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2023 NFL Dead Money, By Team

By Sam Robinson | at July 14, 2023 4:43 pm

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.

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Offseason In Review: Houston Texans

By Sam Robinson | at July 13, 2023 9:45 pm

The Texans’ rebuild continues, and it now involves a third head coach in three years. Following in the footsteps of the 1970s and 2010s 49ers in seeing back-to-back one-and-done coaching tenures transpire, the Texans have been the league’s most anonymous on-field operation during the 2020s. GM Nick Caserio generated scrutiny as the losses piled up, but he convinced one of this year’s hottest head coaching candidates to sign up.

DeMeco Ryans is now in charge of this lengthy ascent attempt. The Texans turned to their former linebacker — who presumably will receive more than the one season David Culley and Lovie Smith did in the HC chair — and this offseason at least brought some big swings from an organization that kept the car in neutral in 2021 and ’22. The C.J. Stroud–Will Anderson Jr. pairing will go a long way toward determining if Caserio’s rebuild will work.

Trades:

Dealt WR Brandin Cooks to Cowboys for 2023 fifth-round pick, 2024 sixth-rounder
Sent Buccaneers 2023 No. 179 overall pick for G Shaq Mason, No. 230

Even though Cooks’ production fell off in 2022, the NFL’s active trade kingpin had long been destined to get off the Texans’ long rebuild runway. It did look strange to see Cooks sign a two-year, $39.5MM Texans extension in April and then want out by midseason. Cooks’ NBA-esque about-face did not result in a midseason trade. Instead, the veteran deep threat languished on a 3-13-1 Houston team, finishing the season with a career-low 699 receiving yards.

Cooks effectively boycotted the Texans’ first post-trade deadline game but returned to action soon after. Interest came from nearly a fourth of the league, and the Texans listened to offers before the 2022 trading cessation. The team is believed to have sought a second-round pick, which was an unrealistic ask for a ninth-year player with an $18MM guarantee for 2023.

The actual trade price came in far below the 2017, ’18 and ’20 Cooks deals (which collectively involved two first-rounders and a second). After the Cowboys renegotiated Cooks’ deal, the former Saints, Rams and Patriots pass catcher is now part of an exclusive NFL club, being traded four times. Two of Cooks’ six 1,000-yard seasons — for four different clubs — came in Houston, which looks to be without an upper-echelon receiver after this deal.

Extensions and restructures:

Gave LT Laremy Tunsil three-year extension worth $75MM ($50MM guaranteed)
Rewarded G Shaq Mason with three-year, $36MM extension ($22MM guaranteed)
Handed DT Maliek Collins two-year, $23MM extension ($18.5MM guaranteed)
Reached pay-cut agreement with S Eric Murray, whose salary drops to $2.5MM

Seemingly incongruent with the Texans’ timeline, Tunsil’s presence has offered high-end left tackle play and affected his position’s market. Few would label Tunsil (zero first- or second-team All-Pro nods) as the game’s best tackle, but he has managed his career well. This offseason marked the second time the Texans have made Tunsil the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. The three-time Pro Bowler played a full season for the first time in his career last year, and while a Texans team that has shown no interest in contending (since at least 2020, that is) carrying a high-priced tackle has been a bit strange, checking off this key box has not been a problem thanks to a Bill O’Brien trade.

Months after trading two first-rounders and change to the Dolphins for Tunsil, O’Brien — during a short but eventful run wearing both HC and GM hats — signed off on a three-year, $66MM extension. That made Tunsil by far the NFL’s highest-paid O-lineman. Three years after Tunsil became the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year O-lineman, he is the only $25MM-AAV blocker.

The short-term contracts Tunsil has preferred have proven tremendously beneficial, as they have given him leverage of two contract years coming in his 20s. Tunsil also did not make any real guarantee concessions despite the medium-term deal; his $50MM guarantee figure trails only Ronnie Stanley‘s among tackles. After two seasons without a franchise quarterback to protect, Tunsil will be assigned to Stroud’s blind side. This extension also dropped Tunsil’s 2023 cap hit from $35MM to $26.6MM. Pro Football Focus has graded Tunsil as a top-30 tackle in each of his three non-injury-marred Texans seasons, with last year bringing a career-high placement (11th).

The Texans did authorize a $39MM-per-year Deshaun Watson extension in 2020, but beyond that and the disastrous Brock Osweiler deal they paid the Browns to take on, the franchise has kept QB costs low over the past 10 years. Building around Stroud’s will give the organization flexibility. With no big-ticket wideout, tight end or running back deal on the payroll, Caserio has invested up front. Mason is now signed through 2026 at $12MM per, and right tackle Tytus Howard — who may or may not be on the team’s extension radar — holds the team’s second-largest cap number ($13.98MM).

Mason, 29, joins Tunsil in signing a third contract. The Patriots gave the steady guard a five-year, $45MM deal in 2018, when Caserio remained Bill Belichick‘s right-hand man. Houston’s payroll now includes two eight-figure-AAV O-line deals. This brings a change from recent years, when the Texans opted to add bottom-tier or low-middle-class contracts around Tunsil’s.

In Mason, the Texans have one of the league’s most consistent players. PFF graded the former fourth-round find as a top-10 guard for six straight years (2016-21). After a Bucs one-off, which did feature 17 starts and a top-30 PFF grade, how long will Mason’s prime extend into his Texans years? He will be a key part of the team’s Stroud-years plan.

Caserio has inked numerous veterans to two-year deals during his time as Houston GM. Collins has now signed two of those. The former Cowboys draftee has signed a Texans contract in each of the past three years, coming over in 2021 (one year, $5MM), re-signing in 2022 (two years, $17MM) and now inking a player-friendly extension. Collins, 28, will shift back to a 4-3 scheme under Ryans, after playing two years in Smith’s system. Collins, who was a 4-3 D-tackle in Dallas and Las Vegas, totaled 18 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, representing one of the few Texans bright spots during this bleak period.

Free agency additions:

Robert Woods, WR: Two years, $14MM ($10MM guaranteed)
Jimmie Ward, S: Two years, $13MM ($8.5MM guaranteed)
Sheldon Rankins, DT: One year, $9.75MM ($8.5MM guaranteed)
Dalton Schultz, TE: One year, $9MM ($6MM guaranteed)
Andrew Beck, FB/TE: Two years, $6.25MM ($4MM guaranteed)
Case Keenum, QB: Two years, $6.25MM ($4MM guaranteed)
Shaquill Griffin, CB: One year, $3.5MM ($3MM guaranteed)
Hassan Ridgeway, DL: One year, $3.25MM ($3MM guaranteed)
Devin Singletary, RB: One year, $2.75MM ($2.5MM guaranteed)
Noah Brown, WR: One year, $2.6MM ($2.25MM guaranteed)
Chase Winovich, DE: One year, $2MM ($1.75MM guaranteed)
Jacob Martin, DE: One year, $2.5MM ($1MM guaranteed)
Cory Littleton, ILB: One year, $2.4MM ($600K guaranteed)
Denzel Perryman, ILB: One year, $2.6MM ($500K guaranteed)
Steven Sims, WR: One year, $1.5MM ($500K guaranteed)
Mike Boone, RB: Two years, $3.1MM ($300K guaranteed)
Michael Deiter, OL: One year, $1.23MM ($125K guaranteed)

Caserio’s preferred genre of veteran contract appeared often on the transaction wire this year. Middling talent floods this section, though the team did cut down on its volume of two-year deals compared to 2022. Still, the Texans added a host of veteran role players, stocking Ryans’ defense with potential starters alongside cornerstones Anderson and Derek Stingley and giving new OC Bobby Slowik some skill-position talent.

This contract is not what Schultz envisioned during his year on the franchise tag. The Cowboys are believed to have made their former tight end starter a long-term offer, but the preference for a shorter-term agreement — not a Cowboys specialty — helped lead to Schultz playing on the tag. After missing early-season time due to injury, Schultz still resided as one of Dak Prescott‘s top targets. But his overall and per-game yardage totals were down compared to 2021.

Schultz, 27, will join fellow 2022 tight end tag recipient Mike Gesicki in attempting to boost his value on a one-year deal. The Texans have struggled for nearly a decade to find a reliable pass-catching tight end. No Texan tight end has surpassed 600 receiving yards in a season since Owen Daniels in 2012. Schultz has done that in two of the past three seasons and should be a go-to player on a team likely to be without a No. 1-caliber wide receiver.

Was Woods’ down 2022 a sign of a decline, or was the 527-yard year due to a woeful Titans pass offense and being a year out from an ACL tear? The Texans paid a fairly surprising amount — adding the Titans cap casualty before the market opened — to find out. Woods, 31, did play in all 17 Titans games last season, and he resided as a consistent player (three 900-yard seasons) in Sean McVay‘s attack. With Cooks gone, Houston needs a reliable veteran to foster Stroud’s development. With Nico Collins the team’s top returning receiver, Woods looks to be that player.

As the contracts for Mark Ingram, Rex Burkhead, Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman showed, Caserio has not shied away from veteran backs during his tenure. Singletary will be tasked with supplementing Dameon Pierce this season. The former Florida Atlantic star worked as the most prominent Bills back during Josh Allen‘s career, eclipsing 150 carries in each of his four Buffalo seasons and surpassing 750 rushing yards in three of his four rookie-contract years. The Texans did not possess much behind Pierce last season. Singletary, 25, has not offered much in the passing game, but he is a proven ball-carrier who should have some use as a 1-B option.

Undoubtedly placing a premium on Ward’s leadership and system intel, Ryans had spoken to the nine-year 49ers safety about following him to his next destination before last season ended. Ward, 32 next week, toggled between safety and cornerback during his San Francisco stay. The former first-rounder expressed disappointment in being moved back to the nickel role last season, but while Ryans was leading the 49ers’ defense at that point, the Texans are planning to move Ward back to the safety spot at which he is more comfortable. Ward has battled injuries throughout his career but has made 79 starts. He profiles as a mentor to emerging safety Jalen Pitre.

The Texans also beefed up their defense using one-year contracts, most notably the Rankins agreement. The Jets pushed to keep the former first-round pick, with it turning into a free agency battle between the 49ers’ past two DCs. Rankins’ fit in Robert Saleh‘s Jets defense certainly points to a useful cog for Ryans. The inside pass rusher has not replicated his eight-sack 2018, but at worst, the 29-year-old defender can assist as a rotational option. Ridgeway, 28, has been a 4-3 D-tackle for most of his career, including a 2022 stopover in San Francisco.

With Jerry Hughes still here and the likes of Littleton and Perryman coming in, most of the Texans’ defense consists of second- or third-contract players, which is atypical for a team in Houston’s position. Most of Houston’s defensive two-deep stands to consist of veteran-contract performers, which partially highlights the void that came from the lack of first- and second-round picks in 2020 and ’21.

Draft investment dictates Stroud will be the Texans’ starter early in the season — perhaps in Week 1 — but the team brought back Keenum as insurance against the Ohio State product needing more developmental time. Keenum, 35, never disproved 2017 — when he ranked first in QB DVOA while leading the Vikings to the NFC championship game — was an outlier. Keenum’s Denver and Washington seasons returned him to the QB2 level. But the former Texans UDFA, who made 10 of his 64 starts with the franchise, has remained one of the better backup options.

Keenum’s arrival and $4MM guarantee leaves Davis Mills without an obvious role. The 2021 third-round pick has started the bulk of Houston’s games over the past two seasons and took first-team reps during the team’s offseason program. A May report indicated the Texans were not shopping Mills, and Keenum could conceivably serve as an expensive mentor-only option — rather than a true bridge QB — should Mills outplay him in training camp. Still, two years remaining on Mills’ rookie contract would make him an intriguing commodity for a team eyeing a better backup or a spot starter.

Re-signings:

M.J. Stewart, S: Two years, $6MM ($3MM guaranteed)
Tavierre Thomas, DB: One year, $2.25MM ($2MM guaranteed)
Scott Quessenberry, OL: One year, $2.1MM ($550K guaranteed)
Neville Hewitt, LB: One year, $1.7MM ($300K guaranteed)
Jon Weeks, LS: One year, $1.17MM ($153K guaranteed)
Greg Little, T: One year, $1.18MM ($100K guaranteed)

Houston’s DBs room is crowded compared to 2022, with Ward and Griffin in place. Still, the team restructured Eric Murray‘s deal and reached agreements to retain Stewart and Thomas. Between these two and Murray, the Texans have three ex-Browns positioned as second-string secondary options. Stewart and Thomas served as two of the Texans’ special teams regulars last season. With the Texans retaining ST coordinator Frank Ross — an ex-Patriots scout during Caserio’s time in Foxborough — despite changing HCs once again, it is unsurprising continuity will be prioritized on these units. Ditto Hewitt, who has been an ST mainstay during his two Texans years.

On the subject of Texans mainstays, Weeks is the only player in team history to play 13 seasons with the franchise. The long snapper is now in position for Year 14. This niche position can offer extreme longevity, and teams almost never stray far from the league minimum to staff it. Weeks, 37, has never missed a game, having played 210. The only player active in each Texans playoff contest, Weeks will look to bury the franchise’s games-played record.

Notable losses:

Mario Addison, OLB (released)
Jordan Akins, TE
Kyle Allen, QB
Justin Britt, C (released)
Rex Burkhead, RB
A.J. Cann, G (released)
Phillip Dorsett, WR
Jeff Driskel, QB
Royce Freeman, RB
Rasheem Green, DL
O.J. Howard, TE
Justin McCray, G
Chris Moore, WR
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB
Jonathan Owens, S
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB (released)
Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB
Tremon Smith, CB

In place of Britt and Cann (16 starts last season), the Texans made bigger investments on their interior O-line this offseason. They also said goodbye to two more of their veteran running backs. After 122 carries in 2021, Burkhead saw his usage rate plummet last year. The departures of Okoronkwo (five sacks in the team’s final six games) and Green do leave some depth questions on the edge around Anderson, but Jonathan Greenard remains in the mix in a contract year. Addison, 35, recorded just one sack last season. While Hughes will turn 35 next month, he remains rostered after racking up nine sacks in 2022.

Draft:

Round 1, No. 2: C.J. Stroud, QB (Ohio State)
Round 1, No. 3 (from Cardinals): Will Anderson Jr., LB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 62: (from Eagles): Juice Scruggs, C (Penn State) (signed)
Round 3, No. 69 (from Rams): Nathaniel Dell, WR (Houston) (signed)
Round 4, No. 109 (from Raiders): Dylan Horton, DE (TCU) (signed)
Round 5, No. 167 (from Rams): Henry To’oTo’o, LB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 6, No. 201 (from Vikings): Jarrett Patterson, C (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 6, No. 205 (from Bills): Xavier Hutchinson, WR (Iowa State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 248 (from Eagles): Brandon Hill, S (Pittsburgh) (signed)

For a few weeks, it seemed like the Texans were giving legitimate consideration to overlooking their quarterback need once again. Seeing as last year brought a down QB rookie class and the team trudged through a strange first year under Caserio — due to the Watson scandal/full-season deactivation — the Texans carried some cover for their previous delay. This year, they would not have been shielded from investment-based criticism.

The Texans were deep in talks with the Bears (and Panthers) about a deal that would have seen them move up a spot to No. 1, where Bryce Young awaited. Rumored to be iffy on this year’s non-Young QB crop, the Texans then became tied to taking Anderson or Tyree Wilson at No. 2 and then finding a way to add a passer through other avenues. It turned out to be the other way around, with Houston drafting Stroud and then moving up nine spots to acquire Anderson. Houston became the first team since Washington in 2000 to make two top-three selections in a draft.

It cost the Texans considerable capital to pry No. 3 from the Cardinals, however. The nine-spot vault required near-QB-level trade terms. The Texans sent No. 33 and 2024 first- and third-rounders to climb up for Anderson. It is surprising Caserio signed off on trading a 2024 first to make this leap. The past three Texans seasons have secured the team a top-three draft choice. Seeing as the AFC South team remains in rebuild mode in a stacked conference, the now-rebuilding Cardinals have a good chance of carrying two top-five choices into next year’s draft. This raises the stakes on the Anderson bet, and it could turn up the heat on Caserio, whose job security has come up on multiple occasions over the past several months. Caserio was loosely linked to leaving his current post after this draft, but he squashed that rumor quickly.

After backing out of talks with the Bears, the Texans will be tied to the Young-Stroud debate for a while. And considering how much buzz surfaced regarding Texans apathy toward Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, it is worth wondering if ownership pushed for a quarterback. Cal McNair and Co. were believed to have more involvement in this year’s draft, though the second-generation owner denied having input in how the team proceeded at No. 2. A fairly decent Texans-Stroud smokescreen also may have occurred. Regardless of how the Texans ended up here, they now have a franchise-QB hopeful two years after their previous such investment both asked for a trade and disgraced his reputation as the subject of dozens of sexual assault/misconduct accusations.

The latest Ohio State-produced QB talent, Stroud graded as Scouts Inc.’s No. 5 overall prospect and shined in two seasons after Justin Fields‘ NFL exit. The Titans were viewed as Stroud suitors, via trade-up, and the Texans taking the 6-foot-3 signal-caller at 2 — rather than choosing Anderson there — prevented them from having to compete with Tennessee in terms of an offer for No. 3.

Stroud earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year acclaim in 2021 and 2022, totaling 8,123 yards and 85 touchdown passes in that span. His 348-yard, four-TD passing performance against Georgia in the semifinal round aged quite well, considering how a dominant Bulldogs defense fared in the championship game. Mills’ experience aside, it would be shocking if Stroud were not at the controls early in the season.

Texans-Anderson connections emerged in early April, and the team had not made a splashy move at edge rusher since Caserio’s arrival. Set to slide to defensive end in Ryans’ 4-3 scheme, Anderson will anchor Houston’s pass rush and serve as Ryans’ new Nick Bosa-like presence. A two-time recipient of the Nagurski award (given to the top Division I-FBS defender), the Alabama product hardly could have accomplished more in college. The Crimson Tide outside linebacker totaled 27.5 sacks and a whopping 48 tackles for loss from 2021-22. The Texans have more work to do in future offseasons to address their pass rush, but they made a big bet Anderson will be their cornerstone cog.

Considering the makeup of the Texans’ center position, it would surprise if Scruggs were not an early-season starter. A 2019 car accident nearly ended Scruggs’ career, but he recovered and grew into one of the top O-line prospects in this year’s draft. Scruggs has experience at both guard and center, finishing his career at the latter post. The Texans now have an O-line housing four first- or second-round picks and Mason, who has long outplayed his fourth-round slot.

A Texan for all of a day, Stroud lobbied for Dell, leading to a four-spot trade-up maneuver. Stroud worked with Dell at the Combine, and the ultra-productive Houston Cougars wideout will stay in town. Dell’s 5-8, 165-pound frame provides limitations, but he put together back-to-back 1,300-yard seasons in college and totaled 29 TD receptions from 2021-22. Dell should be expected to see most of his time in the slot; he also could offer his new Houston squad vertical and return-game capabilities.

Other:

Fired HC Lovie Smith; gave DeMeco Ryans six-year contract
Hired Cardinals D-line coach Matt Burke as defensive coordinator
Brought in 49ers pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik as offensive coordinator
Hired Cory Undlin as secondary coach/pass-game coordinator, Shane Day, Bill Lazor as senior offensive assistants
Team fined, docked fifth-round pick for salary cap violation
WR John Metchie returns to team after recovery from leukemia
Agreed to terms with nine UDFAs

Smith delivered a knockdown body shot on his way out, going for a final-minute two-point conversion — after a Hail Mary touchdown set it up — to beat the Colts and deny the Texans the No. 1 pick. Neither Smith nor Culley were part of other teams’ HC searches when hired. While neither 60-something HC was given much to work with, it always seemed as if they were placeholders until Caserio — who admittedly oversaw two strange coaching searches — found his long-term leader. As his six-year contract shows, Ryans will be expected to be that coach.

This doubles as a nice homecoming effort for Ryans, a 2006 second-round linebacker who made 86 starts in six seasons with the Texans. Ryans, 39 this month, finished his career with the Eagles and later sued the Texans because of NRG Stadium’s playing surface (a 2014 injury led to Ryans’ career ending). The sides moved past that, and despite widespread interest, Ryans limited his interviews to the Texans and Broncos. While Denver looked close to offering Ryans the job, he preferred the Texans. With Houston, Ryans will have the opportunity to lead a rebuild.

Succeeding Saleh as San Francisco’s DC, Ryans landed on the HC radar early during his second season in that job. The 49ers’ defense led the NFL in points, yards and DVOA. The Bosa-powered unit gave Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, which had gone through three starting QBs by season’s end, a sturdy safety net that produced another NFC championship game berth. Long viewed as a fast-rising assistant, Ryans went 2-for-2 in NFC title game appearances as a coordinator.

Slowik, 36, worked with Ryans for six years on Shanahan’s staff. The new Texans OC is a second-generation coach, as the son of veteran DC Bob Slowik. While the younger Slowik did not rise up the 49ers chain as swiftly as Ryans did, he had worked under longtime Shanahan assistants Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur. Once they departed, Shanahan made Slowik his right-hand man on offense. The 49ers staying afloat despite Jimmy Garoppolo‘s injury clearly helped Slowik, who will be a first-time play-caller in Houston.

The team does have some experience behind Slowik on offense. Lazor is a two-time NFL OC, with the Bengals and Bears, while Day is a two-time QBs coach with 15 years’ experience in the NFL. On defense, both Burke and Undlin are previous coordinators.

Burke, 47, served in that role for the Dolphins under Adam Gase from 2017-18 but has bounced around since. Last season, he served as the Cardinals’ defensive line coach, overseeing a J.J. Watt bounce-back effort and Zach Allen‘s breakout. Undlin has been in the NFL since 2004, serving as DBs coach on Super Bowl-bound Broncos (2013) and Eagles (2017) teams and being Matt Patricia‘s final Lions DC. Undlin spent the past two years as a Ryans lieutenant in San Francisco, leading the 49ers’ DBs. That will make for a seamless transition.

Metchie participated in the Texans’ offseason program and is on track to make his NFL debut. The multiyear Alabama starter suffered an ACL tear late in his junior season and was then diagnosed with leukemia. Viewed as a strong route runner for the Crimson Tide, Metchie totaled 1,142 receiving yards during an abbreviated 2021, helping the SEC power compensate for the losses of DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Metchie, who missed offseason time with a hamstring injury, looms as a Texans wild card. But with Cooks gone, the team needs all the help it can get as Stroud begins his development.

Top 10 cap charges for 2023:

Laremy Tunsil, LT: $26.57MM
Tytus Howard, RT: $13.98MM
Derek Stingley Jr., CB: $7.88MM
Maliek Collins, DT: $7.44MM
Will Anderson Jr., DE: $6.4MM
Jerry Hughes, DE: $6.25MM
Christian Kirksey, LB: $6.25MM
Ka’imi Fairbairn, K: $5.66MM
Steven Nelson, CB: $5.63MM
Robert Woods, WR: $5.5MM

With the AFC incredibly deep — though, the AFC South does not appear especially imposing — the Texans could make strides without their record improving by much. The team also added more building-block players, in Stroud and Anderson. Observing the first-rounders’ progress will be important for a team that made a stronger commitment to a head coach this offseason. It will probably take multiple successful offseasons before the playoffs are a realistic goal, but this should mark the team’s return to relevant on-field action. It has been a bit since Texans fans could enjoy that.

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Largest 2023 Cap Hits: Offense

By Sam Robinson | at July 11, 2023 3:40 pm

The NFL’s salary cap once again ballooned by more than $10MM, rising from its $208.2MM perch to $224.8MM. Factoring in the pandemic-induced 2021 regression, the NFL’s salary risen has climbed by more than $42MM since 2021.

This has allowed teams more opportunities for roster additions and opened the door for more lucrative player deals — at most positions, at least. However, it does not look like this season will include a $40MM player cap number. The Browns avoided a record-shattering Deshaun Watson $54.9MM hit by restructuring the quarterback’s fully guaranteed contract, calling for monster figures from 2024-26.

Here are the largest cap hits for teams on the offensive side going into training camp:

Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $39.69MM
Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $36.6MM
Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $30.98MM
Jake Matthews, T (Falcons): $28.36MM
Trent Williams, T (49ers): $27.18MM
Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $26.83MM
Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $26.61MM
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $23.8MM
Amari Cooper, WR (Browns): $23.78MM
Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $23.69MM
Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $23.67MM
Joe Thuney, G (Chiefs): $22.12MM
Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $22MM
Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $22MM
Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $21.75MM
David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $21.29MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $20.25MM
D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $20.17MM
Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $20MM
Brian O’Neill, T (Vikings): $19.66MM
Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $19.35MM
Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $19.1MM
Braden Smith, T (Colts): $19MM
Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $18.64MM
Courtland Sutton, WR (Broncos): $18.27MM

As should be expected, quarterbacks dominate this list. Mahomes’ number checks in here despite the Chiefs restructuring his 10-year, $450MM contract in March; the two-time MVP’s cap hit would have set an NFL record had Kansas City not reduced it. The Chiefs did not restructure Mahomes’ deal last year, but if they do not address it — perhaps via a complex reworking — before next season, Mahomes’ $46.93MM number would break an NFL record.

The Titans have not touched Tannehill’s contract this offseason, one that included some trade rumors months ago. This is the final year of Tannehill’s Tennessee extension. Mahomes and Tannehill sat atop this ranking in 2022.

Cousins is also heading into a contract year, after the Vikings opted for a restructure and not an extension this offseason. Cousins does not expect to discuss another Minnesota deal until 2024, when he is due for free agency. Two relatively low cap numbers have started Wilson’s $49MM-per-year extension. The Denver QB’s cap number rises to $35.4MM in 2024 and reaches historic heights ($55.4MM) by ’25. The subject of a Goff extension has come up, and it would bring down the Lions passer’s figure. But Goff remains tied to his Rams-constructed $33.5MM-per-year deal through 2024.

Jackson and Jones’ numbers will rise in the near future, with the latter’s contract calling for a quick spike in 2024. Next year, the Giants QB’s cap hit will be $45MM. Watson’s 2024 hit, as of now, would top that. The Browns signal-caller is on the team’s ’24 payroll at $63.98MM. Long-term consequences aside, the Browns can be expected to once again go to the restructure well with Watson’s outlier contract.

The Raiders did not backload Garoppolo’s three-year contract; it only climbs to $24.25MM on Las Vegas’ 2024 cap sheet. The Bills did backload Allen’s pact. Its team-friendly years are done after 2023; the six-year accord spikes to $47.1MM on Buffalo’s cap next year. The Cowboys have gone to the restructure well with Prescott. Like Watson, the Cowboys quarterback is tied to a seemingly untenable 2024 cap number. The March restructure resulted in Prescott’s 2024 number rising to $59.46MM. Two seasons remain on that $40MM-AAV extension.

Another notable cap hold that should be mentioned is Tom Brady‘s. When the Buccaneers did not sign the again-retired QB to another contract before the 2023 league year, his $35.1MM dead-money figure went onto Tampa Bay’s 2023 cap sheet. The Bucs will absorb that entire amount this year. Brady’s 2022 restructure, after retirement No. 1, led to the $35.1MM figure forming.

Were it not for another O-line-record extension, the Tunsil number would have come in at $35MM this year. Matthews signed an extension last year. Moore would have come in higher on this list were he still on the Panthers, who took on $14.6MM in dead money to move their top wideout for the No. 1 overall pick. Sutton came up regularly in trade rumors, with the Broncos wanting a second-round pick for the sixth-year veteran. The former second-rounder’s high base salary ($14MM) hinders his trade value.

Latest On Texans’ WR Corps

By Ely Allen | at July 9, 2023 6:38 pm

The Texans’ wide receiving corps was among the league’s worst last season, finishing 26th in combined receptions, 28th in receiving yards, and 28th in receiving touchdowns. Things aren’t looking any easier as the team’s top receivers from 2022, Brandin Cooks and Chris Moore, will find themselves in different uniforms next season. Still, according to DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN, new head coach DeMeco Ryans appears to be fairly comfortable with how the position is currently lined up.

With veteran leader Cooks just up north in Dallas, Houston will be looking for a former division rival to lead their young group. Playing in another room bereft of star talent last year, Robert Woods looked like a shell of his former self in Nashville. Part of that may have had more to do with the scheme and personnel around him, as he still led the Titans in both receptions and receiving yards, but in 17 games, Woods failed to surpass his total from his final year in Los Angeles, when his season ended after only nine games. Still, Woods is not far removed from some of the best football of his career. Just two years ago, a torn ACL prevented Woods from extending a streak of three consecutive seasons with over 900 receiving yards. From 2018-2020, Woods was dominant with the Rams combining for 3,289 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns, even adding 427 yards and four more scores on the ground.

After the experience of Woods, the Texans will rely on the familiarity of third-year wideout Nico Collins. Collins was fourth on the team in receiving last year behind Cooks, Moore, and tight end Jordan Akins despite putting up similar numbers that had him ranked second on the team as a rookie the year prior. The team hopes he can progress past those numbers in Year 3. He doesn’t need to suddenly become a No. 1 receiver with Woods in town, but Houston will want him to surpass his careers-highs last year of 37 receptions, 481 yards, and two touchdowns.

Rounding out the potential starting three is last year’s second-round pick John Metchie III. Metchie is still waiting to make his NFL debut after sitting out his rookie year after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. The young receiver is now over a year and a half removed from his last meaningful snap of football and has worked his way back from a torn ACL, leukemia, and now a hamstring strain in order to play in the NFL.

Beyond those three, the team’s depth fades quickly. Former Cowboys receiver Noah Brown joins the group after a breakout year in Dallas. Brown performed as a No. 2 receiver for Dallas last year, gaining career-highs in receptions (43), receiving yards (555), and touchdowns (3), after combining for 39 catches for 425 yards and no touchdowns in the four years prior.

After Brown, the team’s depth is unproven. Amari Rodgers returns after starting one game in six appearances last year. Two rookies join him as depth pieces in the receivers room. Nathaniel Dell was drafted in the third-round out of Houston. Dell was dominant for the Cougars as an undersized wide receiver, catching a combined 199 passes for 2,727 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons. In the sixth-round, the team added Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson, who delivered strong performances in all three years as a Cyclone before bringing his best football last year.

“I’m not concerned with where we are with our wide receivers,” Ryans claimed. “I like our group. I like where we are. We have a lot of talented guys and have a lot of different qualities.”

He’s certainly not wrong there. Collins provides the team with a big, 6-foot-4 body and strong hands. Brown and Hutchinson also bring the group ideal body-types for a wide receiver. Woods and Metchie both sit around six-foot and bring completely different playing styles to the offense. Finally, Dell and Rodgers bring explosiveness in smaller packages.

Ryans can certainly back up his claim of confidence in covering the gamut of receiver-types, but experience remains a concern. On paper, the Texans’ wide receiving corps is ready to provide rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud with an assortment of weapons. In reality, the team will need young players to step up into big roles quickly in 2023 if they’re going to prove wrong position rankings from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell and Pro Football Focus’s Trevor Sikkema, both of whom have the team’s group ranked last in the league.

4 comments Houston Texans Amari Rodgers John Metchie Nathaniel Dell Nico Collins Noah Brown Robert Woods Xavier Hutchinson

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

By Sam Robinson | at July 6, 2023 9:25 am

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.

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

5 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders Andrew Berry Bill Belichick Brad Holmes Brandon Beane Brett Veach Brian Gutekunst Chris Ballard Chris Grier Dave Ziegler Eric DeCosta George Paton Howie Roseman Jason Licht Jerry Jones Joe Douglas Joe Schoen John Lynch John Schneider Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Les Snead Martin Mayhew Mike Brown Mike Brown (Executive)Monti Ossenfort Nick Caserio Omar Khan Ran Carthon Ryan Poles Scott Fitterer Terry Fontenot Tom Telesco Trent Baalke

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

By Sam Robinson | at July 4, 2023 12:48 pm

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

26 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders Andy Reid Arthur Smith Bill Belichick Brandon Staley Brian Daboll Dan Campbell DeMeco Ryans Dennis Allen Doug Pederson Frank Reich John Harbaugh Jonathan Gannon Josh McDaniels Kevin O'Connell Kevin Stefanski Kyle Shanahan Matt Eberflus Matt LaFleur Mike McCarthy Mike McDaniel Mike Tomlin Mike Vrabel Nick Sirianni Pete Carroll Robert Saleh Ron Rivera Sean McDermott Sean McVay Sean Payton Shane Steichen Todd Bowles Zac Taylor

Staff Updates: Texans, Falcons, Colts, Jags

By Ely Allen | at June 30, 2023 9:49 pm

The Texans announced a slew of adjustments to their coaching and front office staffs for the 2023 season under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The moves included confirmed new hires, promotions, and title additions throughout the staff.

On the coaching staff, Danny Barrett, who was confirmed to be sticking around as running backs coach as a holdover from last year’s staff back in February, has reportedly added the mantle of assistant head coach to his title. He’s been with the team for the past five years, providing Ryans with crucial insight into team dynamics. Wilson also announced that William Burnham has been hired as assistant special teams coordinator, replacing Sean Baker in the role. This is also news for Baker, as we were previously informed that he would be retained in the role for 2023 when the team finalized the coaching staff back in February.

In the personnel office, James Liipfert was promoted to executive director of player personnel after being promoted to assistant director of personnel/director of college scouting a year ago. John Ritcher joined Mozique McCurtis as a national scout for the team in 2019. Now the two are both moving up together into co-college scouting director jobs. Brad Matthews, a Midwest Area scout since 2018, will move into one of the open national scout roles. The team officially announced that Chris Blanco will rejoin the staff after two years in Minnesota. After reaching the role of director of pro personnel in his two years with the Vikings, Blanco will serve as assistant director of player personnel in Houston. Lastly in personnel, general manager Nick Caserio will add the title of executive vice president to his role.

Finally, in operations, Joe Vernon was officially announced as special advisor to football ops, leaving his job as an attorney at Miller Canfield in Michigan. The team also added Jeremy Stabile, who announced on Twitter that he would be leaving the Dolphins to accept the role of football data analyst in Houston.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the league, most of them coincidentally coming out of the AFC South, as well:

The only move not out of the AFC South, the Falcons hired Brian Zeches as their new player personnel coordinator. Zeches in the son of Jim Zeches, who was a scout in the NFL for 16 seasons. The younger Zeches has spent seven years in Washington and has experience with the Chiefs and the Senior Bowl, as well. He also has college experience, coaching at UTEP, Weber State, and New Mexico.
The Colts announced a number of promotions to their front office, as well, recently. In operations, Melainey Lowe has been named director of football operations after serving as a football operations intern in 2021 and the football operations assistant in 2022. In analytics, Nick Bayh was named strategic football analyst. He was previously a military intelligence officer for the US Army Reserve before serving as a personnel assistant in his first year with the Colts last year. In personnel, former scouting assistant Andrew Hoyle has been promoted to player personnel scout. He started with the team as an equipment intern in 2018 before moving his way through the ranks of the personnel department.
Lastly, the Jaguars made a couple of moves in their analytics department, according to ESPN’s Seth Walder. Previously under the title of director of coaching analytics, Ryan Paganetti‘s title has been changed to director of football analytics. Additionally, the team recently hired Avery Horvath as a data scientist.

1 comment Atlanta Falcons Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings Andrew Hoyle Avery Horvath Brad Matthews Brian Zeches Chris Blanco Danny Barrett James Liipfert Jeremy Stabile Joe Vernon John Ritcher Melainey Lowe Mozique McCurtis Nick Bayh Nick Caserio Ryan Paganetti Sean Baker William Burnham

Former QB Ryan Mallett Drowns In Florida

By Sam Robinson | at June 27, 2023 5:52 pm

Former quarterback Ryan Mallett drowned Tuesday in Florida. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, Deltaplex News reports. He was 35.

Mallett was transported from a beach to the hospital. The former Arkansas standout had not played in the NFL since 2017; he had been in coaching, being hired as head coach by White Hall (Arkansas) High School in 2022. Officials with the school district confirmed (via KARK.com’s Ryan Turbeville) Mallett drowned while swimming in Florida.

Previously serving as an assistant high school coach in his native Arkansas, Mallett had been out of the NFL since 2018. The 6-foot-6 passer finished his career as a member of the Ravens, serving as a Joe Flacco backup. Mallett filled in for an injured Flacco twice during the 2015 season, one he began with the Texans, and continued as a backup for two more seasons.

The Patriots used a third-round pick on Mallett in 2011, bringing him in as a backup to Tom Brady. Mallett only attempted four passes as a member of the Patriots, who traded him to the Texans months after drafting Jimmy Garoppolo in the 2014 second round. Mallett served as Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s backup during the 2014 season in Houston, starting two games before seeing his season end early due to a pectoral injury. While the team did not bring back Fitzpatrick, Mallett re-signed on a two-year deal in March 2015.

The Texans pitted Mallett and ex-Patriots teammate Brian Hoyer in a competition for the starting job in 2015, a battle chronicled on that year’s Hard Knocks. After Hoyer won it, the Texans benched him one game in. Mallett started the next four games for the eventual AFC South champion Texans, but the team benched him for Hoyer. Mallett missing a charter flight for an October 2015 game in Miami led to the Texans releasing him soon after.

Mallett finished seventh in the 2010 Heisman voting, throwing 32 touchdown passes and leading Arkansas to a 10-3 record. The former Michigan recruit started two seasons at Arkansas, combining for 62 TD passes and 7,493 yards.

8 comments Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans New England Patriots Ryan Mallett

30 Unsigned Draft Picks Remain

By Sam Robinson | at June 26, 2023 2:23 pm

With training camps less than a month away, 30 members of the 2023 draft class remain unsigned. Several teams have agreed to terms with their entire draft classes, but a handful of teams have multiple players still unsigned. Draft slots largely explain this. First- and second-rounders comprise the bulk of the unsigned lot, with guarantees the core issue for the latter group. Here are the unsigned draftees:

Round 1:

No. 1: Panthers QB Bryce Young (Alabama)
No. 2: Texans QB C.J. Stroud (Ohio State)
No. 4: Colts QB Anthony Richardson (Florida)
No. 5: Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon (Illinois)
No. 12: Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama)
No. 13: Packers DE Lukas Van Ness (Iowa)
No. 15: Jets DE Will McDonald (Iowa State)
No. 16: Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)
No. 17: Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)

Round 2:

No. 32: Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State)
No. 33: Titans QB Will Levis (Kentucky)
No. 40: Saints DE Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame)
No. 41: Cardinals DE BJ Ojulari (LSU)
No. 42: Packers TE Luke Musgrave (Oregon State)
No. 43: Jets OL Joe Tippmann (Wisconsin)
No. 44: Colts CB Julius Brents (Kansas State)
No. 45: Lions DB Brian Branch (Alabama)
No. 46: Patriots DE Keion White (Georgia Tech)
No. 47: Commanders CB Jartavius Martin (Illinois)
No. 48: Buccaneers OL Cody Mauch (North Dakota State)
No. 50: Packers WR Jayden Reed (Michigan State)
No. 51: Dolphins CB Cam Smith (South Carolina)
No. 52: Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet (UCLA)

Round 3:

No. 77: Rams OLB Byron Young (Tennessee)
No. 89: Rams DL Kobie Turner (Wake Forest)

Round 4:

No. 105: Eagles CB Kelee Ringo (Georgia)
No. 108: Colts T Blake Freeland (BYU)

Round 6:

No. 182: Rams CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU)
No. 189: Rams OLB Ochaun Mathis (Nebraska)
No. 215: Rams RB Zach Evans (Ole Miss)

The second-round slowdown continues a trend. Last year, more Round 2 choices received three fully guaranteed years compared to prior drafts. This year’s No. 39 overall pick — Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (Ole Miss) — broke through with three locked-in years and a partial 2026 guarantee. This would explain the next nine players drafted being unsigned, with the agents for the players chosen immediately after Mingo angling for the same terms or guarantees in the same ballpark.

No. 31 overall choice Felix Anudike-Uzomah‘s four-year Chiefs deal is fully guaranteed, while No. 34 pick Sam LaPorta (Lions) has a partial 2026 guarantee. This would explain the Nos. 32 and 33 choices remaining unsigned. Other issues — like offset language and signing bonus payouts — annually arise in rookie-deal negotiations, but most of these players will be signed by the time teams head to training camp. A few stragglers report late due to their contracts each year, but the 2011 CBA’s slot system — which the 2020 CBA kept in place — largely addressed the issues that once emerged frequently regarding rookie pacts.

8 comments 2023 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans

Texans Sign No. 3 Pick Will Anderson Jr.

By Adam La Rose | at June 23, 2023 12:40 pm

For the first time in 2023, a top-five pick from this year’s class has inked his rookie contract. Will Anderson Jr.‘s Texans deal is now in place, as noted (on Twitter) by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Anderson’s contract is worth a fully guranteed $35.2MM over four years; Houston will be able to keep him on the books beyond that via the fifth-year option. He will receive a signing bonus of $22.6MM as he begins his NFL career, one during which much will be expected of him.

The Alabama alum entered the 2022 season in the running to hear his name called first on draft night. His sophomore campaign saw him rack up 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss, figures which placed him fifth in Heisman voting in that year. A step forward from those lofty totals would have boosted his stock even further, but the opposite scenario played out during the campaign.

Anderson’s production took a step back in terms of sacks (10) and TFLs (17), but they still resulted in considerable accolades. The 6-4, 243-pounder was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, winner of the Bronko Nagurski award (given to the country’s top defender) and a unanimous first-team All-American for the second consecutive season. He was thus squarely on the Texans’ radar in the build-up to the draft.

Houston appeared to take themselves out of contention for Anderson when they selected quarterback C.J. Stroud second overall. That decision was soon followed, however, by a bold move up the board to No. 3 which saw the Texans part ways with the No. 12 pick and a package including a 2024 first-rounder. Anderson’s arrival in Houston will thus be met with sky-high expectations both in his rookie season and over the course of his career.

The Cardinals will have plenty of reasons to follow Anderson’s performance in 2023 and the impact it will have on the Texans’ ability to begin heading out of the rebuilding phase. He will transition from an outside linebacker to a defensive end at the NFL level under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, a change which is not expected to slow his development. Anderson will have plenty of snaps available as a rookie member of an edge group which will be led by Jerry Hughes and Jonathan Greenard after the free agent departure of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.

With Anderson now on the books, Stroud stands as the only Texans rookie yet to ink his rookie deal. He, along with Anderson, will be central figures in the team’s performance in 2023 and for several years beyond that.

0 comments 2023 NFL Draft Houston Texans Transactions Will Anderson Jr.

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