Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/23
Here are today’s minor moves heading into the week:
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/did not report list: WR Rashod Bateman
Chicago Bears
- Placed on PUP: WR Chase Claypool
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on PUP: CB Chidobe Awuzie, T Devin Cochran, T La’el Collins
Detroit Lions
- Placed on NFI: WR Marvin Jones
Ravens fans can breathe a sigh of relief now that Bateman is set to return for camp. Bateman missed most of the team’s spring activities after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help him get back in time for camp. It was slightly concerning that he didn’t initially report with the rest of the team, but general manager Eric DeCosta had reassured the media that Bateman was expected back soon. Two days later and Bateman should be in attendance for camp to start this week.
Claypool has been dealing with a soft tissue injury from earlier in the offseason. He was expected back in time for camp but clearly will have to wait a bit to rejoin the team.
With the departure of Eli Apple in free agency, Awuzie is expected to take a step up in the Bengals’ defense this year. Cincinnati will hope to get him back and working with the first-team secondary again soon. The absences of Cochran and Collins leave the team a little thin on tackle depth, but the starters remain available as Jonah Williams avoids any injury designations.
Detroit will have Jameson Williams available for training camp but not for the start of the season. The Lions will be hoping to get the opposite result for Jones, who will be unavailable to start camp.
Details On Joe Mixon’s Reworked Deal With Bengals
JULY 23: OverTheCap.com offers more clarity on Mixon’s pay cut. Essentially, the reworked deal can be viewed as a two-year, $11.5MM contract with $4.13MM guaranteed. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic (subscription required) classifies the guaranteed money as a signing bonus, while OTC says it’s a roster bonus.
In either case, Mixon — who will also earn a veteran minimum $1.08MM base salary in 2023 — secured his place on the roster for the upcoming season. Dehner also confirms the original report that the former Pro Bowler can earn up to $2MM in incentives this year. However, while Dehner acknowledges that the restructure techincally allows the Bengals to retain Mixon in 2024, he does not believe that will happen unless Mixon turns in a “monster 2023.”
If Cincinnati were to cut Mixon next offseason, it would incur just $2.8MM in dead money.
JULY 15: Joe Mixon is staying in Cincinnati, but he had to take a significant pay cut to do so. We heard yesterday that the running back had restructured his contract to stick in Cincinnati, and we’re now getting details on what Mixon actually gave up.
[RELATED: Bengals, Joe Mixon Finalizing Restructure]
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), Mixon took a $4.39MM pay cut for the 2023 campaign and a $4.67M pay cut for the 2024 campaign. The running back’s base salary is now down to $5.51MM, and he can earn another $2MM via incentives in 2023. As Rapoport notes, this restructuring will also increase the chances of Mixon sticking around for the 2024 season.
Mixon was still playing on a four-year, $48MM deal he signed with the Bengals in 2020. The Bengals were fine carrying Mixon and his $11.42MM cap hit during the 2022 season, especially coming off a 2021 campaign where he had career-highs in rushes (292), rushing yards (1,205), and rushing touchdowns (13). However, with the organization facing pricey extensions for foundational pieces like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, the front office had to get creative.
As a result, Mixon was already a common candidate to earn a pay cut this offseason. The veteran running back was set to earn $10.1MM in 2023 and was attached to a $12.79MM cap hit. The Bengals stood to save over $7MM by releasing him, and that number would have been bumped to $10MM if they did so as a post-June 1 cut. Instead, both sides decided to stick together and agree to a reworked deal.
Considering the plight of the current crop of free agent RBs (including Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott) and extension-seeking RBs (including Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs), it made sense for Mixon to secure his roster spot for (likely) the next two seasons. The 26-year-old didn’t have his strongest campaign in 2022, finishing with only 814 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
It also made sense for the Bengals to renegotiate a restructured deal vs. outright releasing the veteran. The team lost Samaje Perine this offseason, leaving little experienced depth behind Mixon. Behind the starter, the Bengals are eyeing depth pieces like fifth-round rookie Chase Brown, special teamer Trayveon Williams, and former sixth-round pick Chris Evans.
Bengals, Joe Mixon Finalizing Restructure
Possibly in danger of becoming a cap space casualty, running back Joe Mixon agreed to restructure his contract in order to remain with the Bengals, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The veteran rusher will return for his seventh season in Cincinnati in 2023. 
Mixon’s uncertain future with the team has been a topic of discussion over the last few months. If the team had decided to cut the former Pro Bowler, they stood to save over $7MM by releasing him and over $10MM if they did so as a post-June 1 cut. The Bengals had already seen the departures of running back Samaje Perine, tight end Hayden Hurst, and safeties Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates III, but with a big money addition like offensive tackle Orlando Brown and a new contract for linebacker Germaine Pratt, it seemed like Cincinnati might need to start nickeling and diming where it could. This point seems even more prudent when considering the young star talent like quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who both will need hefty new contracts in the near future.
It became public knowledge that the Bengals would pursue a pay cut for Mixon months ago. In 2020, they had signed the tailback to a four-year, $48MM contract that made him a top-five paid running back in the league at the time. After Mixon rewarded the Bengals’ faith in him with a career-year that saw Mixon reach career-highs in rushes (292), rushing yards (1,205), and rushing touchdowns (13), the Bengals seemed content carrying Mixon into 2022 despite an $11.42MM cap hit. A $12.76MM cap hit in 2023 after missing three games and only amassing 814 rushing yards last year was going to be a tougher pill to swallow. A misdemeanor charge in April didn’t help things.
Still, head coach Zac Taylor vouched for the 26-year-old, establishing that Mixon’s future was “with the team,” and the front office continued to try to work towards an agreeable number on a pay reduction. As time went on, it began to seem that the only route that led to Mixon retaining his roster spot was a pay cut. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic laid out that “Mixon was always going to either take a paycut (sic) or decide to take a walk.” In the end, the franchise’s first ever successful restructured contract, according to Dehner, resulted in Mixon staying put.
The deal is not only beneficial for Mixon, who gets to remain in the only NFL home he’s ever known. The Bengals also get some security at the running back position. Even with Mixon still in the fold, Cincinnati was looking into the addition of experienced rushers to supplement the group behind Mixon. Returning backups Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans combined for 30 rushing yards last season, and rookie fifth-round pick Chase Brown is the only other back expected to make the 53-man roster. The lack of experienced depth behind Mixon is troubling, but if Mixon were to have left, it would’ve left Cincinnati in a desperate position.
Instead, Mixon returns to a very clear role as RB1. The team may still add another veteran running back for depth down the line, as it’s hard to see Mixon in a three-down role in 2023, but the Bengals secured what is likely the most important piece in their rushing game in a way that benefits both parties. Mixon takes less money than he was originally due but avoids what has been a treacherous running back free agency market in the process.
2023 NFL Dead Money, By Team
Accounting for players who appear on teams’ cap sheets but not on their rosters, dead money is a factor for all 32 teams. This year, dead money comprises more than 20% of five teams’ payrolls. Two teams who followed through (successfully) with all-in missions in recent years — the Buccaneers and Rams — each have more than 30% of their payrolls devoted to dead-cap hits.
Going into training camp, here is how dead money factors into each team’s cap sheet:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $75.32MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $74.23MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.14MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $54.73MM
- Carolina Panthers: $51.54MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $36.96MM
- Tennessee Titans: $36.56MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $35.54MM
- Houston Texans: $31.72MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $29.95MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $24.89MM
- New Orleans Saints: $24.58MM
- Chicago Bears: $23.52MM
- Washington Commanders: $23.01MM
- New York Giants: $22.74MM
- New England Patriots: $21.82MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $18.78MM
- Detroit Lions: $18.69MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $17.91MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $17.16MM
- Cleveland Browns: $16MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $14.64MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $13.26MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $10.78MM
- Denver Broncos: $9.72MM
- Miami Dolphins: $8.43MM
- New York Jets: $7.95MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $7.65MM
- Buffalo Bills: $5.23MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $4.7MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $2.19MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $593K
No team broke the Falcons’ record for dead money devoted to a single player. The Falcons’ Matt Ryan trade left them with $40.52MM last year. But the Bucs and Rams incurred some dead money collectively this offseason.
Tom Brady‘s Tampa Bay exit created much of the Bucs’ issue here. Brady not signing another Bucs deal, instead retiring for a second time, accelerated $35.1MM in dead money onto the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The team had used void years increasingly during Brady’s tenure, and his second restructure created the $35.1MM figure. The Bucs will swallow the post-Brady pill this year, with no dead money related to that contract on their books in 2024.
Three ex-Rams combine to take up $55MM of their dead-money haul. The Rams traded Allen Robinson to the Steelers earlier this year, but that three-year, $46.5MM deal Los Angeles authorized in 2022 will result in Robinson’s former team carrying a $21.5MM dead-money hit in 2023. The Rams are eating $19.6MM of Jalen Ramsey‘s contract, and bailing on Leonard Floyd‘s four-year, $64MM extension after two seasons moved $19MM in dead money to L.A.’s 2023 payroll. The Rams did not use the post-June 1 designation to release Floyd, keeping the dead money on that deal tied to 2023 only.
The Packers did come close to breaking the Falcons’ record for dead money on a single contract. Green Bay following through on the Aaron Rodgers trade left $40.31MM in dead money on this year’s Packers cap. Because the Packers traded Rodgers before June 1, that hit will be entirely absorbed this year. It also took a Rodgers restructure on his way out to move the cap damage down to $40MM. The Panthers trading Christian McCaffrey after June 1 last year left the second chunk of dead money ($18.35MM) to be carried on this year’s cap. It also cost Carolina $14.63MM in dead cap to trade D.J. Moore to the Bears.
The Bears used both their post-June 1 cut designations last year (Tarik Cohen, Danny Trevathan) and also have a $13.23MM Robert Quinn cap hold. The Cardinals had already used their two allotted post-June 1 cut designations this offseason. As result, DeAndre Hopkins is on Arizona’s books at $21.1MM this year. Because they cut the All-Pro wide receiver before June 1, the Cards will be free of Hopkins obligations after this year.
While the Raiders built in the escape hatch in Derek Carr‘s 2022 extension, keeping the dead money on their nine-year QB’s contract low, Cory Littleton — a 2022 post-June 1 cut — still counts nearly $10MM on their cap sheet. Fellow 2022 post-June 1 release Julio Jones still counts more than $8MM on the Titans’ payroll. The Cowboys went to the post-June 1 well with Ezekiel Elliott this year, but their 2022 designation (La’el Collins) leads the way with $8.2MM on this year’s Dallas payroll.
Bengals Eyeing RB Addition?
The uncertain status of Joe Mixon clouds the Bengals’ future at the running back position, but the top of the depth chart is not the only place where questions remain. Regardless of what happens with Mixon, a depth addition would not come as a surprise. 
A pay cut has been floated as a potential solution for Mixon to remain in place as the focal point of Cincinnati’s backfield, but few developments on that front have emerged recently. Team and player are hoping to have the situation resolved soon, with the Bengals having a number of other priorities to deal with in the summer, including extensions for the likes of Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Logan Wilson.
The loss of Mixon in particular would create a hole at the RB spot, however, and require a late addition aimed at filling it. As things stand, the free agent departure of Samaje Perine has led to questions about which back would occupy his pass-catching role. The incumbent options – veteran Trayveon Williams, 2021 sixth-rounder Chris Evans and fifth-round rookie Chase Brown – offer little-to-no experience in that regard at the NFL level.
As a result, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic predicts that another running back will be added during the summer to provide a known commodity on third downs (subscription required). Williams and Evans have combined to make just 26 receptions in their careers, while the majority of Brown’s production at Illinois came on the ground rather than through the air. Giving Mixon (if retained) a three-down role for 2023 is unlikely, Dehner notes, meaning the Bengals could be players on the open market.
Deep into what has been an underwhelming offseason at the running back spot, several options are available as short-term options while the team evaluates its younger players at the position. Evans, for instance, is in danger of losing his roster spot if training camp does not produce an impressive performance, per Dehner. High-profile names like Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott are still unsigned, but other veterans such as Kareem Hunt and J.D. McKissic would be better-suited if a strictly pass-catching role is the one being targeted.
The Bengals currently have just under $15MM in cap space, but that figure will be subject to change in the coming weeks, especially if Mixon is released (a move which would yield over $10MM in cap savings). Plenty will depend on the Pro Bowler’s fate, of course, but the team will be one to watch on the summer RB market as they look to replace Perine’s notable backup production.
Guarantees A Potential Sticking Point In Bengals’ Tee Higgins Negotiations?
The countdown to training camp is nearly up, but the Bengals still have plenty of work to do on the extension front. New deals for several players have yet to be worked out, leaving a number of unanswered questions for the team’s financial outlook. 
Wideout Tee Higgins is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, but he represents an obvious candidate for a multi-year deal. The need for new contracts on the part of quarterback Joe Burrow and, to a lesser extent, linebacker Logan Wilson led to trade speculation for Higgins this offseason, however. Cincinnati has made it clear the latter will not be on the move, and he has expressed a desire to remain with the team for years to come.
Those sentiments may not yield a smooth negotiating process, though. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes that the matter of guranteed money on a new Higgins pact could become an issue during talks between the Bengals and agent David Mulugheta (subscription required). Plenty of recent precedent already exists regarding term and total dollar amounts on receiver deals, with extensions given to the likes of A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin playing a role in the unprecedented heights the position reached last offseason.
As Dehner notes, those four comparable pacts contain between $41MM and $58MM in guarantees, and the Bengals do not have a history of making such signficant long-term commitments. The pact for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. – which included an historic $31.1MM signing bonus – and, no doubt, the one Burrow will sign at some point, represent exceptions to that general rule, though. A market-value deal for Higgins will require not only an AAV north of $20MM, but also a lucrative package of guranteed money.
The Bengals found themselves in troublesome extension talks last offseason with safety Jessie Bates, also a Mulugheta client. Bates ultimately played on the franchise tag in 2022, then landed a four-year, $64MM contract with the Falcons in free agency. A repeat of that situation could threaten the team’s ability to maintain its Burrow-Higgins-Ja’Marr Chase triumvirate over the long haul, making the team’s approach with Higgins a key storyline to follow for the rest of the offseason.
Bengals P Kevin Huber Retires
The Bengals’ all-time games played leader has called it a career. Punter Kevin Huber announced (via Twitter) on Friday that he is retiring. 
The Cincinnati native never strayed from home during his football career, playing for the Bearcats in college before being drafted by the Bengals in 2009. He operated as the team’s punter for 13 straight seasons after that, though his run in that capacity came to an end midway through the 2022 campaign.
Huber played the first nine games of the season (enough for him to move into the No. 1 spot for most games played in Bengals history with 216), but his yards per punt average sat at 43.2. That represented a notable decline for the 37-year-old compared to recent years, and led to the team’s decision to move in a different direction. After handing punting duties to Drue Chrisman, Huber was waived in December and retained on the Bengals’ practice squad.
While that represented a disappointing end to his career, Huber will leave the game with a number of accomplishments. The former fifth-rounder earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2014, and twice recorded the NFL’s longest punt in a season (72 yards, in 2010 and ’20). It was considered inevitable, though, that Cincinnati would transition to Chrisman no later than the end of Huber’s most recent one-year pact. In all, he totaled just over $25MM in career earnings.
“From just a Cincinnati kid watching my Bengals at Riverfront Stadium to being drafted as their punter is something dreams are made of,” Huber’s statement reads in part. “The past 14 years have been beyond my imagination and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Bengals organization.”
Chrisman’s performance in terms of average (47.8) and net (42.6) punting yards helped earn him the spot over Huber this past season. He will face considerable expectations being tasked with replicating those statistics over the long term, considering the impact made by his predecessor.
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs
The latest NFL general manager hiring cycle only produced two changes, but each took over for an executive who appeared in good standing at this point last year.
Steve Keim had held his Cardinals GM post since January 2013, and the Cardinals gave both he and Kliff Kingsbury extensions — deals that ran through 2027 — in March of last year. Arizona has since rebooted, moving on from both Keim and Kingsbury. Keim took a leave of absence late last season, and the Cardinals replaced him with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort.
[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]
As the Cardinals poached one of the Titans’ top front office lieutenants, Tennessee went with an NFC West staffer to replace Jon Robinson. The move to add 49ers FO bastion Ran Carthon also came less than a year after the Titans reached extension agreements with both Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel. But controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk canned Robinson — in place as GM since January 2016 — before last season ended. Adams Strunk cited player unavailability and roster quality among the reasons she chose to move on despite having extended Robinson through the 2027 draft months earlier. The Titans are now pairing Vrabel and Carthon.
The Bills reached an extension agreement with GM Brandon Beane two weeks ago. Hired shortly after the team gave Sean McDermott the HC keys, Beane has helped the Bills to five playoff berths in six seasons. Beane’s deal keeps him signed through 2027. Chargers GM Tom Telesco has hit the 10-year mark leading that front office, while this year also marks the 10th offseason of Buccaneers honcho Jason Licht‘s tenure running the NFC South team. Although Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and later admitted he reluctantly extended his former HC in 2021, the increasingly active Colts owner has expressed confidence in Chris Ballard.
Here is how the NFL’s GM landscape looks going into the 2023 season:
- Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
- Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
- Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
- John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
- Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
- Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
- Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
- Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
- Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
- John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
- Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
- Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
- Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
- Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
- Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
- Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
- Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
- Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
- George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
- Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
- Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
- Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
- Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
- Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
- Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
- Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
- Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
- Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
- Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
Footnotes:
- Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
- Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
- Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
- Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches
After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.
The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.
Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.
After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.
Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
- Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
- Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
- Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
- Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
- Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
- Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
- Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
- Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
- Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
- Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
- Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
- Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
- Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
- Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
- Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
- Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
- DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
- Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
- Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
Bengals LB Coach James Bettcher Likely Successor To DC Lou Anarumo
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo interviewed for the Giants’ head coaching job in 2022 and was a finalist for the Cardinals’ HC post this year. After a lengthy search process, Arizona chose Jonathan Gannon for the position, so Anarumo will return to Cincinnati for the upcoming campaign. Nonetheless, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic predicts that the 56-year-old will be a prominent member of next year’s coaching cycle (subscription required).
Should Anarumo leave the Bengals to become a head coach elsewhere in 2024, Dehner believes linebackers coach James Bettcher would most likely step into his shoes as Cincy’s DC. There are a number of reasons why that would be a logical move.
For one, a Bettcher promotion would represent schematic continuity, as he will have two years of experience working on Anarumo’s Bengals staff by the time the 2023 season comes to an end. And he also offers defensive coordinator experience himself, having served in that capacity with the Cardinals and Giants last decade.
During Bettcher’s tenure as Arizona’s DC from 2015-17, the club never finished outside of the top-six in total defense, a performance that earned Bettcher a head coaching interview in the desert following the 2017 season. That job ultimately went to Steve Wilks, and although Wilks reportedly offered Bettcher a chance to stay in his post, Bettcher accepted the Giants’ defensive coordinator position instead (he also received an offer from the Titans).
Bettcher’s time with Big Blue did not go according to plan, as the team finished in the bottom-10 in total defense in both of his seasons at the helm. In fairness, New York was not operating with much defensive talent at the time, particularly in the linebacking corps and secondary, which undermined Bettcher’s aggressive approach to play-calling. When Joe Judge became the Giants’ HC in 2020, he did not retain Bettcher, who sat out that season before taking a job as a senior defensive assistant with the 49ers in 2021.
Now 45, Bettcher joined the Bengals in his current role in 2022, a season that saw starting LBs Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt turn in the best performances of their careers. Cincinnati, of course, has emerged as an AFC heavyweight over the past several seasons, and while the Joe Burrow-led offense deservingly gets most of the credit for that development, the defense has steadily improved since Anarumo’s appointment as defensive coordinator in 2019. Last season, although the Bengals finished in the middle of the pack in terms of total defense, they did allow the sixth-fewest points per game and finished just outside the top-10 in takeaways.
If Anarumo’s unit continues its upward trajectory, or at least sustains its current level of performance, it stands to reason that he would generate more HC interest, and that the Bengals would want to promote a familiar and experienced candidate in Bettcher. Of course, the team would need to comply with Rooney Rule requirements before such a move could be made official.