Chiefs Expected To Trade Alex Smith
Just yesterday, we learned that the Chiefs would be open to trading QB Alex Smith this offseason, but that they would not actively seek out trade partners.
But a lot can change in a day. Ian Rapoport, who reported yesterday that Kansas City would be willing to listen to offers on Smith, says today that the Chiefs, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Titans less than 24 hours ago, are likely to deal the Utah product in the coming months (video link).
As Rapoport observes, Smith’s value is as high as it can be after a strong 2017 campaign. He set several career-highs in 2017, including passing yards (4,042) and touchdowns (26). He also completed 67.5% of his passes and threw only five interceptions, leading to some early-season MVP rumblings. He also led the league in quarterback rating (104.7).
Plus, Smith has a very tradeable contract, as he is owed a relatively low (for a good QB) $17MM in 2018, the last year of his current deal. Rapoport notes that any new team would need to give Smith a new contract, but money should not be an obstacle to actually acquiring him.
Rapoport named a number of teams that could be interested in Smith in yesterday’s report, but today he specifically mentioned the Browns as a potential landing spot — new GM John Dorsey has already traded for Smith once in his career — and he named the Cardinals as another logical destination. Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM confirms that Arizona will indeed have interest in Smith, though they would still likely draft a QB even if they land him (Twitter links).
Smith himself is not ready to talk about his future, as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk (citing the Kansas City Star) writes.
NFL Workout Updates: 1/4/18
Today’s NFL workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
Arizona Cardinals
- G Greg Pyke (link)
Buffalo Bills
- RBs Cedric O’Neal, Jhurell Pressley (link)
Carolina Panthers
- CB Lorenzo Doss (link)
Cleveland Browns
- Ts Chauncey Briggs, Taylor Hart (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- DE Evan Panfil (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- TEs Gavin Escobar, Colin Jeter (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- DE Sean Daniels; LB Shakeel Rashad; CBs Sheldon Price, Ezra Robinson; S Malik Golden (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- QB Marcus McDade; TEs Steve Donatell, Patrick Towles; K Roberto Aguayo; LS Derek Hart (link)
Los Angeles Rams
- C Jon Toth; DT Toby Johnson; LB Reshard Cliett; S Bennett Jackson (link)
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
- LS Anthony Kukwa (link)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB Joel Bouagnon; DE Darnell Leslie; LBs Kenneth Olugbode, Max Valles; DBs Lorenzo Jerome, Andrew Williamson (Twitter links)
San Francisco 49ers
- DE Ryan Delaire; DT Alameda Ta’amu (link)
Browns To Interview Ken Zampese For OC
- Reports earlier this week indicated the Browns are interested in former Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese, and Cleveland will in fact interview him for their open offensive coordinator position, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). Browns head coach Hue Jackson, who calls his own offensive plays, had not employed an OC during his first two years in Cleveland. Zampese, the Bengals’ quarterbacks coach from 2003-16, lasted only two touchdown-less games as the club’s offensive play-caller in 2017. The Browns are also set to interview Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for offensive coordinator in the near future.
Terrelle Pryor Wants Browns Reunion?
In a reply to on an Instagram post by Duke Johnson, Terrelle Pryor seemed to hint at having interest in returning to the Browns, as ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon writes. The Browns did express interest in reuniting with Pryor before the trade deadline, but it’s not clear whether new GM John Dorsey would want to sign him.
Pryor, who is scheduled to be a free agent in March, had a breakout season with the Browns in 2016, catching 77 passes for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. This past year, however, he had only 20 catches for 240 yards and one score in nine games.
Browns Interested In Ken Zampese
- Hue Jackson is interested in adding former Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese to the Browns’ coaching staff, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). Jackson and Zampese overlapped for a number of years on the Cincinnati staff, so there is clearly a familiarity between the two coaches. Zampese, the Bengals’ quarterbacks coach from 2003-16, lasted only two touchdown-less games as the club’s offensive play-caller in 2017. Cleveland, which didn’t employ an offensive coordinator last year, wants to interview Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for its OC vacancy.
- Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron‘s free agent status grievance hearing will be settled on February 15, tweets Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. McCarron will argue that he should be an unrestricted free agent in March, while Cincinnati will contend that McCaron is a restricted free agent given that he was on the non-football injury list for most of his rookie campaign in 2014. The Bengals, of course, nearly traded McCarron to the Browns for second and third-round picks earlier this season.
Browns Hire Alonzo Highsmith
The Browns’ staff under new GM John Dorsey is starting to take shape. The Browns have hired executive Alonzo Highsmith away from the Packers, as Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette tweets. Highsmith’s title will be Vice President of Football Operations, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Highsmith has served as the Packers’ senior personnel executive since 2012 and, this past season not withstanding, their strong drafts have propelled them to tremendous success. Highsmith has garnered attention from other teams in the past and been made to stay, but it appears that he has either secured permission to go elsewhere or his contract has expired.
“We discussed so many ideas and all kinds of stuff,” Highsmith said to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky in a phone interview. “I was exposed to so much stuff today. That’s why I thought it was as great opportunity. It feels good to go somewhere that you feel like you’re trusted.”
Dorsey is expected to shift the Browns’ front office from a focus on analytics to a concentration on old-fashioned scouting and the hiring of Highsmith is a major push in that direction. With a new lieutenant in town, the team could be one step closer to moving on from former baseball GM Paul DePodesta. Recently, Dorsey ripped into predecessor Sashi Brown as well as the people working underneath him.
Browns Ask To Talk With Texans’ Sean Ryan
The Browns have requested permission to speak with Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for their vacant offensive coordinator job, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ryan has worked closely with Deshaun Watson and the Browns are looking for someone who can mold a young quarterback in the same fashion.
The Texans still have to formally grant permission to Cleveland, but Houston head coach Bill O’Brien already indicated that he will not stand in the way of Ryan interviewing (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle). Ryan offers a great deal of NFL experience, having been with the Giants for nine years before joining the Texans in 2016. He served as the receivers coach in Houston in his first year before taking on the QB coach job last year. After Watson’s tremendous (yet injury-shortened) season, Ryan could now climb the coaching ladder with an OC opportunity elsewhere.
For the last two years, Browns head coach Hue Jackson has effectively been the team’s offensive coordinator. With just one win since the start of 2016, the team is looking to jumpstart its stagnant offense.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/1/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Baltimore Ravens
- QB Josh Woodrum
- RB John Crockett
- FB Ricky Ortiz
- OT Steven Moore
Buffalo Bills
- WR Rod Streater
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB Carl Bradford
- K Jon Brown
- LB Connor Harris
- OT Javarius Leamon
- OG Oni Omoile
- TE Scott Orndoff
- CB Sojourn Shelton
- SS Robenson Therezie
- WR Kermit Whitfield
Cleveland Browns
- WR C.J. Board
- LB Austin Calitro
- DB Trevon Hartfield
- WR Bug Howard
- RB Josh Rounds
- OL Victor Salako
- DB B.W. Webb
- WR Kasen Williams
Denver Broncos
- DT Paul Boyette
- WR River Cracraft
- WR Jordan Leslie
- DE Stansly Maponga
- DB Jordan Moore
- TE Brian Parker
- WR Tim Patrick
- OT Jeremiah Poutasi
- LB Marcus Rush
- DE Jhaustin Thomas
Detroit Lions
- CB Adairius Barnes
- TE Brandon Barnes
- DE Alex Barrett
- WR Dontez Ford
- DT Toby Johnson
- C Leo Koloamatangi
- S Rolan Milligan
- T Dan Skipper
- QB Alek Torgersen
- DE Jeremiah Valoaga
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Mo Alie-Cox
- WR Dres Anderson
- DT Johnathan Calvin
- WR Kolby Listenbee
- LB Arthur Miley
- LB Josh Perry
- QB Phillip Walker
- G Isaiah Williams
New York Giants
- OL Ethan Cooper
- WR Amba Etta-Tawo
- K Marshall Koehn
- DB Jeremiah McKinnon
- P Austin Rehkow
- DB Tim Scott
- WR Canaan Severin
- DT Kristjan Sokoli
- DE Jordan Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WR Jake Lampman
Washington Redskins
- OL Alex Balducci
- DL Tavaris Barnes
- TE Chris Bazile
- RB Kenny Hilliard
- OL Cameron Jefferson
- OL John Kling
- LB Alex McCalister
- LB Cassanova McKinzy
- DL Ondre Pipkins
- DB James Sample
- S Orion Stewart
Hue Jackson To Coach Browns in 2018
After the Browns fell to the Steelers, 28-24, to become the second 0-16 team in NFL history, team owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), that head coach Hue Jackson will return as head coach in 2018. 
Haslam also said he doesn’t believe “Jackson hasn’t lost his magic,” and that he is working well with new general manager John Dorsey.
Since taking over at the beginning of the 2016 season, Jackson has managed just a 1-31 record as head coach. Following the loss in the season finale, Jackson told reporters the team wasn’t as far away from competing as many people think they are and that the difference will be the addition of Dorsey. The former Chiefs GM took over after the team parted ways with Sashi Brown earlier in the season.
Shortly after the hiring of Dorsey, questions began to swirl about Jackson’s future in Cleveland, with many thinking the new GM wanted to hire his own coach. Haslam, however, has stated all along he planned to bring back Jackson, and Dorsey later dispelled the rumors. There were even rumors of the Browns trading Jackson to the Bengals, the team in which he served as offensive coordinator before moving to Cleveland.
Jackson has stood firm in his commitment to Cleveland. He was reportedly not interested in the Bengals job after Marvin Lewis announced he was leaving. He told reporters on Sunday, “I don’t think anyone else could’ve done this job for the past two years.” He also added, “We’re going to get this organization to winning as soon as possible.”
With the loss on Sunday, the Browns will hold the No. 1 pick, which they will presumably use to take one of UCLA’s Josh Rosen or USC’s Sam Darnold, should they declare for the draft. Thanks to a draft-day deal in 2016, the team will also holds Houston’s first-round selection, the No. 4 overall pick. Also loaded with tons of caps space, the Browns are set up to make strides in Jackson’s third season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: FB Marquez Williams
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL John Fullington
- Waived: TE John Phillips
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Walker
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Khalfani Muhammad
- Waived: CB Demontre Hurst