Bears Sign No. 1 Pick Caleb Williams
JULY 17, 2:45pm: Once again, we have a report Williams has agreed to terms with the Bears. This latest offering, from NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, comes after a report the highly touted passer attempted to become the first rookie to receive a no-tag clause in his first NFL deal. The Bears balked, potentially putting this issue to bed for other No. 1 picks for a while, and have their new starter under contract. The team have since announced the signing.
11:58am: While Williams’ deal is expected to be completed soon, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes some minor issues remain unresolved. The lawyer representing Williams is not especially experienced with NFL contracts, per Florio, complicating this process to a degree. Though, the No. 1 pick is on track to collect his full signing bonus not long after the deal is finalized. It does not appear like that has happened just yet.
JULY 16: Hours after Rome Odunze‘s signature on his rookie contract, Caleb Williams is putting pen to paper as well. The Bears are also signing their No. 1 overall pick to his rookie deal Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.
This will be a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $39.49MM. While this is a fraction of what No. 1 picks commanded before the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie pacts, Williams’ slot price sits higher than anyone drafted since. The Bears, who traded Justin Fields to make room for the 2022 Heisman winner, now have this year’s top draftee signed through 2027.
[RELATED: Five 2024 Draft Choices Remain Unsigned]
Williams marks the latest QB swing from a Bears team that has been unable to find a true franchise-level option. Fields showed some improvement last season, but Williams’ ceiling is viewed as considerably higher. Chicago’s whiff on Mitch Trubisky remains one of the modern draft era’s most infamous transactions, seeing as Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were drafted soon after. The team’s Jay Cutler trade, which cost two first-round picks and change, produced one playoff berth in eight seasons. A 2023 Panthers trade, however, changed Chicago’s fortunes and led to a rare opportunity.
The Bears did pass on C.J. Stroud by sending the Panthers the 2023 top pick, leading to Carolina choosing Bryce Young. Although GM Ryan Poles attempted to give Fields a shot at making a case to be the team’s long-term option, the Panthers finishing 2-15 changed the Bears’ plans. Few expected Chicago to seriously entertain trading out of No. 1 for a second straight year, and the team did not. The Bears instead unloaded Fields — for a price (a conditional sixth-round pick) much lower than most anticipated — to clear the decks for Williams. With no notable backup in place, the former Lincoln Riley pupil will move into Chicago’s starting lineup soon.
The Bears already named Williams their starter, though that status was never in doubt. The former Oklahoma recruit-turned-USC superstar had established himself as the clear-cut top option in this year’s class during his 2022 Heisman-winning season. Williams did not fare as well as a junior, but he did not do enough to fall in the draft. This year’s spree of draft rumors centered around five quarterbacks, not six, as Williams-to-Chicago was an open secret for weeks.
Although some evaluators referred to Williams’ Combine interviews as “not great,” the dynamic talent was never closely connected to any team but the Bears. That set him apart from Young last year, as the Panthers were also tied to Stroud and Anthony Richardson, and placed Williams closer to the Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow levels. Williams’ supporting cast looks better than both those talents coming in.
Williams totaled 4,537 passing yards, with a 42-5 TD-INT ratio, during his Heisman season. Although the Trojans took a step back in 2023 by losing five of their final six regular-season games, Williams still closed with a 30-5 TD-INT ratio and improved his completion percentage from 66.6% to 68.6%. Williams’ yards per attempt number (9.4) also bettered his Heisman average (9.1). Williams averaged at least nine yards per pass in each of his three college seasons.
The 6-foot-1, 214-pound passer will now team with one of the top receiver groups in Bears history, with Chicago adding Keenan Allen and Odunze to a group fronted by D.J. Moore. The Bears also have Cole Kmet and ex-Shane Waldron charge Gerald Everett rostered at tight end. After Trubisky and Fields struggled with limited pass-catching help, Williams will begin an attempt to reverse this franchise’s miserable modern QB history with a deep array of weaponry.
Going into training camp, here is how the Bears’ 2024 draft class looks:
- Round 1: No. 1 (from Panthers): Caleb Williams (QB, USC) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 9: Rome Odunze (WR, Washington) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 75: Kiran Amegadjie (T, Yale) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 122 (from Eagles): Tory Taylor (P, Iowa) (signed)
- Round 5: No. 144 (reacquired from Bills): Austin Booker (EDGE, Kansas) (signed)
Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Defense
As veteran report dates for training camps near, NFL payrolls are largely set. Extension- and trade-related matters remain, but as far as high cap numbers go, the list will not change much between now and Week 1. After we ran down the top cap charges on the offensive side of the ball last week, here are the highest 2024 figures tied to defenders:
- Maxx Crosby, EDGE (Raiders): $30.48MM
- T.J. Watt, EDGE (Steelers): $30.42MM
- Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $27.49MM
- Joey Bosa, EDGE (Chargers): $26.11MM
- Khalil Mack, EDGE (Chargers): $25.39MM
- Montez Sweat, EDGE (Bears): $25.09MM
- Harold Landry, EDGE (Titans): $23.8MM
- Jaire Alexander, CB (Packers): $23.49MM
- Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $22.88MM
- Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Bears): $22.44MM
- Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.41MM
- Jeffery Simmons, DL (Titans): $21.65MM
- Daron Payne, DL (Commanders): $21.61MM
- Jonathan Allen, DL (Commanders): $21.44MM
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Steelers): $21.36MM
- Vita Vea, DL (Buccaneers): $20.97MM
- DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE (Cowboys): $20.46MM
- Quinnen Williams, DL (Jets): $20.4MM
- Grady Jarrett, DL (Falcons): $20.38MM
- Myles Garrett, EDGE (Browns): $20.17MM
- Trey Hendrickson, EDGE (Bengals): $20.17MM
- Derwin James, S (Chargers): $19.86MM
- Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $19.03MM
- Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): $18.4MM
- Marcus Williams, S (Ravens): $18.03MM
While a handful of quarterbacks are set to break the single-player record for cap hit — after this offseason’s $30.6MM cap spike — this year’s defensive hits do not check in on that level. Crosby and Watt are at $30MM, but those numbers do not match last year’s top defender cap hit — attached to then-Giants D-lineman Leonard Williams ($32.26MM). With Aaron Donald now in the dead money category following his retirement and Chris Jones extended, some new faces have climbed toward the top of this list.
The Raiders gave Crosby a $6MM 2024 pay bump to reward a former Day 3 pick who has unlocked another level while attached to an extension signed in 2022. Rather than greenlight a new deal for their top defender, the Raiders moved money around on his through-2026 extension to accommodate a rising market. This season now marks the highest cap hit on this Crosby contract.
Although the Chargers worked out pay-cut agreements with Bosa and Mack, both edge rushers are still among the most expensive — cap-wise — players in the league. The March reductions, however, moved Bosa’s cap number down from $36.6MM and lowered Mack’s from $38.5MM. With James tied to the second-highest 2024 safety figure, Jim Harbaugh‘s team — while clearing out costs on offense — remains among the top defensive spenders.
Two years remain on Watt’s deal, which has paid out its guaranteed money. With Nick Bosa having secured a defender-record extension and lower-production players — compared to Watt, at least — Brian Burns and Josh Allen surpassing the future Hall of Famer’s 2021 extension, a third Steelers-Watt agreement will likely be rumored soon. Heyward has expressed interest in a fourth Steelers contract, which would reduce his lofty cap figure, but the accomplished veteran has not heard much from the team’s side on this matter.
The Packers have begun talks with Clark on what would be a third extension. His current $17.5MM-per-year contract has fallen to 15th among active D-linemen. A new deal would update that figure for a reliable starter while reducing his 2024 cap hit. Despite rumors about the Pack separating from Alexander coming out in December, GM Brian Gutekunst shot down any such move associated with the league’s highest-paid corner.
Baker requested a trade last year, eyeing a deal closer to the James-Fitzpatrick level. The longtime Cardinal DB is in the final year of an extension agreed to back in 2020. Although the Cardinals are rebuilding, Baker has remained part of Jonathan Gannon‘s team. He expressed hope to stay in Arizona beyond 2024, and the Cardinals have the contract-year safety — the team’s longest-tenured starter, now that D.J. Humphries is off the roster — on the team going into his age-28 season.
Montez Sweat Informed Bears He Would Not Debut Without Extension; No Commanders Talks Transpired
The Bears have restarted their quarterback contract clock, swapping out a fourth season of Justin Fields for Caleb Williams‘ rookie deal. That will give the NFC North team more roster flexibility, helping make two recent big-ticket extensions palatable.
Chicago authorized high-priced re-ups for Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson between November and March. The first of those deals, for Sweat, obviously came before the team knew Williams was Chicago-bound. Sweat came to the Windy City in a deadline deal for a second-round pick, ending a five-year Washington run.
Sweat said the Commanders, who were transitioning from Dan Snyder to Josh Harris during the defensive end’s contract year, did not engage in extension talks. Upon hearing from Ron Rivera that he would be traded, Sweat said (via The Athletic’s Dan Pompei) “some things I wanted to take back.” It turned out Rivera and then-DC Jack Del Rio wanted to keep Sweat, but Harris made a push for the team to trade both its starting D-ends — as Chase Young was later dealt to the 49ers — to accumulate draft capital. That ended up helping Adam Peters and Dan Quinn, with Rivera fired after an eight-game losing streak.
The Bears did hammer out an extension with Sweat days after his arrival, signing the 2019 first-rounder to a four-year, $98MM deal before Week 9. Sweat took a diplomatic approach publicly when asked about an extension, but the relocating defender had told the Bears (via Pompei) he would not have debuted without an extension in place.
Rivera said in August that Sweat negotiations — on hold due to the ownership transfer — could end up taking place, but they did not come to pass. With Young running into career-altering injury trouble midway through the 2021 season, Sweat served as Washington’s edge anchor. No Pro Bowl nods came, but the five-year starter accumulated 35.5 sacks during his time in Washington. This included six before the 2023 trade. Sweat, 27, did receive a Pro Bowl invite after finishing last season with 12.5 sacks.
The Bears may be in the market for another D-end, with a Yannick Ngakoue reunion potentially on the table. The Commanders have retooled around ex-Quinn Cowboys pieces, signing Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler. The team also signed Clelin Ferrell. None of these talents has performed on Sweat’s level, but ownership and Washington’s previous football staff moved him out of the equation before the Peters-Quinn duo arrived. Washington traded down (via Philadelphia) from the Sweat-obtained draft slot (No. 40), picking up an extra second-rounder in the process. After drafting Johnny Newton with their own second-rounder, the Commanders turned the Sweat choice into cornerback Mike Sainristil and tight end Ben Sinnott.
John Mara Voiced Support For Giants Retaining Saquon Barkley, Did Not Force Re-Signing
HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut has included John Mara cameos, with the owner staying involved in the team’s effort (or lack thereof) to retain Saquon Barkley. After GM Joe Schoen ran down the team’s priorities, Mara still makes it somewhat clear he wants his staff to keep the door open for a return.
As the legal tampering period began, the Giants‘ front office — after passing on a second franchise tag and informing Barkley no offer will come before he hits the market — braced for a departure. After Schoen informed Mara of a text he received that the Bears were driving up Barkley’s price, the owner voiced his long-held preference for the seventh-year veteran to be re-signed. Though, Mara ultimately did not stand in Schoen’s way.
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara told Schoen. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”
The Bears made D’Andre Swift the first commitment of this year’s tampering period, giving the former Eagles and Lions starter a three-year, $24MM deal. That ended up being second among RBs this offseason, with Barkley’s three-year, $37.75MM Eagles deal ($26MM guaranteed at signing) the runaway winner. Swift’s price tag ultimately led to the Eagles pursuing Barkley.
While Barkley’s agent indeed brought the RB’s Philly offer back to the Giants, Schoen did not receive assurances the two-time Pro Bowler would return if the team matched it.
“I told the agent, I said if we match that deal, he’s going to be a Giant,” Schoen said in a conversation with Mara on March 11. “And he’s like, ‘Well…’ You know, he hemmed and hawed, he’s like, ‘I’m not saying that; we’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.'”
This led to Schoen confirming to Barkley’s agent that the team would not match, keying a separation after six years. Upon receiving the news of the offer Barkley fetched, Schoen told Barkley’s agent the team was out. Barkley’s agent did not initially tell Schoen who made the offer, but the Giants belatedly learned the Eagles did so. Barkley confirmed months ago the Giants did not submit him a proposal to stay, indicating four teams made formal offers. It is fair to assume the Bears, along with the Texans, joined the Eagles in doing so.
Receiving Brian Daboll‘s recommendation, Schoen pivoted to Devin Singletary on a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. After Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti read the news of the Eagles’ deal with Barkley, Schoen told Mara, “We’re gonna be fine.” As Mara walked out of the meeting with Schoen and Rossetti upon hearing the news of Barkley’s Philly pledge, it appears he agreed.
Mara not strong-arming Schoen to keep Barkley reflects a belief in the third-year GM, and it was not made clear the Penn State alum would have passed on a Philly deal even if New York matched the terms. The Giants did not reach $26MM fully guaranteed at the July 2023 franchise tag deadline, and Schoen’s comments leading up to free agency prepared Mara for Barkley’s exit. Based on Mara’s comments during the early hours of free agency, is safe to assume the owner will be closely monitoring how Barkley fares with the Eagles. This will obviously be a key determinant in Schoen’s long-term Giants future.
Bears Sign Round 1 WR Rome Odunze
As training camps approach, only six 2024 draftees remain unsigned. The Bears entered the week with their two first-round choices out of contract, but they narrowed that number to one Tuesday by signing Rome Odunze to his rookie deal.
Odunze, the Bears’ first Round 1 wideout pick since Kevin White in 2015, will be tied to a four-year pact that could be pushed to 2028 via the fifth-year option. Chicago did considerable work at wide receiver this offseason, adding Keenan Allen as well. But Odunze will be tied to Caleb Williams for the foreseeable future. The Bears will hope their Nos. 1 and 9 overall picks form a long-term partnership.
The team targeted the Washington prospect with the ninth pick to the point it explored trading up. GM Ryan Poles called Falcons counterpart Terry Fontenot about moving up one spot. The Falcons passed and chose Odunze’s college QB, Michael Penix Jr., but other teams eyed the multiyear Huskies standout. The Jets were in the mix, while the Colts made offers to move up for a pass catcher. Ultimately, Odunze ended up with a Bears team that may well be set to sport one of the most promising receiving cadres in its history.
Odunze’s contract will come fully guaranteed, as all first-round deals are now. Rookie deals are no longer especially complicated, and holdouts are exceedingly rare since the 2011 CBA introduced the slot system. The Williams matter may not be resolved for a bit, but the USC prospect is not expected to hold out. Williams is not using an NFLPA-certified agent, adding a complication to the former Heisman winner’s negotiations.
The Bears have clear intentions to make Odunze a Week 1 starter, teaming him with Allen and 2023 trade pickup D.J. Moore. Although Chicago rostered Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery together, this franchise does not have an extensive history with high-end receiving tandems or trios. Moore immediately became Chicago’s top target, displacing Darnell Mooney, and Allen comes over after accumulating the second-most receiving yards in Chargers history. WR3 expectations should give Odunze a smoother onramp to the NFL.
Odunze played a lead role in Washington zooming to the CFP national championship game, leading Division I-FBS in receiving (1,640 yards) and catching 13 touchdown passes. The Penix-Odunze combo produced 10 100-yard games for the 6-foot-3, 212-pound target, who amassed 125 yards in the Huskies’ CFP semifinal victory over Texas. Odunze starred at Washington for the past two seasons, posting two 1,100-yard campaigns while elevating his stock. He also clocked a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
With Allen signed for just one more season and Moore still tied to his Panthers pact, Odunze has a route to becoming the Bears’ top wideout. Moore may well loom as an extension candidate, and Allen is open to a new deal. But the Bears will look to have the Williams-Odunze pair aligned for many years.
Latest On Caleb Williams’ Contract Status
With Bears rookies set to report to training camp tomorrow, first-overall pick Caleb Williams remains unsigned. With few negotiating terms on rookie contracts, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says there’s little chance the quarterback engages in a rare rookie holdout. However, Rapoport did hint that Williams may not take the practice field until veterans report on Friday.
As NFL.com’s Kevin Patra notes, signing bonus payment schedules and offset language are often the main holdups in rookie contracts. Williams isn’t operating with an NFLPA-certified agent, and Rapoport notes that his unorthodox “board of directors” approach could lead to prolonged negotiations. Ultimately, the USC product is expected to sign a four-year deal worth $39.5MM, plus a fifth-year option.
Williams didn’t sound distracted by his contract status, with the rookie deferring to his representation.
“I’m not handling that,” Williams told reporters this past weekend (via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune). “My lawyers and attorney and everybody, the head of the Bears, everybody up there up top is handling that. That’s not my position that I’m handling.”
For what it’s worth, Williams did make it clear that he’s excited to practice with his new squad, indicating that he’s not anticipating a delay.
“You start getting to the end of the break and you’re training and you’re ready to go,” Williams said (via Kane). “Really excited. … I’m really happy to be back in Chicago and to get this thing going. We’re only about three weeks away (from the exhibition opener).”
Williams is one of seven draft picks who haven’t signed their rookie deals. This grouping includes the QB’s new teammate, ninth-overall pick Rome Odunze. Rapoport doesn’t expect there to be any issues with the wide receiver’s contract, noting that the deal will probably be completed only when absolutely necessary.
Bears WR Rome Odunze On Track For Starting Role
The Bears invested in both the present and future of their offense during Day 1 of the draft by selecting Caleb Williams first overall and Rome Odunze at No. 9. The former has already be tapped as Chicago’s starting quarterback, and the latter is likewise positioned to occupy a first-team role right away.
Odunze was the third receiver to come off the board, and Bears general manager Ryan Poles explored a move up to No. 8 to guarantee Chicago would land the former Huskies product. Odunze led the way on a star-studded Washington passing attack (92 catches, 1,640 yards, 13 touchdowns) and earned consensus first-team All-American honors as a result.
The Bears saw D.J. Moore post career-best numbers in his debut season with the team last year, but adding at the receiver spot was an offseason priority. Chicago acquired Keenan Allen via trade, setting him up for a starting spot in the Windy City. Moore and Allen took first-team reps during spring practices, and the latter confirmed (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin) the same was true for Odunze.
Skill position players drafted early are often counted on to contribute right away, so it comes as little surprise Odunze appears to fit into that category. The 22-year-old will need to confirm his place in the WR pecking order over the coming weeks, of course, but expectations will be high for him individually and the Bears’ offense as a whole if things go according to plan come the fall. The presence of Moore and Allen (along with tight end Cole Kmet and free agent running back D’Andre Swift) will give Odunze plenty of competition for targets, but he could carve out a notable role over the course of the summer.
Chicago ranked second in rushing yards last season; the passing game was a much different story, though, finishing 27th through the air. Williams will be expected to guide the Bears to a step forward on offense in 2024, but Odunze’s role during his rookie season will be worth monitoring as well.
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs
The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.
Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.
[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]
The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.
Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.
As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:
- Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
- Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
- 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[3]; signed extension in 2022
- Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
- 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 2023
- 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 2024
- 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: signed extension in 2024
- Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
- George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
- Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
- Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
- Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
- Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
- Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
- Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
- Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
- Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
- Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
- Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
- Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
- Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
- Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024
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.
- The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
- Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches
Following 2023’s five-team coaching carousel, this offseason featured a quarter of the jobs becoming available. One HC-needy team (New England) did not put its position on the market, promoting Jerod Mayo, but the rest did. The Patriots’ decision also produced the first shakeup among the league’s longest-tenured head coach list since 2013.
Since the Eagles fired Andy Reid, Bill Belichick‘s Patriots HC stint had run the longest. After a 4-13 season, the six-time Super Bowl-winning leader was moved out of the picture. No team hired Belichick, generating a wave of rumors, and only one (Atlanta) brought him in for an official interview. While Belichick should be expected to take at least one more run at a third-chance HC gig, Mike Tomlin rises into the top spot on this list.
Tomlin is going into his 18th season with the Steelers, and while he has surpassed Bill Cowher for longevity, the steady leader still has a ways to go to reach Chuck Noll‘s 23-season Pittsburgh benchmark. Tomlin, 52, enters the 2024 season 17-for-17 in non-losing seasons, separating himself from his predecessors in that regard.
Belichick’s ouster brought far more attention, but his Patriots predecessor also slid out of the HC ranks after a 14-year Seattle stay. Pete Carroll‘s third HC shot elevated the Seahawks to their franchise peak. No Hawks HC comes close to Carroll’s duration, and while the Super Bowl winner was interested in remaining a head coach, no team interviewed the 72-year-old sideline staple.
Belichick and Carroll’s exits leave only Tomlin, John Harbaugh and Reid as coaches who have been in place at least 10 years. With Mike Vrabel also booted this offseason, only eight HCs have held their current jobs since the 2010s. A few 2017 hires, however, stand out; Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay and Sean McDermott have now each signed multiple extensions. Now riding back-to-back Super Bowl wins, Reid joined Tomlin in signing an offseason extension.
Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2024 season:
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2027
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2029
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2027
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2027
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
- Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020; signed offseason extension
- Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021; extended through 2027
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
- Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
- Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 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
- 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
- Jerod Mayo (New England Patriots): January 12, 2024
- Antonio Pierce (Las Vegas Raiders): January 19, 2024
- Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans): January 22, 2024
- Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers): January 24, 2024
- Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers): January 25, 2024
- Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons): January 25, 2024
- Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks): January 31, 2024
- Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders): February 1, 2024
DB Notes: Owens, Giants, King, Chargers
The Bears have become a rather Olympic-friendly organization in recent years. Although Marquise Goodwin did not make the U.S. long jump team three years ago, Bears coaches backed the London Olympian-turned-NFL wideout’s bid to land on the Tokyo squad. A new Bears regime appears equally into the Olympic spirit. Goodwin did not need to miss any training camp time, but one of the Bears’ new signees looks set to receive a few excused absences for Olympics purposes.
Jonathan Owens, a sixth-year safety best known as the husband of gymnastics icon Simone Biles, will be given some time to attend Paris to support his wife. Biles said (via USA Today’s Nancy Armour) the Bears intend to allow the veteran safety “a couple days off” during training camp to watch her compete. Biles, who regularly attended Texans and Packers games to support Owens, is due to compete in her third Games from July 28-August 1. Owens signed a two-year, $3.8MM deal with the Bears this offseason. Although the former Houston and Green Bay cog worked as a starter over the past two seasons, he looks set to operate as a backup behind Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker in his first Chicago season.
Here is the latest from the NFL secondary ranks:
- Saquon Barkley‘s departure and Daniel Jones remaining in place as the starting quarterback have been the lead items — perhaps along with Brian Burns‘ arrival — from this Giants offseason. But Joe Schoen also identified cornerback as one of the team’s top needs going into free agency. The third-year GM said during the Hard Knocks: Offseason debut (h/t The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) CB was a front-line need along with wide receiver and the offensive line. The Giants did invest in a corner (Dru Phillips) in Round 3 and added former Jaguars slot defender Tre Herndon in June, but the team is counting on converted slot Cor’Dale Flott to replace Adoree’ Jackson alongside Deonte Banks. Schoen’s recently revealed assessment of the position may be of note as the team finishes assessing its pre-training camp depth chart.
- Desmond King cited the Texans‘ emergence into an AFC contender as a key reason he agreed to re-sign this offseason. The team gave King a second chance after he washed out with the Steelers last year. “I’m going on my fourth year in Houston,” King said, via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. “I’ve done seen the evolution of the team and the organization just being here for those first couple of years and seeing where it’s at now, knowing my capability and what I can bring to the team, why not be here with Houston?” King, who signed a one-year deal worth $1.8MM, has operated primarily as a slot player in Houston. He was with the team during David Culley and Lovie Smith‘s one-and-done seasons, before observing the Texans’ progress under DeMeco Ryans. With Tavierre Thomas now with the Buccaneers, King has a clear path to holding the Texans’ slot role this season.
- A number of new faces will be part of the Chargers‘ two-deep this year. After going into last season with J.C. Jackson and Michael Davis in key roles at corner, the Bolts moved on from both. While Kristian Fulton has a path to a starting job, ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim notes another addition — fifth-round rookie Tarheeb Still — made perhaps the biggest impact among the Bolts’ rookies during the offseason program. DC Jesse Minter also offered praise for Still, a Maryland product, and it looks like he has a chance at securing a role alongside the likes of Fulton and Asante Samuel Jr. in Jim Harbaugh‘s first season.