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Poll: Who Will Be First Head Coach To Lose Their Job?

July 15th, 2021 at 7:10pm CST by Ben Levine

We know, we know…it’s probably a bit early to speculate about the job security of NFL head coaches. However, let’s not forget Bum Phillips‘ famous (supposed) quote: “There’s two kinds of coaches, them that’s fired and them that’s gonna be fired.”

[RELATED: The Longest-Tenured Head Coaches In The NFL]

Even with the start of the NFL season more than a month away, a handful of head coaches already find themselves on the hot seat. Nowadays, it isn’t all that hard to determine which head coaches are at risk of losing their jobs. You can pretty much remove the 12 first- and second-year coaches, and you can definitely remove the successful, long-term coaches (the likes of Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, etc.).

That leaves about 15 coaches with at least two years of tenure but fewer than eight years of tenure (yes, we chose eight to shoehorn Andy Reid into the “definitively safe” section but not the likes of Mike Zimmer). Have those coaches had successful teams? You can remove them from the list. Have those coaches continually shown improvement? You can probably remove them from the list, too. Have those coaches’ teams disappointed or underwhelmed, especially recently? Ding ding ding…those are the coaches on the hot seat.

As we all know, those on the hot seat either redeem themselves and save their jobs or…ultimately get canned. So, that brings us to today’s question: which head coach will be fired first? We used Bovada’s top-three options below, but we’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Matt Nagy, Bears

Following a 12-4 campaign to begin his coaching career, Nagy found his seat getting a bit warm following a disappointing 8-8 campaign in 2019. The former Chiefs offensive coordinator didn’t do a whole lot to inspire confidence in 2020. The team finished 8-8 for a second-straight season, and the former QB whisperer found his passing offense ranking in the bottom-half of the NFL in most categories.

The Bears finally bailed on Mitchell Trubisky this past offseason, and they added a pair of QBs to replace him: veteran Andy Dalton and first-round pick Justin Fields. With a solid defense that’s in win-now mode, Nagy will have to get something out of one of these signal-callers if he hopes to retain his job. Considering Dalton’s recent play and Fields’ inexperience, things are looking bleak.

Zac Taylor, Bengals

It’s easy to put an asterisk on the Bengals’ 2020 campaign following the season-ending injury to Joe Burrow, but there’s no denying that Taylor’s staff has now collected an ugly 6-25-1 record through two seasons. There’s really nowhere to go but up for the head coach, but even if the Bengals improve their record in 2021, the team would still have to pass the smell test. Specifically, we should expect the offensive guru to guide Burrow and the rest of the offense to at least an above-average performance, and it’d be encouraging if the defense was able to show some progress after finishing as one of the worst units in the league in 2020.

As we saw with Marvin Lewis, the Bengals organization values continuity. It’s hard to envision the team not giving Taylor at least another full season, but if the team is unable to show any improvement over 2020, then the 38-year-old could find himself without a job.

Vic Fangio, Broncos

There are a number of things working against Fangio and his future in Denver. For starters, he hasn’t done a whole lot during his two seasons at the helm, leading the team to a 12-20 record. Making it worse, the team took a clear step back in 2020, and with a questionable roster on paper, it’s hard to envision the Broncos getting a whole lot better in 2021.

Next, GM George Paton was only recently hired, so he surely won’t be feeling pressure throughout the 2021 season. However, a disappointing campaign could change things. In that hypothetical, you can bet the executive would be looking to right the ship immediately, and that would probably start with the head coach.

The final factor is the uncertain status of Broncos ownership. If the team is ultimately sold, the new owners would presumably be looking to clean house, at least from an on-field perspective. That means Fangio would surely be handed his walking papers, even if the team did show some progress in 2021.

Poll: Who Will Be First Head Coach To Lose Their Job?
Matt Nagy, Bears 34.22% (1,054 votes)
Vic Fangio, Broncos 34.19% (1,053 votes)
Other 18.38% (566 votes)
Zac Taylor, Bengals 13.21% (407 votes)
Total Votes: 3,080

For reference, the next four head coaches listed by Bovada are Jon Gruden (Raiders), Mike Zimmer (Vikings), Matt LaFleur (Packers), and Mike McCarthy (Cowboys). Let us know what you think in the comments below!

This Date In Transactions History: Bills Extend Jason Peters

July 15th, 2021 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Potentially on the verge of his 18th NFL season, Jason Peters has signed a number of contracts. The first of Peters’ many re-ups occurred on this date 15 years ago.

On July 14, 2006, the Bills and their UDFA discovery agreed to terms on a contract that eventually led to the parties splitting up. Peters signed a five-year, $15MM extension during the ’06 offseason, this coming after the Bills tendered him a contract worth $425K. Soon outplaying the teams of his $3MM-AAV deal, Peters became a disgruntled Bill.

The Bills initially took a flier on the former college tight end and defensive end, and this only came to be because of lobbying by the future All-Pro blocker’s agent, and stashed him on their practice squad for most of the 2004 season. Buffalo broke Peters in on special teams before turning to him as its starting right tackle for much of the ’05 slate. Peters had supplanted underwhelming former top-five pick Mike Williams as Buffalo’s top right tackle, and the Bills made the move to lock the emerging talent up the following offseason. The team then moved Peters to the left side midway through the ’06 campaign. That ultimately proved to be a short-term arrangement.

Dissatisfaction over a $3.25MM salary prompted Peters to hold out in 2008, and after he begrudgingly returned to his Bills post that season, the Eagles came in with a trade offer to acquire Peters just before the 2009 draft. The Bills received 2009 first- and fourth-round picks, along with a 2010 sixth-rounder, in the swap. They used the first of those selections to draft future long-term center Eric Wood 28th overall. Philadelphia handed Peters a six-year, $60MM extension, beginning a fruitful era for their offensive line.

Buffalo went on to churn through few left tackles, including Cordy Glenn, since Peters’ departure, while Peters has started 127 games as an Eagle. That was good for the fifth-most in franchise history by a pure offensive lineman. Peters would go on to make two Pro Bowls with the Bills and seven with the Eagles, also receiving two first-team All-Pro honors in Philly. The Eagles also extended their veteran protector in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2020.

Now at the age of 39, Peters hasn’t ruled out playing in 2021. Although his return might not come in Philadelphia, Peters could be an interesting late summer addition for another contender in need.

Longest-Tenured GMs In The NFL

July 13th, 2021 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

When we ran down the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL, we found that just about half of the league’s current coaches have been in their positions for more than three years. That’s not quite the case with general managers, but there have been plenty of changes in recent years.

A handful of general managers have gotten to take their coats off and stay for a long while. Among coaches, Bill Belichick had joined his team prior to 2003. Here, you’ll see that five GMs have been with their teams since before ’03 (Belichick, of course, is also on this list). Two of those five – Jerry Jones and Mike Brown – are outliers, since they’re team owners and serve as de facto GMs. But the Patriots, Steelers, and Saints, have all had the same general managers making their roster decisions for well over a decade.

Here’s the complete list of the NFL’s longest-tenured GMs, along with the date they took over the job:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
  4. Kevin Colbert (Pittsburgh Steelers): February 18, 2000[4]
  5. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  6. Rick Spielman (Minnesota Vikings): May 30, 2006[5]
  7. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010[6]
  8. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010
  9. Les Snead (St. Louis Rams): February 10, 2012
  10. Steve Keim (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2013
  11. Tom Telesco (San Diego Chargers): January 9, 2013
  12. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014
  13. Ryan Pace (Chicago Bears): January 8, 2015
  14. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016
  15. Jon Robinson (Tennessee Titans): January 14, 2016
  16. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017
  17. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017
  18. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017
  19. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017
  20. Dave Gettleman (New York Giants): December 28, 2017
  21. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018
  22. Mike Mayock (Oakland Raiders): December 31, 2018
  23. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019[7]
  24. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  25. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
  26. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 7, 2021
  27. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 12, 2021
  28. Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
  29. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
  30. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  31. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  32. Martin Mayhew (Washington Redskins): January 22, 2021

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
  4. Colbert was initially hired as the team’s director of football operations and received the newly-created general manager title in 2011.
  5. Spielman was initially hired as the team’s VP of player personnel and received the GM title in 2012.
  6. While Schneider holds the title of GM, head coach Pete Carroll has the final say on roster moves for the Seahawks.
  7. In 2018, the Ravens announced that DeCosta would replace Ozzie Newsome as GM for Ozzie Newsome after the conclusion of the season. The Ravens’ ’18 season ended with their Wild Card loss to the Chargers on 1/6/19.

The Longest-Tenured Head Coaches In The NFL

July 13th, 2021 at 9:09am CST by Zachary Links

Things move fast in today’s NFL and the old adage of “coaches are hired to be fired” has seemingly never been more true. For the most part, teams change their coaches like they change their underwear. 

A head coach can take his team to the Super Bowl, or win the Super Bowl, or win multiple Super Bowls, but they’re never immune to scrutiny. Just ask Tom Coughlin, who captured his second ring with the Giants following the 2011 season, only to receive his pink slip after the 2015 campaign.

There are also exceptions like Bill Belichick, who just wrapped up his 21st season at the helm in New England. You’ll also see a few others on this list, but, for the most part, most of today’s NFL head coaches are relatively new to their respective clubs. And, history dictates that many of them will be elsewhere when we check in on this list in 2022.

Over one-third (12) of the NFL’s head coaches have coached no more than one season with their respective teams. Meanwhile, less than half (15) have been with their current clubs for more than three years. It seems like just yesterday that the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury, right? It sort of was – Kingsbury signed on with the Cardinals in January of 2019. Today, he’s practically a veteran.

Here’s the list of the current head coaches in the NFL, ordered by tenure, along with their respective start dates:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints): January 18, 2006
  3. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007
  4. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008
  5. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010
  6. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013
  7. Mike Zimmer (Minnesota Vikings): January 15, 2014
  8. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017
  9. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017
  10. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017
  11. Jon Gruden (Las Vegas Raiders): January 6, 2018
  12. Matt Nagy (Chicago Bears): January 7, 2018
  13. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018
  14. Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts): February 11, 2018
  15. Bruce Arians (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 8, 2019
  16. Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2019
  17. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019
  18. Vic Fangio (Denver Broncos): January 10, 2019
  19. Brian Flores (Miami Dolphins): February 4, 2019
  20. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019
  21. Ron Rivera (Washington Football Team): January 1, 2020
  22. Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers): January 7, 2020
  23. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  24. Joe Judge (New York Giants): January 8, 2020
  25. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
  26. Urban Meyer (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 14, 2021
  27. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  28. Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
  29. Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
  30. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
  31. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  32. David Culley (Houston Texans): January 28, 2021

Extension Candidate: Nick Chubb

July 12th, 2021 at 7:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The past year and change reset the NFL’s running back market. After the previous wave of big-ticket contracts produced shaky outcomes — in the cases of Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley and David Johnson — a few teams still prioritized their high-end backs and went ahead with extensions.

The 2017 draft class was responsible for most of these accords. Ezekiel Elliott and Derrick Henry are attached to high-value running back deals, but 2017 draftees Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones all signed for at least $12MM per year since March 2020. The 2018 draft class is now eligible for extensions, and another backfield mainstay is on track to join the 2017 contingent near the running back salary hierarchy.

Nick Chubb has become the centerpiece of a run-oriented Browns offense that rode its two-pronged ground attack to the playoffs. After playing an essential role in snapping the Browns’ postseason drought, Chubb joins Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and guard Wyatt Teller as extension candidates for a rising Cleveland team. With Mayfield and Ward signed through 2022, Chubb may be the team’s top contract priority ahead of the 2021 season.

Negotiations have begun, and a deal being finalized before the start of the season — thus protecting Chubb from a value-changing injury in his contract year — is in play. The Georgia product has become the most reliable back from the 2018 class. While Saquon Barkley may have this group’s highest ceiling, he is coming off ACL and MCL tears. Like Barkley in 2019, Chubb suffered a high ankle sprain. But he returned after four missed games to clear 1,000 yards (1,067) in just 12 contests. The 25-year-old back rushed for a career-high 12 touchdowns and joined Mayfield in leading the Browns to their first divisional-round game since 1994.

The two-time Pro Bowler has proven to be an elite ball carrier, but unlike the 2017 backs given extensions at or north of the $12MM-per-year mark, Chubb is not a major passing-game factor. He has yet to top 300 receiving yards in a season, with the Browns slotting Kareem Hunt as their preferred outlet option among these two. Hunt’s presence complicates Cleveland’s setup here — but only to a point. The Browns signed the embattled ex-Chief to an extension, but the two-year, $13.25MM pact represents midlevel money. Hunt is signed through 2022, but his $6.25MM cap number is both manageable and non-guaranteed. This seemingly keeps a Chubb extension realistic.

Chubb is the leader of Cleveland’s historically talented backfield, outrushing Hunt 1,067-841 last season despite the latter receiving more carries (198-190) during the starter’s injury-shortened season. Although Hunt is a Cleveland-area native, a scenario in which he moves on for a higher-paying RB1 gig elsewhere by 2023 may be likely — unless he is willing to accept a discount to stay a backup.

Henry’s four-year, $50MM deal ($25.5MM guaranteed) profiles a likely Hunt starting point. The Titans also use a run-centric offense, and Henry does not factor into their passing attack much. Chubb (44 career catches at Georgia) has never played a major receiving role, which could keep him off the McCaffrey-Kamara tier (north of $15MM AAV). Then again, the salary cap is set to balloon to nearly $210MM in 2022, perhaps giving Chubb a ladder up to the CMC-Kamara level. Also working in Chubb’s favor: his 680 career carries through three seasons ranks 56th all time and 22nd among backs whose careers started in the 21st century. He should have enough tread on his tires to be productive for the next few seasons.

While the Browns will certainly need to be careful here, the Rams and Jets’ Gurley and Bell missteps are not exactly comparable. Gurley entered the NFL with a knee issue, while Bell had more than 1,200 carries at the time of his free agency pact. Elliott was at 1,003 touches through three years; Chubb exited Year 3 with 752. Hunt staying through 2022 would also stand to shield Chubb from a Bell- or Elliott-like workload.

Either way, it sounds like the Browns will become the rare team with two well-paid backs on their roster soon. A Chubb extension will help establish a Barkley floor as well, should the Giants standout return to full strength this season, while providing the Browns with their most stable long-term backfield situation in decades. Cleveland missed on Trent Richardson, though the franchise did collect a first-rounder for him, and let Isaiah Crowell walk after his rookie deal expired. Chubb certainly appears set for a different northeast Ohio path.

Poll: Which Rookie Running Back Will Finish With Most Rushing Yards?

July 12th, 2021 at 4:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Quarterbacks, per usual, dominated this year’s pre-draft coverage. The Falcons made Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, and four wide receivers then went off the board in the top 20. Running backs, as they have done in a few drafts over the past decade, waited.

While two went in Round 1, the Jaguars’ Travis Etienne pick preceded a 60-pick stretch during which just one running back — the Broncos’ Javonte Williams choice — went off the board. The 2021 draft matches 2016 and 2003 for the fewest backs chosen in the top 80 (three) in the common draft era (1967-present), continuing a grim era for this once-storied position. But several of this year’s draftees have quick paths to key roles.

Linked to Najee Harris ahead of the draft, the Steelers took the Alabama standout at No. 24. Harris will join a Steelers team that ranked last in rushing in 2020. Although the Alabama product scored 30 touchdowns in his senior season and topped 1,200 rushing yards in two straight years, he will now play behind an offensive line that went through considerable turnover this offseason. The Steelers lost 17 Pro Bowls on their offensive line this year. They will replace Maurkice Pouncey and Alejandro Villanueva with far less experienced players, and David DeCastro‘s replacement (Trai Turner) struggled in 2020. Will Harris’ talent be enough to overcome significant O-line concerns in Pittsburgh?

Etienne joins a Jags team that just saw James Robinson set the rookie UDFA record for scrimmage yards (1,414) despite missing two games in 2020. Jacksonville also signed Carlos Hyde, who played for Urban Meyer at Ohio State. Etienne spent time at receiver during the Jags’ offseason program but should be expected to contribute heavily in the backfield. Like Harris, Etienne stayed in college for four years. He twice surpassed 1,600 rushing yards and totaled 78 college TDs — most of which coming alongside No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence — but will this unusual setup (for a first-round back, that is) translate to rookie-year production?

The Broncos traded up four spots for Williams in Round 2, Pro Football Focus’ top-rated back in this class, and chose the North Carolina product 36th overall. Williams teamed with Jets draftee Michael Carter to form one of the nation’s top backfield tandems. Williams compiled just one 1,000-yard season with the Tar Heels but led Division I-FBS with 75 broken tackles in 2020. The Broncos have Melvin Gordon signed through 2021, but the John Elway-era addition does not appear to be a lock to hold off Williams for the starting role.

The rest of the rookie field includes third-rounder Trey Sermon (49ers), Carter (fourth round, Jets) and a host of backs ticketed for early-career backup roles. While injuries certainly will hit the running back position, potentially forcing some of the later-round picks into the fray, Sermon and Carter have the best bets of seeing steady action among the mid- and late-round selections.

An Oklahoma and Ohio State product, Sermon also played four years. He averaged more than seven yards per carry in each of his past two, though he never topped 1,000 on the ground. Lead 49ers back Raheem Mostert is coming off an injury-marred season. The Jets added Tevin Coleman, who joined Mostert in missing most of last season, but do not have another back with much experience. This could allow Carter (two 1,000-yard years at North Carolina) early upward mobility, despite his 5-foot-8 frame.

Which rookie back will rush for the most yards in 2021? Who are the later-round candidates or UDFAs who can join these players as early contributors? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Which rookie running back will rush for the most yards in 2021?
Najee Harris 52.76% (1,369 votes)
Trey Sermon 12.79% (332 votes)
Javonte Williams 11.98% (311 votes)
Michael Carter 10.60% (275 votes)
Travis Etienne 8.71% (226 votes)
Another back (specify in comments) 3.16% (82 votes)
Total Votes: 2,595

This Date In Transactions History: Washington Signs Larry Centers 

July 12th, 2021 at 9:41am CST by Sam Robinson

Fullback Larry Centers enjoyed a 14-year career punctuated by a Super Bowl ring with the 2003 Patriots. His most notable work may have come with the Cardinals in the 90s, but his second half was still solid.

A former fifth-round Phoenix Cardinals pick out of Stephen F. Austin, Centers ascended to rare heights as the club’s starting fullback. In 1995 and ’96, he combined to catch 200 passes. His ’95 season — 101 receptions and 962 receiving yards — still stacks up incredibly well historically. At the time, Centers became the first running back to record 100 catches in a season and was among the first 15 players at any position to do so. While 101 receptions now ranks tied for 70th in NFL single-season history, only one running back (Matt Forte) appears higher on that list.

On this date in 1999, Centers officially moved on to the second team of his NFL career, joining Washington on a modest one-year pact. Centers wound up being part of Washington’s first Joe Gibbs-less team to reach the divisional round of the playoffs since 1976. He didn’t match those lofty standards, but he was a consistent receiving threat. In 1999, Centers delivered 544 air yards on 69 catches. One of those — a 33-yard touchdown grab from Brad Johnson to secure an overtime win over the 49ers — clinched Washington’s first NFC East title since its 1991 Super Bowl season. Under Norv Turner, they edged the Lions before falling to the Bucs in the next round.

Washington re-signed Centers for one year and $6MM in 2000 — for perspective, only three fullbacks make more than $3MM per year today — and his production that year still ranks atop team record books. Centers caught 81 passes in his second Washington season; still a team standard for running backs 20+ years later.

Centers parlayed that late-career success into a 2001 deal with the Bills, when he earned his third Pro Bowl nod. He capped his long, and sometimes underappreciated, career with the Pats in 2003, scoring his first ever Super Bowl ring.

This Date In Transactions History: Chiefs Promote Brett Veach To GM

July 10th, 2021 at 9:52am CST by Ben Levine

Brett Veach made his way through the coaching and front office ranks before hitting the pinnacle of his career on this date four years ago. On July 10, 2017, the Chiefs promoted the executive to the role of general manager.

Veach undoubtedly had the resume to lead the front office; after a few years as an Eagles coach and scout, he took the role of pro and college personnel analyst in Kansas City before getting promoted to Co-Director of Player Personnel, a position he held for two seasons. While the executive was certainly qualified to be GM, he also needed a bit of luck to get the job in the first place.

For starters, the Chiefs surprised the NFL world when they fired previous GM John Dorsey so late in the offseason. Dorsey had already guided the organization through much of their offseason tasks, including the draft (where they team traded up to select Patrick Mahomes) and extensions (where they handed Eric Berry a sizable pay day). Some pundits second-guessed the organization’s decision to not pivot away from Dorsey earlier in the offseason, especially since his heir apparent, Chris Ballard, had taken the Colts GM gig only months before. Ultimately, it sounds like Dorsey’s inability to effectively communicate and manage his staff (coupled with some questionable salary cap moves) spelled his demise in Kansas City. Rather than waiting another year to make a GM change, the organization decided to make their move at the end of June.

So, Veach took control of a roster that had lost in the Divisional Round in each of the past two seasons (despite averaging 11.5 wins per year during that span). After a 10-win 2017 campaign that saw Kansas City lose in the Wild Card Round, the GM made perhaps the most significant decision of his tenure. The Chiefs traded veteran Alex Smith to Washington, thus making Mahomes the full-time starter.

How has that worked out for the Chiefs? Well, Mahomes’ accolades are well-documented, but the team has also had plenty of on-field success. The team won 12 games and made it to the AFC Championship Game during Mahomes’ first season at the helm, they finally won that elusive Super Bowl during the 2019 campaign, and they made their second-straight Super Bowl appearance in 2020 (where they ultimately lost to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers).

Many fans want to give Mahomes credit for the Chiefs ascension into one of the best teams in football (rightfully so), and many pundits look back at Dorsey’s transactions and give him credit for forming the team’s core (also rightfully so). However, Veach has done a remarkable job of nurturing his roster by re-signing big names, taking shots on embattled or unheralded players, and making shrewd moves in both the draft and free agency. Signing Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year, $42MM deal was one of the GM’s best free agent acquisitions, and he’s also brought in contributors like Sammy Watkins and Bashaud Breeland via free agency, Frank Clark and Emmanuel Ogbah via trade, and Juan Thornhill and L’Jarius Sneed via the draft. The GM has also shown an ability to identify weaknesses and fix them. Kansas City’s offensive line dealt with a long list of issues in 2020, and Veach worked to revamp the unit by signing Joe Thuney to a five-year, $80MM deal and trading for Orlando Brown.

Perhaps most importantly, Veach has made sure that the team’s best players will continue to wear Chiefs uniforms. In 2020 alone, the general manager extended tight end Travis Kelce (four years, $57.3MM), defensive tackle Chris Jones (four years, $80MM), and Mahomes (a massive, unprecedented 10-year deal worth $450MM.

Clearly, the organization has valued what the GM has done. In 2020, the Chiefs gave Veach (along with head coach Andy Reid) a six-year extension.

Sure, you can question whether Veach deserves full credit for the Chiefs’ recent success, and it’s also fair to ask if he lucked his way into his position in the first place. However, plenty of replacements could have just as easily bungled the team’s roster over the past few years. Instead, Veach has helped elevate the team into a perennial contender.

Extension Candidate: Courtland Sutton

July 8th, 2021 at 2:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having fully transitioned at wide receiver following the in-season trades of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, the Broncos have assembled an interesting group of pass catchers. Denver’s quartet consists of a first-rounder (Jerry Jeudy), two second-rounders (Courtland Sutton, K.J. Hamler) and a contract-year UDFA (Tim Patrick) — all tied to rookie contracts or an RFA tender.

Joining Patrick in entering a contract year, Sutton is in line to be the first Broncos wideout to sign a lucrative extension since Sanders’ September 2016 re-up. A Sutton deal would top Thomas’ five-year, $70MM pact as the richest the Broncos have given a receiver. But a few factors complicate the 25-year-old playmaker’s status going into his fourth season, making him one of the more interesting 2021 extension candidates.

Sutton’s rookie-year form prompted the Broncos to trade Thomas, and the SMU product built on that in 2019. Despite Denver using three starting QBs in Sutton’s second year, the jump-ball standout served as the top weapon in an offense lacking other notable targets. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher’s 72-reception, 1,112-yard season — with an aging Joe Flacco, rookie Drew Lock and inexperienced backup Brandon Allen targeting him — garnered a Pro Bowl nod and opened the door to the prospect of an extension.

The Broncos then became the first team since the 2003 Cardinals to select receivers in the first and second rounds of a draft, but Sutton’s ACL tear — after just 31 snaps — changed the club’s plans to have the draftees develop in a Sutton-centered attack. Denver will now give its hopeful Sutton-Jeudy-Hamler trio, with Patrick mixing in, another try.

Since Sutton’s injury, the Broncos hired a new GM. But George Paton identified Sutton as a core player the Broncos want to keep around long-term. They have an opening for a veteran receiver contract, with Jeudy and Hamler not extension-eligible for a while and only one skill-position player — Melvin Gordon, whose roster spot may not be assured — making midlevel money. Sutton’s production with suboptimal quarterback play points to untapped potential for when/if the Broncos acquire a long-term passer.

Waiting makes some sense for both parties. Sutton is not expected to begin camp on the active/PUP list and will be on track to lead or co-lead Denver’s receiving corps this season. The Broncos making an offer before they determine Sutton’s fit alongside the younger receivers in Pat Shurmur‘s offense would be a bit of a gamble, but the team could also reap some value if Sutton wanted to lock in a slightly lower AAV now as protection against a sluggish season following ACL rehab. The Broncos certainly have the cap space to do a deal now or in the fall; their $28MM in room ranks behind only the Jaguars.

An in-season extension could be in play, too. That would make for an interesting middle ground — similar to Garett Bolles‘ November 2020 deal — and avoid a situation where this forces the Broncos to use their franchise tag for a third straight year. Of course, if Sutton proves willing to bet on himself going into a post-injury contract year, it would take a big offer to convince him to bypass a potential free agency bid or — in the more likely scenario — the leverage that comes with being tagged.

Sutton picking up where he left off would be a good problem for the Broncos, who have not featured this kind of depth at receiver since the mid-2010s. This has likely caught the attention of Aaron Rodgers, though that situation has produced little of consequence in months. A return to form would put Sutton on the radar to land a deal in the Kenny Golladay range — four years, $72MM — with perhaps some upside from this salary place, as the cap balloons over $200MM after 2021’s dip.

Sutton’s production alongside Jeudy will illustrate how the Broncos view him. With the fifth-year option allowing the Broncos to table Jeudy’s payday — if the impressive route runner proves worthy — until 2024, a window for a Sutton extension should be open. Given the Rodgers connection and the receiving corps’ new look since Sutton’s last full season, his contract status will be monitoring in the coming weeks and/or months.

This Date In Transactions History: Seahawks Extend Cortez Kennedy

July 8th, 2021 at 12:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Seahawks’ apex occurred during the 2010s, the franchise has a few Hall of Famers whose careers wrapped up before Pete Carroll‘s arrival. One of them signed his final (and most lucrative) extension on July 8, 1998.

Twenty-three years ago today, the Seahawks reached an agreement to retain Cortez Kennedy. A perennial Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Kennedy agreed to a three-year deal worth $17MM. Kennedy’s third Seattle contract contained a $6MM signing bonus and marked a raise from his previous accord.

The Seahawks’ first Kennedy extension took place in the initial year of the free agency era (1993). That four-year, $12.6MM pact put the dominant D-lineman on track for free agency after the 1998 season. But the Seahawks worked proactively to prevent a Kennedy free agency bid, and the summer ’98 extension allowed him to play his entire career in Seattle.

Part of the Miami Hurricanes’ 1980s dominance, Kennedy came to Seattle as the No. 3 overall pick in 1990. The Seahawks held two top-10 choices that year and sent both to the Patriots to move into the top three for Kennedy. He rewarded the move.

Although the then-AFC West franchise hit a rough patch, with its issues finding a quarterback at the epicenter of what became 10-season playoff drought, Kennedy more than delivered. The interior pass rusher ripped off a dominant stretch that crested with a 14-sack 1992 season. Despite the Seahawks finishing 2-14 that year, Kennedy earned Defensive Player of the Year acclaim.

Kennedy made every Pro Bowl from 1991-96 and booked his final two Hawaii trips over the course of his July 1998 extension. (Kennedy’s eight Pro Bowls rank second in Seahawks history, behind fellow Hall of Famer Walter Jones‘ nine.) After an injury-marred 1997, Kennedy returned to play in 47 of a possible 48 games during his final three seasons. His lone playoff appearance also occurred during this stretch, with a Jon Kitna-quarterbacked Seattle team winning the AFC West title in 1999. Kennedy recorded 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss that year.

After the Seahawks released Kennedy in March 2001 — three days following the signing of future Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle — the 11-year veteran called it a career. Although Kennedy and Randle were never teammates in Seattle, they were voted as the two first-team defensive tackles on the 1990s’ All-Decade team. Only Randle accumulated more sacks among D-tackles during the ’90s. Kennedy finished his career with 58 QB takedowns and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

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