RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/23

While teams have some bigger-picture decisions to make this month, this is also the point on the calendar they need to make calls on restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents. Here is a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:

ERFAs

Tendered:

NFC Coaching Updates: Bears, Falcons, Engram

The offseason giveth and the offseason taketh away as the Bears learned this past week with the addition and subtraction of two coaching assistants earlier in the week.

After the departure of assistant offensive line coach Austin King to join Sean Payton‘s new staff in Denver under the same title, Chicago hired longtime Titans assistant Luke Steckel to fill the role. This will be Steckel’s first time working specifically with offensive linemen in the NFL. After four years in Cleveland as an assistant to the head coach, Steckel joined the Titans in 2013 as an offensive assistant/special assistant to the head coach. He cycled through other roles with the team over the years including assistant wide receivers coach and his most recent role of the past two seasons as tight ends coach.

Steckel is credited with having contributed to the success of wide receiver A.J. Brown during his rookie season in Tennessee and quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the year that he won Comeback Player of the Year. As a tight ends coach, Steckel worked with newcomer Austin Hooper and rookie Chigoziem Okonkwo. Both finished with similar statistics, combining for 894 yards and five touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Hooper had the 12th-best receiving grade of any tight end in the NFL while Okonkwo finished third behind only Travis Kelce and George Kittle. Steckel will now be assisting with coaching an offensive line that utilizes strong youth pieces like Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones.

Here are a few more coaching updates from around the NFC:

  • The Falcons have made some updates to their staff from last year, according to Falcons features reporter Ashton Edmunds. Steve Jackson, who shockingly was hired in the position of senior offensive assistant last year despite his years of defensive coaching experience, has rightfully returned to the defensive side of the ball as the team’s secondary coach. Another assistant expected to switch sides of the ball, Nick Perry will move from assistant defensive backs coach to assistant wide receivers coach. Former defensive assistant Lanier Goethie has been promoted to defensive front specialist. The team has also added longtime college coaching assistant Dave Huxatable into his first NFL role of senior defensive assistant. Additionally, former John Carroll offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Baker has been added to the staff as special teams assistant. Lastly, the team has hired Steven King and Patrick Kramer as offensive assistants, Mario Jeberaeel as the special projects: defense coach, Shawn Flaherty as the assistant offensive line coach, Michael Gray as a football analyst, and Mateo Kambui as the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellow assigned to work with the offensive line.
  • With Drew Terrell‘s departure to Arizona as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach, the Commanders have a vacancy to fill at wide receivers coach. According to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, one candidate who has been interviewed for the role is former NFL wide receiver Bobby Engram. After his retirement as a player, the longtime Seahawk immediately went into coaching, signing with the rival 49ers as an offensive assistant. Since then, Engram has worked his way up, going from coaching wide receivers in the college ranks at Pitt to earning the same position in Baltimore. With the Ravens, Engram earned his paycheck putting together veteran receiver groups for quarterback Joe Flacco. In healthy years, Engram coached up impressive duos such as Steve SmithTorrey Smith and Mike Wallace-Steve Smith. When injuries decimated the team he helped Kamar Aiken to a breakout season, pieced together what he could out of a group that included Wallace, Jeremy Maclin, and Chris Moore, and got a respectable output from a corps of John Brown, Willie Snead, and Michael Crabtree. Engram moved to tight ends coach for the Ravens in 2019 and helped in the emergence of star tight end Mark Andrews, who earned two Pro Bowl bids and a first-team All-Pro selection under Engram. Last year, Engram took the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wisconsin, but an interview with the Commanders could indicate his willingness to return to the NFL.

Bears Will Consider Moving No. 1 Pick Before Free Agency

The Bears being this open about potentially trading the No. 1 overall pick is notable in itself; only two teams (the 2001 Chargers and 2016 Titans) have moved down from No. 1 this century. But second-year Chicago GM Ryan Poles is open to unloading the pick before free agency begins.

Since the NFL moved the draft to April in 1976, there have been eight instances of teams trading out of No. 1. Each trade occurred in April, with only one of those moves — the Patriots’ 1984 move up for wideout Irving Fryar — happening before April 14. The Bears will consider bucking tradition here to have their ducks in a row ahead of the market opening.

There are some scenarios that might benefit us to move before free agency opens, potentially, but again when we get back with all the information that we’ve gathered from here I think we’ll have a better direction,” Poles said, via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin. “There’s scenarios where you could add players as well, potentially, which again, gives you some clarity on what you want to do in the draft and free agency.”

Chicago making a push to collect a trade haul before free agency starts (March 15) would both give the rebuilding team a better view of what type of player it can draft, by determining its new draft slot weeks in advance, and clear up another team’s quarterback outlook early. Then again, the team that would be trading up might not be on the same page with the Bears, with free agency beginning before pro days commence. The teams eyeing Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis will likely want as much information as possible before agreeing to move up.

Three of the eight modern-era trade-ups were for quarterbacks (Jared Goff, Michael Vick, Jeff George). In having a young dual-threat quarterback in place, the Bears reside in a similar place to the most recent team to trade down. Marcus Mariota started for four-plus seasons in Tennessee, though he did not earn a second contract from the team. Chicago is leaning toward giving Justin Fields a chance to prove he will be worthy of an extension someday. No team has inquired about Fields’ availability, Poles said.

Poles confirmed the Bears will examine the QBs in this year’s QB class. With this being the Bears’ first time picking atop a draft since 1947, such research is mandatory. Jets examinations of the 2021 field, when the team held the No. 2 overall pick, led to a trade of Sam Darnold and selection of Zach Wilson. Fields has shown a bit more upside than Darnold after two seasons, though the Bears still need to see plenty more of the Ohio State product as a passer. Poles had previously said the Bears would need to be blown away to take a quarterback first overall. It certainly does not look like that has happened.

We’ve always leaned [toward trading back from No. 1] because Justin did some really good things,” Poles said. “I’m excited about where his game is going to go, but at the same time, when you sit in our situation at 1 overall, you have to do your due diligence, you have to investigate everything, you have to spend time with those guys just to make sure we’re making the right decision.”

Trading down before free agency also would be a move that would hinder the Bears’ study of this QB class, with “30” visits taking place between free agency and the draft as well. It should be considered unlikely the Bears pull the trigger that early, but this trade will be one of the league’s top storylines ahead of the draft.

Teams like the Texans (No. 2), Colts (No. 4), Raiders (No. 7) and Panthers (No. 9) will be in range to move up, combining a QB need with top-10 draft real estate. It will both depend on the offers and how far the Bears are willing to move down. Poles’ trades in 2022 point to the team being fairly open on the latter front.

2023 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

As the head coaching carousel spun for several weeks, many teams made coordinator changes as well. Teams seeking new head coaches are conducting OC and DC searches, and a handful of other teams that did not make HC changes are also searching for top assistants.

This is a big year for offensive coordinator hires, with nearly half the league making changes. Here are the teams searching for new OCs and DCs. As new searches emerge, they will be added to the list.

Updated 3-1-23 (3:31pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals 

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Greg Roman)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Ben McAdoo)

  • Thomas Brown, tight ends coach, (Rams): Hired
  • Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Kellen Moore)

  • Brian Angelichio, tight ends coach (Vikings): Interviewed 2/2
  • Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed
  • Jeff Nixon, running backs coach (Panthers): Interviewed
  • Brian Schottenheimer, offensive consultant (Cowboys): Hired

Denver Broncos (Out: Justin Outten)

Houston Texans (Out: Pep Hamilton)

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Parks Frazier)

  • Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Tee Martin, wide receivers coach (Ravens): Interview requested

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Matt Nagy, quarterbacks coach (Chiefs): Hired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Joe Lombardi)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Liam Coen)

New York Jets (Out: Mike LaFleur)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Shane Steichen)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Byron Leftwich)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Todd Downing)

Washington Commanders (Out: Scott Turner)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Vance Joseph)

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dean Pees)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Leslie Frazier)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Al Holcomb)

  • Ejiro Evero, former defensive coordinator (Broncos): Hired
  • Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): Interviewed
  • Kris Richard, co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Interviewed

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans 

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Renaldo Hill)

  • Derrick Ansley, defensive backs coach (Chargers): Promoted
  • Doug Belk, defensive coordinator (Houston): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Interviewed

Miami Dolphins (Out: Josh Boyer)

Minnesota Vikings (Out: Ed Donatell)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Ryan Nielsen, Kris Richard)

  • Joe Woods, former defensive coordinator (Browns): Hired

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Jonathan Gannon)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: DeMeco Ryans)

  • Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): On radar
  • Chris Harris, defensive backs coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/31
  • Kris Kocurek, defensive line coach (49ers): On radar
  • Steve Wilks, former interim head coach (Panthers): Hired

NFC North Notes: Fields, Pack, Vikes, Lions

Going into the Combine, the Bears are leaning toward keeping Justin Fields in place at quarterback. They are viewed as likely to trade out of the No. 1 overall draft slot, and Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reinforces that the rebuilding team is leaning against exiting the first round with a quarterback. Fields finished a historically successful season as a running quarterback, but significant questions remain about his potential as a passer. The Bears will still meet with just about every top quarterback at the Combine, Jones adds, noting questions also exist about whether the team view this draft class as having a QB option head and shoulders above Fields. While the belief is Fields will have a shot at a third season in Chicago, questions will persist until the Bears trade the pick. Doing so would make them the first team to move out of the No. 1 spot since the Titans did so in 2016.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • Aaron JonesPackers restructure will ensure he plays a seventh season in Green Bay — rare territory for modern Packers backs — and it will create considerable cap space for the team. Jones’ cap figure will drop from $20MM to $8.2MM, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Jones’ base salary will drop from $8.1MM to $1.1MM. Jones took a $5MM salary cut in exchange for a $8.5MM signing bonus, keeping him tied to the four-year, $48MM extension he inked before free agency in 2021. In 2024, the final year of Jones’ deal, Demovsky adds (via Twitter) his cap number will rise from $16MM to $17.7MM. The void years from Jones’ 2022 restructure remain on the contract.
  • Shifting to another 2017 running back draftee still on his second contract, Dalvin Cook will miss time this offseason because of shoulder surgery. The Pro Bowl Vikings back, whom Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes underwent surgery this month, played shoulder pain for the past three-plus seasons, initially injuring it in 2019. Cook, 27, suffered a broken shoulder in 2019 and missed time in 2019 and 2021 as a result; he played all 18 Vikings games last season but battled a shoulder dislocation he sustained in Week 3. This surgery will likely knock Cook out for much of the offseason, with the Vikings announcing he is expected to make a full recovery “by the start of the regular season.” Two years remain on Cook’s five-year, $63MM contract.
  • Dalvin Tomlinson‘s two-year Vikings pact was set to void last week, but the team bought more time on this front. The Vikes pushed Tomlinson’s void date to March 15 — Day 1 of the 2023 league year — according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This keeps $7.5MM from hitting Minnesota’s cap, though that amount will move onto the payroll if no extension is reached by March 15. If an extension occurs before that date, the Vikings will only be charged with $2.5MM in dead money, Yates tweets.
  • If Tomlinson does return, he will be a part of another 3-4 scheme. Minnesota had gone decades in a 4-3 alignment, but new DC Brian Flores confirmed (via the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson) the 3-4 look installed under previous leader Ed Donatell will remain in place. Although teams’ increased sub-package usage diminishes the importance of base sets, this is certainly notable given how long the Vikes were a 4-3 team prior to 2022, when their switch yielded disastrous results.
  • Shaun Dion Hamilton will move up from defensive assistant to the Lions‘ assistant linebackers coach, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Hamilton is just 27, being one of the Lions’ cuts last summer, but moved quickly into coaching. Rather than hit the workout circuit, the former Washington sixth-round draftee opted to enter coaching early.
  • The Packers‘ run of extensions last offseason included executive VP Russ Ball, Demovsky tweets. Green Bay quietly extended Matt LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst, and Ball — a veteran cap guru elevated during the same offseason Gutekunst took over as GM — remains a key part of the franchise’s equation. Ball, 63, has been a critical part of the Pack’s front office since 2008.

Bears Receiving Calls On No. 1 Pick; Team “Leaning Toward” Trade

The NFL Scouting Combine takes place this week, and its first significant development has already reportedly taken place. Multiple teams have inquired about the availability of the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and the Bears are certainly open to the possibility of moving it.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Chicago is “leaning toward” trading the top selection. The results of Chicago’s and Houston’s final regular season games clinched the top spot for the Bears, and immediately invited debate and speculation on what they would do in a position of considerable leverage. General manager Ryan Poles made it clear that all options are on the table as they weigh draft evaluations against trade offers.

When speaking publicly about the opportunity afforded with the No. 1 pick to draft a quarterback, Poles endorsed incumbent starter Justin Fields and said he would need to be “blown away” by the class of signal-callers. Alabama’s Bryce Young is expected to be the first QB off the board, but others like Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis are expected to go in the top 10. With the QB-needy Texans set to pick second overall, a bidding war could ensue as teams look to move ahead of them on the board.

Coming off a 3-14 season, the Bears have a number of roster holes to fill, and would be well-served to collect extra draft assets by moving down. Doing so would be in line with the majority view of PFR’s readers, and could still allow them to secure one of the top defenders – defensive tackle Jalen Carter or edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. – depending on how far down the board they fall. Much of their roster needs will be determined by free agency, of course, which will be a busy period for Poles and Co., seeing as the Bears lead the league with nearly $100MM in cap space.

The veteran quarterback market has yet to take shape, with Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo the top names certain to find themselves in a new home next season. Whichever teams are unable to land those two (or any other passer who could be moved, such as Lamar Jackson or Aaron Rodgers) will no doubt look towards the draft to find a long-term solution. A clearer picture will be in place by April with respect to which teams are still on the market for a signal-caller, and thus of interest to the Bears as a potential trade partner.

It has been seven years since the last time a No. 1 pick was traded, but the past two offseasons have seen significant pick swaps in the first round. The Eagles and Saints finalized a notable deal affecting their 2022 and ’23 draft capital last April, while the 49ers made a major push up the board the year before to move to No. 3 and select Trey Lance. Another blockbuster could be in the cards, if the Bears remain willing to entertain offers for the top selection.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/22/23

Here are some minor transactions from around the league today:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Bears Rumors: Fields, Brown, Needs

A rather surprising rumor has hit the NFL this week concerning the future of the Bears. According to a tweet from Jason la Canfora of the Washington Post, “more than one NFL general manager came away from the Senior Bowl fairly convinced that Justin Fields will be dealt.”

Going a step further, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe went as far as to assert that perhaps the Bears “should” move Fields. Volin puts forth that, as holders of the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears may be best served by trading away Fields for assets and selecting a new quarterback with the first pick of the draft.

Fields made large strides in his second year under center but still went 3-12 as a starter. He found a way to make more plays with his legs, but he was only able to average 149.5 passing yards per game, just over six less passing yards per game than his rookie year. He’s made comments, as well, that he feels “way slower” in the cold and that he struggles to play in the cold and wind of Chicago.

Many former executives have stated their beliefs that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud each have higher ceilings than Fields. It would also make sense financially if the Bears decide that Fields isn’t the future. Instead of waiting another two years until his contract is expired, wasting any current assets on the roster, why not draft a new quarterback in the first round and have five more potential years with a rookie quarterback’s salary and cap hit?

There are no direct sources from the team on this yet, but if these rumors hold true, it will certainly be something to keep an eye on as the 2023 NFL Draft draws near.

Here are a few other rumors out of the Windy City:

  • When discussing how best to build an offense around Fields (should he stay the team’s focus at quarterback), The Athletic’s Adam Jahns clearly labeled who Chicago’s top free agent target should be. In an attempt to improve the offensive line, Jahns believes that Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. should be the first name on the Bears’ list. Chicago has an in with Brown. General manager Ryan Poles played a part in bringing Brown in from Baltimore when he was still a part of the front office in Kansas City. Adding Brown would allow tackle Braxton Jones to move over to the right side and would certainly provide an immediate improvement on the line. The Chiefs, however, may not let Brown hit the market. They are expected to use the franchise tag on him for a second year.
  • What other positions need to be a priority this offseason, according to Jahns? Aside from offensive tackle, the Bears biggest positions of need are wide receiver and pass rusher. The need at wide receiver is an obvious one. Backup receivers Byron Pringle, Dante Pettis, and N’Keal Harry all are headed towards free agency, so at the very least, depth is needed. Past that, the Bears’ top receivers are Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, and Equanimeous St. Brown. If Fields’s passing yards per game were any indication, none of these pass catchers had stellar years with each one failing to reach 500 yards receiving and Claypool proving to be a majorly disappointing offseason addition. The need for a pass rusher should be nearly as obvious. The leading sack getter for the team last season was rookie safety Jaquan Brisker with four. No one on the Bears defensive line or linebacking corps really strikes fear in an opposing quarterback, but adding a top pass rusher from the draft like Alabama’s Will Anderson or Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson or signing a top defensive lineman like Daron Payne in free agency may help add some sacks to the team’s tally next year.

Bears To Release DE Al-Quadin Muhammad

The Bears enter the 2023 offseason with by far the most spending power in the league, but they have made a move which frees up even more cap space. Chicago is releasing edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

The 27-year-old was a draft pick of the Saints in 2017, but only spent one season there. His most productive campaigns came in Indianapolis, where he took on a larger role in the team’s defense over the course of four straight years. His improvement was reflected by five combined sacks in 2019 and 2020. That made him a logical candidate for a new deal at the expiration of his rookie contract.

Muhammad did ink a one-year pact to stay with the Colts in March 2021. That deal had a $3.4MM value, and allowed him to take on a full-time starting role for the first time in his career. He responded by setting new personal marks in sacks (six) and tackles (48), positioning him for another notable contract on the open market. With ex-Colts DC Matt Eberflus taking the head coaching position in Chicago, it came as little surprise that Muhammad followed him to the Windy City.

The former sixth-rounder signed a two-year, $8MM deal with the Bears last offseason. That came with significant expectations, but he fell short of them. Muhammad registered just one sack this year, totaling 19 QB pressures (compared to 37 the season before). That opened the door to the Bears cutting ties with him despite being on the books for 2023 at a cap hit of only $4.4MM.

This release will save Chicago just under $4MM in cap space. The Bears already had over $90MM in available funds heading into free agency, in no small part due to the cost-shedding moves made by general manager Ryan Poles. Those include the trade sending Khalil Mack to the Chargers last March, and the one which saw Robert Quinn dealt to the Eagles midseason. Now, another veteran on the edge will need replacing in the coming months as the Bears look to re-tool their pass rush.

Cardinals Request DC Interviews With Dave Borgonzi, DeMarcus Covington

After Jonathan Gannon informed Vance Joseph he was free to explore other opportunities, the Cardinals are moving on their defensive coordinator search. Two interview requests went out Friday morning.

The NFC West team requested DC meetings with Bears linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi and Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter links). Borgonzi is scheduled to interview for the job Saturday.

[RELATED: Cardinals Send Out OC Interview Requests]

Borgonzi followed Matt Eberflus to Chicago, having spent four seasons as Indianapolis’ linebackers coach. Gannon was on that Frank Reich-led Indy staff from 2018-20. Covington, who is just 33, has been the Patriots’ D-line coach since 2020 and has worked in New England since 2017. That tenure overlapped with new Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort, and Rapoport adds the two have been friends for a bit. These are the first two interview requests the Cards have sent out regarding their DC position.

Covington has steadily climbed the ladder in New England, moving from an assistant position to outside linebackers coach to D-line coach since 2017. The Pats hired the young assistant out of the college ranks; he spent the 2016 season as Eastern Illinois’ co-defensive coordinator. This is Covington’s first DC interview opportunity, and Ossenfort’s presence stands to give the six-year Pats staffer a decent chance of receiving another title bump.

Borgonzi oversaw the first four seasons of Shaquille Leonard‘s career. Three of those produced first-team All-Pro honors for the star linebacker, and Bobby Okereke‘s production also reflects well on Borgonzi. The Bears traded Roquan Smith midway through Borgonzi’s first Chicago season, continuing a teardown that gave its defensive staffers less talent to manage. The Bears ranked last in scoring defense in 2022, but Borgonzi will receive an opportunity to state his case for an elevation. Borgonzi has been in the NFL since joining the Cowboys’ staff in 2011.

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