Carlos Hyde Likely To Be Cut?
- With free agency right around the corner, Jason Fitzgerald of Overthecap.com broke down the running backs most likely to be cut this offseason. Carlos Hyde, who has a salary of $4.7MM for the Jaguars while only playing a bit role the second half of the season, is on top of the list. One somewhat surprising name he floats is LeSean McCoy by the Bills, writing that “it’s probably best for both sides to move on.” The team has said in the past that they plan to keep McCoy for 2019, but if they go all in on a youth movement, it wouldn’t be shocking if McCoy wanted out so he could go to a contender in the twilight of his career.
Dom Capers Declines Bengals DC Job
Dom Capers has turned down the chance to become the Bengals’ defensive coordinator under new head coach Zac Taylor, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Capers’ likeliest destination is now the Dolphins, where he’d serve as a senior defensive assistant, while the Jaguars are also a possible landing spot, per Marvez.
At age 68, Capers is 33 years old than Taylor, and like the other defensive coordinator candidates linked to the Bengals’ DC job, he’d bring a wealth of experience. Not only has Capers served as a defensive coordinator for multiple clubs, but he’s been a head coach at two stops (Panthers, Texans), meaning he could presumably offer counsel to Taylor as he enters his first head coaching job.
Capers was one of six coaches who have been tied to the Bengals. Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen received an extension from New Orleans, while former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is no longer considering the job. Ex-Bears head coach John Fox and Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan have been mentioned as candidates, while Cincinnati earlier tonight requested an interview with Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant.
Capers was thought to be a candidate for the Cardinals defensive coordinator job under Kliff Kingsbury, but that position ultimately went to former Broncos head coach Vance Joseph. If he joins Miami, Capers would advise a first-time head coach in Brian Flores and a rookie defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham. In Jacksonville, Capers would join a relatively established staff lead by head coach Doug Marrone and DC Todd Wash.
Dolphins, Jaguars Interested In Dom Capers
Two former Dom Capers employers are interested in bringing the veteran defensive-minded coach back to Florida.
The Dolphins and Jaguars view Capers as a candidate to join their respective staffs as a senior defensive assistant, according to Alex Marvez of Sirius XM Radio (on Twitter).
These AFC teams join the Bengals in pursuing the longtime Packers defensive coordinator and two-time expansion team head coach (in each of the Panthers’ and Texans’ first four seasons). Capers, 68, served as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator in the two years following his Panthers tenure, 1999-2000. From 2006-07, Capers was part of Miami’s staff.
After the Packers ended Capers’ nine-year tenure as their DC, he did not coach in 2018. He was connected to the Cardinals’ DC search, however.
Miami appointed Patrick Graham to be its DC, but GM Chris Grier said Monday his first-time coordinators — Graham and likely OC Chad O’Shea — will have veteran presences on staff as well. Jim Caldwell is signed on to coach on Brian Flores‘ staff, and Capers would have interest in coming aboard, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, unless he can land a DC job. The Bengals are the only team in this trio with a vacant DC position.
Promoting two position coaches, the Jags have rearranged their defensive staff to some degree this offseason. Capers coming to north Florida would pair him with incumbent DC Todd Wash.
Poll: Where Will Nick Foles Land?
The Eagles’ loss to the Saints in the divisional round started a countdown clock to what appears to be an inevitable divorce between the team and Nick Foles. The team still views Carson Wentz as its quarterback of the future, which means Foles will very likely be suiting up somewhere other than Philadelphia next season. Foles can pay a $2MM fee to essentially buy his free agency, but the team could then still franchise tag him and attempt to trade him. Whether it’s through free agency or in a trade, today we’ll be taking a look at his most likely destinations:
The Jaguars are widely seen as being a competent quarterback away from being a contender, and might be the most likely team to pursue a veteran quarterback this offseason. The team made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game last year, but regressed heavily in 2018 and finished the season 5-11. Jacksonville is looking to make the most out of the window that it has with their elite defense, and is a natural contender for Foles.
The team appears set to move on from Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler, and could have an entirely new quarterback room in 2019. If Foles were to be traded the Eagles would likely see the Jaguars as an appealing option, as they’re in a different conference and won’t play each other for another four years. On the other hand, the Jags’ cap situation isn’t the best, and they’d need to shed some salary to be able to offer what Foles is likely to be seeking. The Jaguars have the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft, and could use that to select a quarterback like Dwayne Haskins instead of pursuing a veteran.
Another AFC team that could be interested is the Dolphins. The team isn’t going to be bringing back Ryan Tannehill, and Foles could be a nice option as a bridge quarterback. Tannehill hasn’t been able to stay healthy the past few seasons, and this year wasn’t any exception as he missed five games with a shoulder injury. The team is looking to get younger, and they might want a capable veteran signal caller to help them transition.
With Tannehill’s salary off the books they’ll have plenty of money to offer him a deal, and Miami doesn’t have many other options for a starter next year. On the other hand, the Dolphins have signaled that they plan on going all in on tanking 2019, so they might not be interested in winning too many games with Foles. If the plan is to lose as many games as possible, it wouldn’t make much sense for them to give up draft assets for Foles if the Eagles do end up tagging him.
The Broncos already have a Foles-esque placeholder in Case Keenum, but there’s been some chatter that they might want to move on from Keenum this offseason. Denver could get out of Keenum’s contract fairly easily, and he has no ties to the new coaching staff led by Vic Fangio. If Fangio and his new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello decide they don’t love Keenum, they could ask Broncos GM John Elway to look elsewhere.
Elway has aggressively pursued veteran quarterbacks in free agency in the past, most notably Peyton Manning a handful of years ago and Keenum last offseason, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s interested in Foles. Denver doesn’t appear to be rebuilding and thinks it has the pieces to win with the right quarterback, and Foles could be what they’re looking for.
A slightly more out of the box possibility is the Redskins. The Eagles would surely prefer he didn’t go to their division rival, but if they don’t tag him they might not have any say. It was reported earlier today that Washington was expecting Alex Smith to miss the entire 2019 season, so the Redskins will very likely be in the market for a quarterback.
The Redskins know him well, and Foles beat them easily in Week 17 this year. While the Eagles might do all they can to prevent it, this would certainly be the most entertaining scenario of all. Foles playing Wentz twice a year would be great, and it would be surprising if the Redskins don’t at least look into it.
So, what do you think? Where will Foles end up next season as he looks to continue his magic? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Where Will Nick Foles End Up Next Season
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Jacksonville Jaguars 47% (1,842)
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Denver Broncos 18% (719)
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Washington Redskins 18% (702)
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Miami Dolphins 16% (629)
Total votes: 3,892
ASJ Bids Farewell To Jaguars
UPDATE, 3:32pm CT: Hold the phone. The Jaguars have not made any decisions regarding ASJ’s option, per the team’s PR director (on Twitter):
“The club has until Feb. 19 to make a decision on his 2019 option, which would be the 2nd season of a two-year deal. The team HAS NOT made a decision on his 2019 option. Any reports to the contrary are false.”
3:30pm CT: Austin Seferian-Jenkins will not be returning to Jacksonville. On Thursday, the tight end took to Twitter to bid farewell to his teammates and fans. 
“Appreciate the time Jax! It wasn’t what we wanted! But I’m happy y’all supported me and my teammates! Next chapter,” Jenkins wrote.
ASJ joined the Jags on a two-year, $10MM contract last offseason worth $10MM. Like many NFL deals, the contract wasn’t exactly a true $10MM deal. The Jags held a $500K team option bonus for ’19 that had to be exercised in the spring. Instead, they’ll let him go and explore the open market.
Seferian-Jenkins’ lone year in Jacksonville wasn’t a success. He appeared in only five games and finished out with 11 catches for 90 yards and one touchdown.
For all of his warts, his potential should lead him to work next season, even if it’s not on a big money contract. The former second-round pick won’t turn 27 until September and he flashed potential in 2017 as he caught 50 balls for 357 yards and three TDs with the Jets.
Contract Details: Fitzgerald, Cardinals, Jags
Here are the contract details on some of the NFL’s latest deals:
- Larry Fitzgerald‘s new deal with the Cardinals includes a base salary of $11M plus incentives, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The pact does not include a signing bonus, but he did manage to match his $11MM salary from 2018. That’s not a bad deal for the veteran wide receiver given his drop in production last season.
- The Jaguars‘ three-year deal with safety Jarrod Wilson is worth $9MM, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). The contract calls for a $1MM signing bonus, $1.5MM guaranteed, and up to $1.75MM in playtime incentives over the last two years of the deal. Prior to the new deal, he was slated to be a restricted free agent this offseason.
- Seantrel Henderson‘s new one-year deal with the Texans can be worth up to $4.5MM, but much of that sum is tied to performance incentives, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He’s set to earn a base salary of $1.5MM with $1MM guaranteed, plus a $500K roster bonus in April and a $500K bonus if he’s on the 46-man roster for at least 12 games. He’ll also see a $2MM roster bonus paid out at a rate of $125K for every game he’s on the 46-man roster.
Jaguars, Calais Campbell To Discuss Deal
Thanks to his four-year, $60MM deal signed in 2017, Calais Campbell is set to carry a hefty cap number in 2019. The Jaguars probably want to tamp that number down one way or another and Campbell is open to suggestions. 
“I think it’s more with restructuring with an extension,″ Campbell said (via John Reid of the Florida-Times Union). ″That’s the only way to do it and that’s something that was talked about that could possibly happen.″
Right now, Campbell is set to carry a $14.5MM cap figure in 2019. If the Jaguars can smooth out that hit, they can use some of those funds to address other holes, such as the quarterback position. The Jags have been widely connected to Nick Foles, for example, and he won’t come cheap as several other teams are also in the hunt for QB options in a thin market.
Even with a projected cap increase of 6%, the Jaguars presently have just $3.57MM in cap space. Something has to give, and adjusting Campbell’s contract could go a long way towards giving the team some much needed flexibility.
Campbell crushed it in Year One of his contract as he set a franchise record with 14.5 sacks. Last year, he led the team with 10.5 QB takedowns.
Jaguars Re-Sign S Jarrod Wilson
The Jaguars re-signed safety Jarrod Wilson to a three-year contract, according to a team announcement. Wilson was set to become a free agent this offseason, but the new deal will keep him under club control through the 2021 season. 
[RELATED: Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette Challenges Voiding Of Guarantees]
Wilson first joined the Jags as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Since then, he has appeared in 47 games for Jacksonville, including two starts. The soon-to-be 25-year-old had 21 tackles, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble in 2018, all of which were career watermarks.
Wilson briefly got in hot water in October when he and three other Jaguars defensive backs were detained in London over an unpaid $64K bar tab. As it turns out, expensive bottles of alcohol were being sent to the players’ table and they believed someone else was paying for them. Cops spoke with Barry Church, D.J. Hayden, Ronnie Harrison, and Wilson, but no charges were filed.
Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette Challenges Voiding Of Guarantees
The Jaguars want to “move forward” with Leonard Fournette, but the running back wants to discuss some matters of business first. The former No. 4 overall pick wants the guarantees on his contract to be reinstated, according to Mike Florio of PFT. 
The entirety of Fournette’s contract was guaranteed until the Jaguars used Fournette’s late-season ban as reason to void the remaining guarantees on his rookie deal. Fournette’s team believes that the language in his contract does not allow the Jaguars to 86 his guarantees over a one-game ban for on-the-field conduct.
Fournette topped 1,000 rushing yards during his rookie campaign in 2017, but still failed to manage four yards per carry. Last season, he was set back by injuries. In total, he appeared in only eight games in 2018, rushing for 439 yards and five touchdowns. On an efficiency basis, Fournette ranked just 32nd among running backs in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA and 26th in success rate.
If the Jaguars truly want to start fresh with Fournette, it might make sense for them to cave on this dispute.
Jaguars Announce Staff
- In addition to announcing the hiring of new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, the Jaguars have made a number of other coaching moves. Jason Rebrovich has been promoted to defensive line coach, Joe Danna is now Jacksonville’s safeties coach, and John Donovan was promoted to assistant running backs coach.