HEADLINES

Chiefs Rumors

2024 Offseason In Review Series

July 11th, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

As training camps near, the NFL offseason is winding down. Many unresolved matters remain — much of them pertaining to quarterbacks and wide receivers — but teams’ rosters are mostly set. Leading up to Week 1, PFR will continue to add to its annual Offseason In Review series. Here is where our latest offseason examinations stand so far:

AFC East

  • Buffalo Bills
  • Miami Dolphins
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jets

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Carolina Panthers
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC West

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.

Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.

[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]

The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.

Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.

As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  16. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020: signed extension in 2024
  17. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  18. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  19. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
  20. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  21. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  22. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  23. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  24. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  25. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
  26. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  27. Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
  28. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  29. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  30. Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
  31. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  32. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 5th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following 2023’s five-team coaching carousel, this offseason featured a quarter of the jobs becoming available. One HC-needy team (New England) did not put its position on the market, promoting Jerod Mayo, but the rest did. The Patriots’ decision also produced the first shakeup among the league’s longest-tenured head coach list since 2013.

Since the Eagles fired Andy Reid, Bill Belichick‘s Patriots HC stint had run the longest. After a 4-13 season, the six-time Super Bowl-winning leader was moved out of the picture. No team hired Belichick, generating a wave of rumors, and only one (Atlanta) brought him in for an official interview. While Belichick should be expected to take at least one more run at a third-chance HC gig, Mike Tomlin rises into the top spot on this list.

Tomlin is going into his 18th season with the Steelers, and while he has surpassed Bill Cowher for longevity, the steady leader still has a ways to go to reach Chuck Noll‘s 23-season Pittsburgh benchmark. Tomlin, 52, enters the 2024 season 17-for-17 in non-losing seasons, separating himself from his predecessors in that regard.

Belichick’s ouster brought far more attention, but his Patriots predecessor also slid out of the HC ranks after a 14-year Seattle stay. Pete Carroll‘s third HC shot elevated the Seahawks to their franchise peak. No Hawks HC comes close to Carroll’s duration, and while the Super Bowl winner was interested in remaining a head coach, no team interviewed the 72-year-old sideline staple.

Belichick and Carroll’s exits leave only Tomlin, John Harbaugh and Reid as coaches who have been in place at least 10 years. With Mike Vrabel also booted this offseason, only eight HCs have held their current jobs since the 2010s. A few 2017 hires, however, stand out; Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay and Sean McDermott have now each signed multiple extensions. Now riding back-to-back Super Bowl wins, Reid joined Tomlin in signing an offseason extension.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2024 season:

  1. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2027
  2. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  3. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2029
  4. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  5. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2027
  6. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  8. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  9. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  10. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020; signed offseason extension
  11. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  12. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021; extended through 2027
  13. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  14. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  15. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  16. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  17. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  18. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  19. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  20. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
  21. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  22. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  23. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  24. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
  25. Jerod Mayo (New England Patriots): January 12, 2024
  26. Antonio Pierce (Las Vegas Raiders): January 19, 2024
  27. Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans): January 22, 2024
  28. Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers): January 24, 2024
  29. Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers): January 25, 2024
  30. Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons): January 25, 2024
  31. Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks): January 31, 2024
  32. Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders): February 1, 2024

Chiefs’ Leo Chenal, Chamarri Conner, Joshua Williams On Track For Starting Roles

July 2nd, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Many members of the Chiefs’ defense from the 2023 season are still in place, but a few notable departures have created room for rotational returnees to take on an increased workload. At the linebacker spot and in the secondary in particular, new faces are positioned to ascend to a starter’s role.

Willie Gay signed a free agent deal with the Saints, leaving Kansas City without a three-year starter on the second level. The team still has Nick Bolton in place for one first-team spot, but Leo Chenal is poised to fill Gay’s vacancy. The 2022 third-rounder is on track to see an uptick in defensive usage, Nate Taylor of The Athletic writes (subscription required).

Chenal has played in all 34 regular season games during his career to date, along with seven playoff contests. During that combined span, he has made 21 total starts but his largest workload so far has come on special teams. The 23-year-old racked up 65 tackles and three sacks last year, adding 15 stops and a forced fumble in the postseason. An increased workload in 2024 would lead to expectations for further growth in pass coverage in particular.

Needing to devote resources to defensive tackle Chris Jones this offseason, the Chiefs tagged-and-traded cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans in March. That created a notable opening in the secondary, but second-year defensive back Chamarri Conner is a strong candidate to step into a larger role. The 2023 fourth-rounder has experience at multiple spots dating back to his time in college, and he served as a fill-in at safety during his rookie campaign. Taylor notes, though, that in spring workouts Conner took first-team reps at the nickel corner position.

At times, All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie could slide to the inside. During those instances, Taylor writes Conner will likely move to the safety spot, something which will no doubt lead to a notable uptick in usage. The Virginia Tech product was on the field for 28% of defensive snaps in 2023, a figure which could check in much higher this fall. With respect to the perimeter spot opposite McDuffie, Taylor notes Joshua Williams received the most reps during OTAs and minicamp.

The latter has also been a special teams mainstay while seeing part-time usage on defense during his career. Williams, 24, has totaled 58 tackles and 12 pass breakups over his first two years in Kansas City; his coverage statistics saw a notable improvement last season. That could give the Chiefs cause for optimism a first-team role would suit the former fourth-rounder, although Taylor adds that Jaylen Watson is also in the mix for a starting position.

Kansas City’s defense played a central role in the team’s second straight Super Bowl title, and the unit will again face high expectations in 2024. New faces in starting positions could change the Chiefs’ performance on that side of the ball, but their familiarity with DC Steve Spagnolo should lead to a relatively smooth transition.

Latest On Future Of Chiefs’ Offensive Line

July 1st, 2024 at 8:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs have gotten remarkable consistency from their interior OL over the past three seasons, but 2024 might mark the trio’s final season together in Kansas City. As Nate Taylor of The Athletic writes, there’s a chance that offensive guard Trey Smith may be entering his final season with the Chiefs.

This prediction says nothing of Smith’s production nor importance to the organization. Smith has graded out as one of Pro Football Focus’ top-15 offensive guards in each of his three NFL seasons, including a 2023 campaign where he ranked 10th among 79 qualifying players. The former sixth-round pick has also avoided injuries, appearing in 60 of 61 possible games between 2021 and 2023 (including playoffs).

So, Smith’s chances of sticking in Kansas City is more a reflection of his upcoming market value. If Smith has another healthy and productive season in 2024, he’ll be setting himself up to be one of the top free agents at his position. He’ll be joining the likes of Sam Cosmi, Quinn Meinerz, and Zack Martin. Robert Hunt joined Chris Lindstrom in the $20MM AAV club among guards this offseason, and there’s a chance Smith could join that grouping in 2025.

The Chiefs could try to squeeze Smith into their future budgets, but as Taylor notes, the team will have other pressing free agency issues. Center Creed Humphrey and linebacker Nick Bolton are also impending free agents, and Taylor suggests the organization may prioritize re-signing that duo over Smith.

Considering the impending free agencies of Smith and Humphrey, there’s a good chance the 2024 season marks the end of the team’s guard and center grouping. Smith, Humphrey, and guard Joe Thuney have been protecting Patrick Mahomes in the majority of his appearances since the 2021 campaign. Thuney is the only one who’s run into any injury issues, and even then, he’s only missed four total games (regular season and playoffs) over that span.

Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu Addresses ACL Rehab

July 1st, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Charles Omenihu enjoyed a career year with the Chiefs in 2023, but an ACL tear took him out of the AFC title game. The veteran defensive end’s comments on his recovery to date point to him returning at some point in the regular season.

“It’s going good,” Omenihu said of his rehab process (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2). “Slow process, everybody told me it was going to be like that, but it’s been decent. Honestly, right now, I’m steady, I’m cool… I kind of keep myself like that, just stay plain and we’ll get to the point where I ramp it up like that.”

The 26-year-old’s progress in recovery will be worth watching closely as the summer unfolds. Omenihu proved to be a vital part of Kansas City’s strong defense in his debut Chiefs campaign. The former Texan and 49er recorded seven sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in 2023 despite missing the first six games through suspension. That production came while he was logging a career-high 56% snap share, and a similar workload could await him once he is healthy.

The 2024 campaign carries important financial implications in this situation as well, of course. Omenihu has one year remaining on his current deal, and he is owed $7.4MM this season. The former fifth-rounder expressed a desire for an extension (one which would be accompanied by a raise) in February, but given his injury status it would come as a surprise if one were to be worked out before he returns to action.

While Omenihu is sidelined, the Chiefs will rely on George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and BJ Thompson along the edge at the start of the year (that is, presuming the latter will be recovered in full from his cardiac arrest by the fall). Omenihu will represent a notable addition to that group once he is back in the fold, and his play will go a long way in determining his earning power on a new Chiefs accord or a free agent deal.

AFC Staff Rumors: Canada, Steelers, Shaw, Broncos, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans

June 26th, 2024 at 2:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers opted for an outside OC hire, adding Arthur Smith, but both halves of their interim setup from last season — Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan — remain with the team. Sullivan drew OC interest elsewhere, after calling the plays for a Mason Rudolph-led offense that ended up in the playoffs, but he is in place as a Steelers senior offensive assistant. Faulkner remains the team’s RBs coach. Smith should be considered likely to include the duo in his game plans, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, who adds ousted OC Matt Canada was not known for a collaborative approach. Canada did not receive input from staffers especially well, Kaboly notes, before becoming the historically rare Steelers assistant fired in-season.

Here is the latest from AFC coaching staffs and front offices:

  • One of the Broncos‘ HC candidates in 2023, David Shaw is now in place to work remotely as a staffer under Sean Payton and George Paton. Shaw has coached with the former (on Ray Rhodes‘ 1997 Eagles staff) and began communicating with the GM more often since the January 2023 interview. Months after the longtime Stanford HC’s interview, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes he expressed an interest to Paton regarding work in NFL personnel. During the time between his Broncos connections, Shaw interviewed for the Chargers and Titans’ HC jobs. The Paton conversations, with likely help from the Stanford ties owners Greg Penner and Condoleezza Rice have, led to the longtime Stanford coach landing with the AFC West franchise.
  • Elsewhere on the Broncos’ staff, InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton notes Ty Murphy has moved from scouting intern to pro scout. Murphy initially caught on with the team in July 2023.
  • Four years ago, the Chargers were new on the analytics front. They hired Aditya Krishnan to lead that department in February 2020. Early in Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure, the Bolts are moving in a different direction. Krishnan, who held the title of football research and analytics director, is no longer with the team, according to ESPN.com’s Seth Walder. While new regimes shake up staffs, it will be interesting to see how Harbaugh goes about assembling an analytics department in Los Angeles.
  • The Jaguars are also losing an experienced staffer. Brian Squeglia, who worked as an area scout for the past six years and spent eight seasons in Jacksonville, is leaving the team, per Stratton. Squeglia is set to remain in the industry but is not planning to work for another team presently.
  • The Titans added two staffers recently, with Walder indicating they hired Erin Psajdl Davis and Alex Rogers as analysts. Psajdl Davis comes over from the Chiefs, having worked on the business side in Kansas City. She previously held a football-related role in Houston. Rogers interned for the Saints previously.

QB Notes: Broncos, Mahomes, Lance

June 24th, 2024 at 3:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

By selecting Bo Nix 12th overall, Sean Payton and the Broncos added a potential franchise quarterback. Whether or not the uber-experienced college passer takes on starting duties as a rookie remains to be seen, though.

Denver used a rotation of Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson with the first-team offseason during spring practices. A report from earlier this month pointed to Nix being the favorite despite Stidham’s familiarity with Payton’s scheme. On that note, Troy Renck of the Denver Post confirms Nix “has ground to cover” relative to the 27-year-old who made two Broncos starts last season.

On the other hand, Payton has not been shy about praising Nix’s acclimation so far. The former Saints Super Bowl winner noted (via Renck’s colleague Parker Gabriel) the Oregon alum’s performances so far have matched the team’s expectations based on their pre-draft evaluations. As Renck adds, Nix could very well wind up getting the nod for Week 1. That would turn attention from Stidham’s perspective to a competition with Wilson for the QB2 gig.

Here are some other quarterback notes:

  • The top priority for NFL teams during this part of the year is having players avoid non-football injuries. As a result, the contracts of several players list specific activities which are deemed off-limits. In the case of Patrick Mahomes, that list includes basketball. The three-time Chiefs Super Bowl MVP would have the guarantees in his deal voided if he were to be injured playing basketball, as detailed by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. Mahomes’ monster extension was restructured again in March to create cap space, but it still runs through 2031. Plenty of rolling guarantees (in terms of both salary and bonuses) remain on the contract, giving him ample reason to play things safe.
  • Trey Lance is on the books with the Cowboys for one more season, with the team having made the unsurprising decision of declining his fifth-year option. The former 49ers top-three pick did not play last year, and it remains to be seen if he will serve as Dak Prescott‘s backup. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes Lance is likely still behind Cooper Rush on the depth chart. The latter has made 26 appearances and six starts for Dallas, and he has one year remaining on his deal. With both Rush and Lance set to reach free agency next spring, their respective training camp and preseason performances will be key in determining the pecking order.
  • Taulia Tagovailoa‘s pro football career will begin north of the border. The CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Tua Tagovailoa‘s younger brother signed with the team. Taulia began his college tenure at Alabama, but he transferred to Maryland and enjoyed a successful four-year run there. Tagovailoa, 24, broke the Big Ten’s all-time records for passing yards (11,265) and completion percentage (67.1%) with the Terrapins before going undrafted into the NFL this year. He received a look from the Seahawks and Cardinals during their minicamps, but his attention will now turn to earning playing time in Hamilton.

Chiefs To Release DT Isaiah Buggs

June 24th, 2024 at 10:31am CST by Adam La Rose

Amidst a number of legal issues, Isaiah Buggs‘ time with the Chiefs is set to come to an end. The veteran defensive lineman has been informed by Kansas City he will be released, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Buggs was the subject of two arrest warrants on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, and he turned himself in earlier this month. The 27-year-old was later arrested for alleged domestic violence and burglary, adding to his off-field troubles. A $5K bond was initially posted in the latter case, but Pelissero notes it has since been revoked. As a result, Buggs is currently in prison as his legal situations play out.

Kansas City signed the former sixth-rounder rounder to a futures contract in February, giving him an opportunity to carve out a roster spot during training camp. That pact – worth the veteran’s minimum – contained only $250K in guaranteed salary along with a $100K signing bonus, though, making it feasible from the team’s perspective to move on. The decision to release Buggs will result in $350K in dead money and $803K in cap savings.

Buggs spent his first three NFL seasons with the Steelers, making 29 appearances and seven starts. He spent the past two years in Detroit, logging a heavier workload than he had during his time in Pittsburgh. The Alabama product racked up 58 tackles and a pair of sacks in 27 games as a Lion. Detroit waived him in January once Alim McNeill returned to full health.

The Chiefs have Chris Jones in place as the focal point of their defensive front. That group is filled out by low-cost contributors, including the likes of Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel and Tershawn Wharton. Kansas City entered Monday with roughly $15.6MM in cap space, a figure which will jump slightly once the Buggs release become official. The team will therefore have the financial wiggle room to make a summer addition along the D-line if one is deemed necessary. Buggs’ NFL future, meanwhile, is in doubt.

Chiefs Plan To Have S Justin Reid Handle Kickoffs

June 20th, 2024 at 2:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s new kickoff rules are expected to bring about an uptick in the rate of returns and many teams may prioritize size and tackling on kick coverage teams compared to years past. In the case of the Chiefs, that may very well include Justin Reid handling kickoff duties.

The veteran safety said during an appearance on Chris Long’s Green Light Podcast that Kansas City plans on using him (rather than kicker Harrison Butker) on kickoffs. With more returns set to take place in 2024, adding a defender to the coverage team would provide an upgrade in terms of tackling compared to kickers. That is the thought process behind this projected move.

“The advantage for us is that if I’m doing the job – which is what we’re planning on doing – then I can fill that last gap, so it makes it a little bit easier and nobody needs to win two gaps,” Reid explained. The 27-year-old has previously filled in for Butker as an emergency kicker handling field goal and extra point duties as well as kickoffs.

“We’re in a great place with it,” head coach Andy Reid added. “Although I know [Butker] can make some tackles, I think he’s excited to preserve himself, and we can use him where we really need him, which is those fourth-quarter situations to go nail a 60-yard field goal and win the game. It would be devastating to try and trot a guy out there who’s still nicked up from trying to make a tackle in the second quarter.”

Plenty is unknown regarding how the new, XFL-style kickoff alignment will shake out and the manner in which teams will react to it. If the Chiefs do manage to find success by replacing Butker with Reid, though, it will be interesting to see how many teams mimic their approach. Of course, the chance of injury is present for the latter, an important member of Kansas City’s defense.

Reid signed a three-year, $31.5MM deal with the Chiefs in 2022. The former Texan has served as a full-time defensive starter since then, racking up 178 tackles and 14 pass deflections along the way while helping the team win consecutive Super Bowls. An injury suffered on special teams would leave Kansas City without a key member of the secondary, but the team is prepared to at least begin the campaign by accepting that risk.

Load More Posts