team All-SEC honors during his final collegiate season in 2022, having thrown 20 touchdowns against five interceptions while adding another 11 TDs on the ground.
At present, Young, Dalton, and Corral are the only three quarterbacks on Carolina’s roster.
2023 NFL Dead Money, By Team
Accounting for players who appear on teams’ cap sheets but not on their rosters, dead money is a factor for all 32 teams. This year, dead money comprises more than 20% of five teams’ payrolls. Two teams who followed through (successfully) with all-in missions in recent years — the Buccaneers and Rams — each have more than 30% of their payrolls devoted to dead-cap hits.
Going into training camp, here is how dead money factors into each team’s cap sheet:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $75.32MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $74.23MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.14MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $54.73MM
- Carolina Panthers: $51.54MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $36.96MM
- Tennessee Titans: $36.56MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $35.54MM
- Houston Texans: $31.72MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $29.95MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $24.89MM
- New Orleans Saints: $24.58MM
- Chicago Bears: $23.52MM
- Washington Commanders: $23.01MM
- New York Giants: $22.74MM
- New England Patriots: $21.82MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $18.78MM
- Detroit Lions: $18.69MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $17.91MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $17.16MM
- Cleveland Browns: $16MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $14.64MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $13.26MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $10.78MM
- Denver Broncos: $9.72MM
- Miami Dolphins: $8.43MM
- New York Jets: $7.95MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $7.65MM
- Buffalo Bills: $5.23MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $4.7MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $2.19MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $593K
No team broke the Falcons’ record for dead money devoted to a single player. The Falcons’ Matt Ryan trade left them with $40.52MM last year. But the Bucs and Rams incurred some dead money collectively this offseason.
Tom Brady‘s Tampa Bay exit created much of the Bucs’ issue here. Brady not signing another Bucs deal, instead retiring for a second time, accelerated $35.1MM in dead money onto the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The team had used void years increasingly during Brady’s tenure, and his second restructure created the $35.1MM figure. The Bucs will swallow the post-Brady pill this year, with no dead money related to that contract on their books in 2024.
Three ex-Rams combine to take up $55MM of their dead-money haul. The Rams traded Allen Robinson to the Steelers earlier this year, but that three-year, $46.5MM deal Los Angeles authorized in 2022 will result in Robinson’s former team carrying a $21.5MM dead-money hit in 2023. The Rams are eating $19.6MM of Jalen Ramsey‘s contract, and bailing on Leonard Floyd‘s four-year, $64MM extension after two seasons moved $19MM in dead money to L.A.’s 2023 payroll. The Rams did not use the post-June 1 designation to release Floyd, keeping the dead money on that deal tied to 2023 only.
The Packers did come close to breaking the Falcons’ record for dead money on a single contract. Green Bay following through on the Aaron Rodgers trade left $40.31MM in dead money on this year’s Packers cap. Because the Packers traded Rodgers before June 1, that hit will be entirely absorbed this year. It also took a Rodgers restructure on his way out to move the cap damage down to $40MM. The Panthers trading Christian McCaffrey after June 1 last year left the second chunk of dead money ($18.35MM) to be carried on this year’s cap. It also cost Carolina $14.63MM in dead cap to trade D.J. Moore to the Bears.
The Bears used both their post-June 1 cut designations last year (Tarik Cohen, Danny Trevathan) and also have a $13.23MM Robert Quinn cap hold. The Cardinals had already used their two allotted post-June 1 cut designations this offseason. As result, DeAndre Hopkins is on Arizona’s books at $21.1MM this year. Because they cut the All-Pro wide receiver before June 1, the Cards will be free of Hopkins obligations after this year.
While the Raiders built in the escape hatch in Derek Carr‘s 2022 extension, keeping the dead money on their nine-year QB’s contract low, Cory Littleton — a 2022 post-June 1 cut — still counts nearly $10MM on their cap sheet. Fellow 2022 post-June 1 release Julio Jones still counts more than $8MM on the Titans’ payroll. The Cowboys went to the post-June 1 well with Ezekiel Elliott this year, but their 2022 designation (La’el Collins) leads the way with $8.2MM on this year’s Dallas payroll.
Titans Eyeing Tyjae Spears As RB2
Most of the Titans’ efforts to install a quality back behind Derrick Henry have not proven successful. The only back to qualify as a reliable option throughout his tenure has since changed teams twice.
D’Onta Foreman, who belatedly became the team’s top option to replace an injured Henry in 2021, has signed with the Panthers and Bears in consecutive offseasons. The productive fill-in’s departure prompted the Titans to draft Hassan Haskins in the 2022 fourth round, but the Michigan product totaled just 25 carries as a rookie and was arrested on an assault charge last month.
Haskins is expected to vie for the Titans’ third-string job with Jonathan Ward and Julius Chestnut, per Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. This will leave third-round rookie Tyjae Spears as the primary backup to Henry. The Tulane product is on track to “one-two punch” with the accomplished veteran, Wyatt adds.
Foreman and Haskins are just two of the players to be added since DeMarco Murray‘s 2018 exit (and subsequent retirement). Tennessee gave Dion Lewis a four-year, $19.8MM deal in 2018. While the ex-Patriots back operated as a nice Henry complement that season, he struggled to carve out much of a role in 2019. The Titans released Lewis in 2020. They drafted Darrynton Evans in the 2020 third round, but the Appalachian State product struggled with injuries and could not earn much playing time. Tennessee added Adrian Peterson following Henry’s November 2021 foot fracture and also tried Jeremy McNichols. Foreman, whom the team signed to its practice squad shortly after Henry’s injury, ended up playing the lead replacement role.
Spears will be the latest mid-round pick to receive an opportunity. A four-year Tulane contributor, the 201-pound back broke out with a 1,581-yard rushing season in 2022. He concluded his career with a 205-yard, four-touchdown performance in Tulane’s Cotton Bowl win over USC.
The Titans made Spears, the No. 81 overall pick, this year’s fifth running back selected. Spears ran a modest 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the Green Wave’s pro day, after not running at the Combine. An NFL.com report during draft weekend indicated Spears does not have an ACL in his one of his knees, after two tears, and had battled arthritis. He was not on every team’s draft board due to the medical concern, Daniel Jeremiah noted at the time. When asked about the report during Titans offseason workouts, Spears attempted to brush it off by indicating he was healthy.
The elusive rookie was a full participant in OTAs and minicamp. Considering the Titans’ run-oriented offense and lack of proven wide receivers, Spears may be called upon frequently. And he now represents the team’s top option if Henry, 29, goes down. Henry’s four-year, $50MM deal expires after this season.
Largest 2023 Cap Hits: Offense
The NFL’s salary cap once again ballooned by more than $10MM, rising from its $208.2MM perch to $224.8MM. Factoring in the pandemic-induced 2021 regression, the NFL’s salary risen has climbed by more than $42MM since 2021.
This has allowed teams more opportunities for roster additions and opened the door for more lucrative player deals — at most positions, at least. However, it does not look like this season will include a $40MM player cap number. The Browns avoided a record-shattering Deshaun Watson $54.9MM hit by restructuring the quarterback’s fully guaranteed contract, calling for monster figures from 2024-26.
Here are the largest cap hits for teams on the offensive side going into training camp:
- Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $39.69MM
- Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $36.6MM
- Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $30.98MM
- Jake Matthews, T (Falcons): $28.36MM
- Trent Williams, T (49ers): $27.18MM
- Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $26.83MM
- Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $26.61MM
- Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $23.8MM
- Amari Cooper, WR (Browns): $23.78MM
- Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $23.69MM
- Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $23.67MM
- Joe Thuney, G (Chiefs): $22.12MM
- Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $22MM
- Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $22MM
- Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $21.75MM
- David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $21.29MM
- Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $20.25MM
- D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $20.17MM
- Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $20MM
- Brian O’Neill, T (Vikings): $19.66MM
- Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $19.35MM
- Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $19.1MM
- Braden Smith, T (Colts): $19MM
- Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $18.64MM
- Courtland Sutton, WR (Broncos): $18.27MM
As should be expected, quarterbacks dominate this list. Mahomes’ number checks in here despite the Chiefs restructuring his 10-year, $450MM contract in March; the two-time MVP’s cap hit would have set an NFL record had Kansas City not reduced it. The Chiefs did not restructure Mahomes’ deal last year, but if they do not address it — perhaps via a complex reworking — before next season, Mahomes’ $46.93MM number would break an NFL record.
The Titans have not touched Tannehill’s contract this offseason, one that included some trade rumors months ago. This is the final year of Tannehill’s Tennessee extension. Mahomes and Tannehill sat atop this ranking in 2022.
Cousins is also heading into a contract year, after the Vikings opted for a restructure and not an extension this offseason. Cousins does not expect to discuss another Minnesota deal until 2024, when he is due for free agency. Two relatively low cap numbers have started Wilson’s $49MM-per-year extension. The Denver QB’s cap number rises to $35.4MM in 2024 and reaches historic heights ($55.4MM) by ’25. The subject of a Goff extension has come up, and it would bring down the Lions passer’s figure. But Goff remains tied to his Rams-constructed $33.5MM-per-year deal through 2024.
Jackson and Jones’ numbers will rise in the near future, with the latter’s contract calling for a quick spike in 2024. Next year, the Giants QB’s cap hit will be $45MM. Watson’s 2024 hit, as of now, would top that. The Browns signal-caller is on the team’s ’24 payroll at $63.98MM. Long-term consequences aside, the Browns can be expected to once again go to the restructure well with Watson’s outlier contract.
The Raiders did not backload Garoppolo’s three-year contract; it only climbs to $24.25MM on Las Vegas’ 2024 cap sheet. The Bills did backload Allen’s pact. Its team-friendly years are done after 2023; the six-year accord spikes to $47.1MM on Buffalo’s cap next year. The Cowboys have gone to the restructure well with Prescott. Like Watson, the Cowboys quarterback is tied to a seemingly untenable 2024 cap number. The March restructure resulted in Prescott’s 2024 number rising to $59.46MM. Two seasons remain on that $40MM-AAV extension.
Another notable cap hold that should be mentioned is Tom Brady‘s. When the Buccaneers did not sign the again-retired QB to another contract before the 2023 league year, his $35.1MM dead-money figure went onto Tampa Bay’s 2023 cap sheet. The Bucs will absorb that entire amount this year. Brady’s 2022 restructure, after retirement No. 1, led to the $35.1MM figure forming.
Were it not for another O-line-record extension, the Tunsil number would have come in at $35MM this year. Matthews signed an extension last year. Moore would have come in higher on this list were he still on the Panthers, who took on $14.6MM in dead money to move their top wideout for the No. 1 overall pick. Sutton came up regularly in trade rumors, with the Broncos wanting a second-round pick for the sixth-year veteran. The former second-rounder’s high base salary ($14MM) hinders his trade value.
Panthers Eyeing Three-Down Role For RB Miles Sanders
The Panthers’ investment in Miles Sanders (four years, $25MM) was one of a small number of lengthy commitments made at the running back position this offseason. The terms of the deal suggest he will have a multi-faceted role in Carolina’s offense, and both player and team anticipate that will be the case. 
[RELATED: Sanders Addresses Eagles Exit]
Sanders showed an ability to contribute in the passing game during his rookie season with the Eagles. He recorded 509 yards and three touchdowns on 50 receptions in 2019, but his totals in terms of targets, catches and yards decreased with each passing campaign after that. He expects to once again have a signficant workload through the air.
“I think it’ll happen organically just by the coaches that we have here,” the 26-year-old said, via Joe Person of The Athletic (subscription required). “And they know exactly what type of back I am… I’m looking forward to getting back into that three-down-type back and just flow with it and see what happens.”
Sanders’ position coach in Carolina this year will be Duce Staley, as was the case for his first two campaigns in Philadelphia. Staley was named as a reason Sanders chose to join the Panthers, and the team’s new-look staff will aim to replicate the former second-rounder’s career year (built mostly on rushing production) in 2022. Head coach Frank Reich acknowledged that doing so will involve an uptick in his target share compared to his three most recent Eagles campaigns.
“Miles [is] just a versatile, three-down back” Reich recently said of Sanders, who comfortably sits atop the RB depth chart. “He’s really, in a lot of ways, a complete back. We really look for that in that No. 1 spot. Want [him] to be on the field all three downs.”
Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear remain in place as depth options after the midseason trade of Christian McCaffrey and the free agent departure of D’Onta Foreman. Their playing time would stand to take a slight step back if Sanders were to remain on the field during passing situations in Carolina, though a three-down approach could pay dividends for an offense which will be led by rookie quarterback Bryce Young. The way snaps are divided in training camp will be worth watching as Sanders settles into his new home.
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs
The latest NFL general manager hiring cycle only produced two changes, but each took over for an executive who appeared in good standing at this point last year.
Steve Keim had held his Cardinals GM post since January 2013, and the Cardinals gave both he and Kliff Kingsbury extensions — deals that ran through 2027 — in March of last year. Arizona has since rebooted, moving on from both Keim and Kingsbury. Keim took a leave of absence late last season, and the Cardinals replaced him with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort.
[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]
As the Cardinals poached one of the Titans’ top front office lieutenants, Tennessee went with an NFC West staffer to replace Jon Robinson. The move to add 49ers FO bastion Ran Carthon also came less than a year after the Titans reached extension agreements with both Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel. But controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk canned Robinson — in place as GM since January 2016 — before last season ended. Adams Strunk cited player unavailability and roster quality among the reasons she chose to move on despite having extended Robinson through the 2027 draft months earlier. The Titans are now pairing Vrabel and Carthon.
The Bills reached an extension agreement with GM Brandon Beane two weeks ago. Hired shortly after the team gave Sean McDermott the HC keys, Beane has helped the Bills to five playoff berths in six seasons. Beane’s deal keeps him signed through 2027. Chargers GM Tom Telesco has hit the 10-year mark leading that front office, while this year also marks the 10th offseason of Buccaneers honcho Jason Licht‘s tenure running the NFC South team. Although Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and later admitted he reluctantly extended his former HC in 2021, the increasingly active Colts owner has expressed confidence in Chris Ballard.
Here is how the NFL’s GM landscape looks going into the 2023 season:
- Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
- Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
- Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
- John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
- Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
- Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
- Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
- Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
- Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
- John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
- Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
- Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
- Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
- Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
- Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
- Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
- Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
- Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
- George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
- Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
- Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
- Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
- Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
- Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
- Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
- Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
- Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
- Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
- Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
Footnotes:
- Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
- Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
- Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
- Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018
Latest On Terrace Marshall, Panthers’ WR Room
The Panthers’ offense will look far different at the start of the 2023 season than it did at the conclusion of the previous campaign. Part of the reason for that is the changes made to the top of the team’s wide receiver depth chart. 
D.J. Moore was a critical part of the package Carolina sent to the Bears for the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, a move which led to the arrival of quarterback Bryce Young but created a signficant vacancy at the WR spot. The Panthers responded by making pass-catching additions both in free agency and the draft.
In the span of a few days, veterans Adam Thielen and DJ Chark were inked to three- and one-year contracts, respectively. The veteran tandem will give Young an experienced set of targets in his rookie season, but Carolina also used a second-round pick on Jonathan Mingo. With those additions, questions were naturally raised regarding the future of incumbent Terrace Marshall.
The 2021 second-rounder played sparingly under ex-head coach Matt Rhule, putting up underwhelming numbers along the way. Rhule’s replacement with Steve Wilks opened the door to an increased workload, though, and Marshall totaled 490 yards and one touchdown on an average of 17.5 yards per reception in 2022. He managed to carry that success over into spring practices, and The Athletic’s Joe Person notes that the LSU alum has earned himself a secure roster spot for this season (subscription required) .
The 6-2, 200-pound Marshall demonstrated notable deep-threat and red zone abilities during his final two seasons in college and came to Carolina with considerable expectations. His 76% snap share last season demonstrated his ability to produce while handling a starter’s workload, though that figure could be under serious threat of dropping given the new faces in the team’s WR room. Still, the fact that his short-term future is assured should allow him to at least play a signficant rotational role for Carolina’s new-look offense.
A step forward in production from Marshall would help the Panthers improve on their 29th-place finish in passing yards from last season, but it would also serve him well heading into the first offseason in which he will be eligible for an extension. His performances in training camp and the preseason will be pivotal in determining where he stands in the receiver pecking order as he aims to make himself a long-term fixture for the team.
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
NFC South Rumors: Alford, Mays, Saints
In January 2022, the Falcons signed cornerback Dee Alford out of the Canadian Football League to a reserve/futures contract. A year and a half later, Alford could be pushing for a starting role, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
After going undrafted out of Tusculum, Alford signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in 2020 but didn’t get to play after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. When the team returned in 2021, Alford won a starting job and helped lead the Bombers to their second consecutive Grey Cup title.
Following his signing in the offseason, Alford defied the odds by making the 53-man roster. Alford served as a depth piece in the Falcons secondary for much of the year but did come up with a few big plays. In a Week 2 loss to the Rams, Alford gained his team two points with a safety. Two weeks later, he recorded a game-clinching interception over the Browns.
According to Rothstein, Alford has been rising in the offseason for Atlanta. In spring practices, Alford reportedly “took the vast majority of first-team reps at slot (cornerback).” Mike Hughes was the presumed starter at nickelback heading into the offseason, but Alford is making himself hard to ignore as he pushes for a starting role.
Here are a few other rumors coming out of the NFC South:
- A sixth-round pick for the Panthers last year, Cade Mays may find himself in a bit of a larger role than last year to start the 2023 season, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. With starting right guard Austin Corbett still recovering from an ACL repair surgery, Mays has reportedly stepped up this offseason. While his rookie year saw him block out of the backfield in short-yardage situations, Mays is in line to begin the season as a starter at right guard for Carolina.
- The Saints are no strangers to injuries in the past few years. They are feeling it the worst this season in the wide receiving corps, where we got some recent updates from Terrin Waack of nola.com. Michael Thomas‘s woes continued thanks to toe surgery that landed him on injured reserve last year. He’s “slowly but surely” working his way back but is, reportedly, “still not full-go.” Last year’s rookie sensation Chris Olave missed the end of minicamp with an inflamed Achilles tendon but is expected to be okay. The other rookie from last year, Rashid Shaheed, suffered a groin injury in organized team activities that held him out of minicamp. He’s also expected to be fine by the time camp rolls around.