The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches
After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.
The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.
Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.
After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.
Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
- Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
- Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
- Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
- Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
- Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
- Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
- Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
- Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
- Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
- Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
- Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
- Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
- Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
- Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
- Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
- Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
- DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
- Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
- Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
Rams Rumors: Safety, Kicker, OL, McClendon
With Jordan Fuller finally making a healthy return after missing most of the 2022 season on injured reserve, the Rams should be set at one of their safety spots. Fuller had started all 28 games he’d appeared in over his first two years, and he’s stood out so far this offseason in OTAs and minicamp. The battle for who will start next to Fuller, though, has become a situation to watch in Los Angeles, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
There appears to be two second-year players at the forefront of the race: last year’s sixth-round pick Quentin Lake and seventh-round pick Russ Yeast. Lake got a late start to his rookie year after starting the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Once activated, he played almost exclusively on special teams until the team’s season finale in Seattle. Yeast also started off mainly on special teams before earning a good number of defensive snaps late in the year. He made his first career start in that same Seattle game.
Lake and Yeast will both get significant run with the first team in an effort to determine a starter. A dark horse in the competition could be rookie seventh-round pick Jason Taylor II. The Oklahoma State product had an impressive 99 tackles last season to go along with six interceptions for the Cowboys. While each player should get a strong chance, it’s believed that Yeast has the early edge.
Here are a couple other rumors coming out of LA:
- An expected camp kicking battle was cut short when Christopher Dunn was waived a couple weeks ago. The Rams currently only roster undrafted rookie Tanner Brown at the position. Also coming out of Stillwater, Brown never missed a single extra point during his collegiate career. In his senior year, Brown converted an impressive 22 of 23 field goal attempts. Despite the lofty college numbers, entering the season with Brown as the only option is a risky move. Rodrigue doesn’t rule out the possibility of Los Angeles bringing in some camp competition for the young specialist.
- The Rams’ top draft selection this year, second-round guard Steve Avila, is reportedly “as pro-ready a rookie as (Rodrigue has) seen walk into the (Rams’) building.” If the TCU-product secures a starting guard spot, as expected, the other guard spot could be won in competition between Tremayne Anchrum and Logan Bruss. Both Anchrum and Bruss were limited last season due to injury and are reportedly itching to prove their worth in 2023. Bruss has even gotten snaps at his old college position of right tackle, making him a strong candidate for a Swiss Army role on the offensive line if he can’t win a starting job. Rodrigue warns not to forget about rookie fifth-round pick Warren McClendon out of Georgia, as well. Although a knee injury forced him to miss time this spring, McClendon’s expected to make some noise in camp this summer.
Latest On Rams OL Joseph Noteboom
Plenty of questions remain unanswered along the offensive line for the Rams heading into 2023, after the unit was devastated by injuries last season. The left tackle spot is one to watch, and veteran Joseph Noteboom should be a key member of the competition at that position. 
The 28-year-old was tapped as the Rams’ Andrew Whitworth successor on the blindside, and he began the 2022 campaign as the starting left tackle. Noteboom suffered an Achilles tear, however, which ended his campaign and added to the injury woes along the O-line for Los Angeles. He continues to rehab the injury, and his performance upon return could go a long way in determining his usage in 2023.
The former third-rounder will have competition in the form of Alaric Jackson, who was himself limited to eight contests last year. The pair drew similar evaluations in terms of PFF grades in 2022, and they are set to take part in an open competition for the left tackle role. Depending on how that plays out, Noteboom could find himself occupying a different role.
Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic writes that the TCU product is not guranteed to continue at left tackle (either as a starter or backup) moving forward (subscription required). A position change could be in play, something which might see Noteboom play at either right tackle or left guard. He has experience at both spots at the NFL level, but much more so in the latter role. His most recent LG snaps took place in 2020, though that position is likely earmarked for second-round rookie Steve Avila.
As Rodrigue notes, the Rams appear committed to retaining Noteboom on the books after he signed a three-year, $39MM deal last March. That pact raised expectations for him entering the campaign, but his Achilles rehab, along with the presence of Jackson, could threaten his first-team standing come the regular season. At the left tackle spot (and others), the Rams’ positional battles in the summer will be worth monitoring.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 7/1/23
Saturday’s list of rookie deals:
Los Angeles Rams
- CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (sixth round, TCU)
- OLB Ochaun Mathis (sixth round, Nebraska)
- RB Zach Evans (sixth round, Ole Miss)
Each of the Rams’ sixth-round selections are now on the books, as is the case for all of their Day 3 picks. Of the team’s 14-man draft haul, only two members are now unsigned: Byron Young and Kobie Turner. Those third-rounders still have plenty of time to ink their rookie deals before the start of training camp and the regular season, one which will in many ways be marked by a youth movement in Los Angeles.
Rams, CB Ahkello Witherspoon Agree To Deal
The Rams are set to add a veteran presence to their secondary. Los Angeles is signing Ahkello Witherspoon, as first reported by Jordan Schultz of the Score (Twitter link). The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue adds (via Twitter) that it is a one-year deal. 
The 28-year-old began his career in San Francisco, starting 33 of 47 contests there. His performance with the 49ers eventually led him to Pittsburgh in 2021, where he was a key member of the team’s secondary. Expectations were high heading into the following campaign, but things did not go according to plan.
Witherspoon was limited to just four games played in 2022 due to hamstring injuries. Despite having recently signed a two-year extension in Pittsburgh, he was released last month. That left the former third-rounder in search of a new home, and the Rams could represent an intriguing opportunity for him to rebuild his value.
In an offseason filled with cost-shedding moves, Los Angeles has seen a number of corners depart in one form or another. The Jalen Ramsey trade created a signficant vacancy on the backend, and David Long signed with the Raiders as part of the latter team’s efforts to re-tool their secondary. 2022 Rams contributors Troy Hill and Grant Haley remain unsigned, while special teamer Shaun Jolly was re-upped.
Witherspoon started all four of his Steelers appearances last season, recording one interception and a pair of pass deflections. His coverage statistics in terms of completion percentage and passer rating allowed were the worst of his career, however, which helped inform Pittsburgh’s decision to move on and contributed to the Colorado alum’s wait on the open market. In Los Angeles, he should compete for signficant playing time.
The Rams lack experience at the CB spot heading into 2023, a season in which plenty of expectations will be placed on recent draftees Robert Rochell and Cobie Durant. The team’s only investment at the position in this year’s sizeable draft class was sixth-rounder Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson. At 6-2, Witherspoon will provide not only a veteran presence but also length among the Rams’ cornerbacks contingent.
L.A. ranked top-10 in interceptions last season, but the team struggled as a whole against the pass in their underwhelming Super Bowl defense. Witherspoon will aim to assist their new-look secondary in taking a needed step forward, while remaining healthy and boosting his free agent stock along with way.
30 Unsigned Draft Picks Remain
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.
Rams Sign QB Stetson Bennett To Rookie Contract
The Rams have signed their first-year quarterback to his rookie contract. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Rams have signed quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Before putting himself on the NFL radar during the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, Bennett had issues even carving out a role in the NCAA. The Georgia walk-on transferred to Jones College after not taking a snap during his freshman season. After Justin Fields transferred to Ohio State, Georgia was in need of depth at the position, and Bennett returned to the school for the 2019 campaign.
He served as a backup over the next two years, and he entered his fifth-year senior season as the second-stringer to JT Daniels. Bennett ended up getting the call after Daniels went down with an injury and proceeded to complete 64.5 percent of his passes for 2,862 yards, 29 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Despite a shaky performance in the SEC Championship Game, Georgia stuck with Bennett as their starter en route to the 2022 College Football National Championship.
Bennett returned to Georgia for his sixth-year senior season in 2022 and improved his numbers, finishing with 4,128 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He later earned offensive MVP of the 2023 College Football National Championship after accounting for six total touchdowns.
Considering his advanced age and somewhat limited college track record, there were some questions about where Bennett would land in the draft. The Rams ended up scooping him up in the fourth round, allowing the rookie some time to learn the offense behind Matthew Stafford. The Rams are also rostering QBs Brett Rypien and UDFA Dresser Winn.
The Rams have slowly but surely been signing their draft picks to rookie contracts. Third-round linebacker Byron Young and third-round defensive tackle Kobie Turner are the most significant names to remain unsigned.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/21/23
Today’s only minor transaction across the NFL:
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: WR Sam James
James was one of 26 undrafted free agents signed by the Rams in May. James decided to forgo his final year of eligibility granted to him due to COVID-19, cashing in on a season that saw him catch 46 passes for 745 yards and six touchdowns. His career numbers at West Virginia included 190 catches for 2,229 yards and 15 touchdowns.
A bit undersized, James faced long odds to make the team’s final 53-man roster. Despite his additional experience returning kicks in college, he had to compete with 12 other receivers on a roster that is certain to include Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson and very likely to include Ben Skowronek, Demarcus Robinson, and Tutu Atwell, as well.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/21/23
Another pair of signings of late-round picks today:
Los Angeles Rams
- LB Nick Hampton (fifth round, Appalachian State)
- T Warren McClendon (fifth round, Georgia)
The team with forty rookies on the roster signed two of them today to their initial four-year contracts. Hampton turned into a physical specimen over his time with the Mountaineers, gaining 40 pounds to reach his 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame. He landed on the NFL’s radar after a redshirt junior season that saw him record 11.0 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. Injuries held him up from reaching those numbers again in 2022, but he still was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection in both of his final two seasons. He may need some time before he is considered an every-down NFL linebacker, but his experience as a standup pass rusher should get him some snaps in rotation with the Rams.
McClendon was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs, planted at the right tackle position. While he was never as lauded as former teammates Jamaree Salyer and Broderick Jones, who started on the opposite side of the line in each of the last two years, he didn’t allow a sack in the 2021 or 2022 seasons and earned first-team All-SEC honors as a team captain last year. McClendon provides an immediate benefit as depth in a room thin on tackles but should have the ability to move inside and help out at guard, as well, if necessary. With Hampton and McClendon now under contract, the team has six more draft picks to sign.
LB Alec Ogletree Announces Retirement
Alec Ogletree made an effort to play a 10th season last year, but the veteran linebacker will not aim to suit up this season. The former first-round pick announced his retirement (Instagram link).
One of the more successful players to enter the league from the much-maligned 2013 first round, Ogletree secured a Rams extension and started 110 games across a career spent in St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York (with the Giants and Jets) and Chicago. Ogletree picked up a second-team All-Pro honor (in 2016) and finished his career as a full-time starter, lining up with the Bears’ first-stringers throughout the 2021 season.
Known best for his Rams tenure, the off-ball linebacker began as a No. 30 overall pick during Jeff Fisher‘s regime. Fisher and then-second-year GM Les Snead signed off on the linebacker in a two-first-rounder Rams draft, which began with Tavon Austin going eighth overall. Both players fetched extensions from the Rams, but Ogletree made a bigger impact. His 2016 second-team All-Pro season included a career-high 136 tackles (nine for loss), two interceptions and a forced fumble.
That showing earned Ogletree a four-year, $42MM extension in October 2017. Despite the Rams changing HCs by hiring Sean McVay in 2017, they signed off on keeping Ogletree. Though, they reversed course during the ’18 offseason by trading the contract to the Giants. Ogletree, who combined to force 10 fumbles over his first two seasons, led the Rams in tackles during each of the four seasons he finished with the team.
The Giants kept the Georgia alum on that contract for two seasons, and he posted two pick-sixes during his Big Blue debut slate. The Giants had traded fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Rams for Ogletree and a seventh. A 2020 release led Ogletree to the Jets, with whom he only played two games. Despite the Jets cutting bait in October 2020 and Ogletree not playing again that season, he stepped in as a Bears full-timer to close out his career. In 16 Chicago starts, Ogletree made 87 tackles in 2021.
Ogletree, 31, collected just more than $40MM during his NFL run. He added 12 INTs and 7.5 sacks to a resume that includes 766 tackles (49 for loss).