Eagles Showed Interest In Andrew Van Ginkel During Free Agency
Vic Fangio did not endear himself to several Dolphins defenders last season. Select Dolphins have addressed what appeared to be a poor fit, and a perception also emerged the one-and-done Fins DC was interested in returning to Philadelphia while he was on the job in Miami.
That ended up happening, as Fangio became the Eagles’ DC shortly after he and the Dolphins agreed to mutually part ways. This brought a reunion between the Eagles and the veteran coordinator, who was a consultant for Philly’s 2022 team before appearing squarely on the radar to succeed Jonathan Gannon. The latter’s Cardinals defection complicated Fangio’s 2023 offseason, and the DC’s eventual destination looks to have impacted the Eagles’ free agency plan this year.
The Eagles showed interest in Andrew Van Ginkel during the hybrid linebacker’s brief free agency stay, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The team ultimately viewed him as a bit too expensive. Van Ginkel had options to follow multiple former Dolphins coaches elsewhere, taking another one by signing with the Vikings. The former Brian Flores Miami charge has excelled in Minnesota.
Van Ginkel, 29, helped his free agency prospects in Fangio’s Dolphins defense by registering six sacks. The Wisconsin alum logged a career-high 321 pass-rushing snaps last season, helping secure a two-year, $20MM deal from the Vikings. While a foot injury sustained in Week 18 of last season kept Van Ginkel out of Miami’s wild-card loss in Kansas City, he enjoyed a nice market following a season in which he tallied 19 QB hits. The Rams also pursued Van Ginkel, who has been crucial to the Vikings’ 8-2 start.
The former fifth-round Dolphins draftee has notched a career-high eight sacks, registering two in Week 11. He has helped a Vikings team that said goodbye to Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum. Minnesota remade its edge group by adding Jonathan Greenard early in the tampering period and then drafting Dallas Turner, also bolstering its off-ball LB corps by signing Blake Cashman. Van Ginkel leads the NFL with 13 tackles for loss, having added two pick-sixes during a strong reunion season with Flores, who was Miami’s HC when the team drafted him.
Fangio has reignited the Eagles’ defense, which crumbled after the team started 10-1 start last season. Philly ranks first in total defense, though only one player (Josh Sweat) has more than 3.5 sacks; the contract-year EDGE has six. As Van Ginkel also has a past as a standup linebacker, the Eagles had also already allocated much of their free agent budget to Bryce Huff and Saquon Barkley. The team also added low-cost linebackers in Zack Baun and the since-released Devin White. Now tied to the Vikings through the 2025 season, Van Ginkel keeping up this pace would stand to put him in line for a bigger payday in the not-too-distant future.
Daniel Jones ‘Processing’ If He Will Finish Season With Giants
Jarrett Stidham has effectively owned a specific corner in the NFL, at least in recent years. Both the Raiders and Broncos inserted him as a starter in Week 17, doing so for the purpose of ensuring the previous starters — Derek Carr and Russell Wilson, respectively — would not suffer an injury. Tommy DeVito is now part of this chapter, as the Giants have parked Daniel Jones.
The Jones benching has not gone over too well in the locker room, as it is a thinly veiled effort to ensure a $23MM injury guarantee does not come into play for 2025 — when the Giants will release Jones. Although Jones is under contract through 2026, the Giants will drop him after six seasons as their starter. When informing Jones he will be benched, Brian Daboll spoke with the supplanted passer about his future with the organization.
Jones, 27, has lasted longer than many expected in this role. The Duke alum is the only QB to date to see a team decline his fifth-year option and then circle back and re-sign him. Jones is also the first quarterback in the rookie-scale era (2011-present) to average less than seven yards per attempt in each of his first five seasons only to be kept as a starter by the same team for a sixth. The Eli Manning successor has endured constant scrutiny, but his Big Apple tenure will end soon. A topic of discussion this week: will Jones take the Carr or Wilson route out of town?
Carr left the Raiders once the team benched him for Stidham. While this was themed around not being a distraction, Carr later said he was “very upset” once he learned of the benching. Wilson certainly expressed disappointment as well, but he both stuck around to back up Stidham last season and then — even as the writing appeared on the wall — publicly said he wanted to stay in Denver. Cuts commenced in both situations, with the Broncos’ decision bringing a record-smashing dead money sum.
When asked if he would stay with the Giants through season’s end, Jones said (via SNY) he was “processing” that call. With Daboll not confirming Jones would even be the team’s emergency QB in Week 12 — as recent signee Tim Boyle is under consideration for that role — it would stand to reason the 2019 No. 6 overall pick will give strong consideration to leaving the team. Jones would continue to collect his fully guaranteed salary ($35.5MM) if he goes the Carr route or stays with the team like Wilson did.
Embattled QBs certainly do not make a habit of receiving six-year opportunities, as Jones did well to sandwich a solid season (2022) between several unremarkable slates. His free agency status will be interesting to monitor. The league’s latest QB reclamation project, Sam Darnold looks like he will be the top free agent option. Jones may well be the second-most appealing name on a market that will include an underwhelming 2021 draft class and a host of backup-level options.
Jerry Jones: QB Cooper Rush Gives Cowboys ‘Best Chance’ To Win
Cooper Rush has delivered two-straight underwhelming showings as the Cowboys starting QB, leading to some calls for Trey Lance to take over atop the depth chart. If owner/GM Jerry Jones has his way, the Cowboys will continue to roll with their current quarterback hierarchy. Jones told reporters that he thinks Rush offers the team the “best chance” to win.
“I don’t know about that,” Jones said about Lance as a starter (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “I want to give our team the very best chance it can — in all phases — to be successful. So, we’re going to go here with the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win the game.”
Since Rush took over for an injured Dak Prescott in Week 9, the fill-in has completed 58 of 103 pass attempts (56.31 percent) for 514 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Cowboys have dropped each of those three games, and the offense has only found the end zone twice over that span.
Rush did provide a spark while filling in for Prescott in 2022, guiding the Cowboys to a 4-1 record. But with a career completion percentage below 60 percent, a 10/6 career touchdown/interception ratio, and little rushing upside, it seems unlikely that the former UDFA can engineer a similar run in 2024.
As for Lance, the Cowboys gave up a fourth-round pick for the former third overall pick ahead of the 2023 campaign. Lance has only seen the field for one regular season game across his one-plus seasons in Dallas. That came this past weekend, when he completed four of six passes while tossing an interception. The Cowboys staff sees Lance everyday at practice, so they presumably haven’t gotten enough from the young QB to warrant a promotion to QB1.
While Lance will continue to serve as the backup, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll receive all DNPs. Coach Mike McCarthy told reporters (including Jon Machota of The Athletic) that the Cowboys have a package prepared for the fourth-year player, an option that could be used as soon as this Sunday against the Commanders.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter Will Declare For 2025 Draft
The 2024 campaign was widely expected to be Travis Hunter‘s final one at the collegiate level. The two-way Colorado star confirmed on Thursday he is indeed headed for the NFL draft this spring. 
When asked if he will be declaring, the true junior said “that’s definitely for sure” (h/t ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg). To no surprise, then, Hunter will be among the top prospects in the 2025 class. One of the main talking points over the coming months will be whether NFL teams evaluate him as a corner or receiver, but in any case he will not need to wait long to hear his name called on draft night.
One of head coach Deion Sanders‘ top recruits during his time at Jackson State, Hunter made history as the first five-star recruit to commit to an FCS school. The nation’s top prospect was limited to eight games during his one and only season at Jackson State, but he flashed considerable potential on both sides of the ball during that time. He followed Sanders to Colorado last offseason, and in 2023 Hunter scored five offensive touchdowns while adding three interceptions.
That success resulted in a first-team All-American nod as well as the Paul Hornung award (given to the country’s most versatile college player). Hunter entered 2024 with high expectations, and he has delivered so far with a 74-911-9 statline as a receiver (to go along with one rushing touchdowns). On defense, he has matched last year’s interception total while adding eight pass deflections. After averaging nearly 115 total snaps per game last year, Hunter has remained a mainstay on both sides of the ball in 2024.
It will be interesting to see if teams near the top of the draft board consider Hunter as a corner, receiver or a player capable of handling a role on offense and defense. To little surprise, he said (via Troy Renck of the Denver Post) he wants to play both ways at the NFL level, but plenty of time remains for a determinization on that front to be made.
Only one defensive back in NFL history has been selected first overall (Gary Glick in 1956), while four receivers have had that honor (the most recent being Keyshawn Johnson in 1994). In a year where the quarterback position is not highly thought of, Hunter could find himself in contention to hear his name called first during the opening night of the draft. In any case, NFL suitors can now proceed knowing he will be turning pro ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Chiefs Exec Mike Borgonzi Expected To Be Popular GM Candidate
GM-needy teams could turn to Kansas City for a front office leader. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes that Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi is already the “hot name” that’s circulating ahead of the offseason hiring cycle.
Borgonzi has worked in Kansas City for 16 years, working his way up from college scouting administrator to his current role as right-hand man to general manager Brett Veach. Borgonzi has worked under three GMs during his tenure with the Chiefs (Scott Pioli, John Dorsey, Veach), and it sounds like he’ll finally get a serious shot at running his own front office. The Brown graduate has been linked to several GM gigs over the years. He was connected to the job in Carolina several years ago, and he garnered an interview with the Commanders this past offseason.
Pauline also mentions Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown as a name to watch. Brown was already popular during last year’s cycle, with the executive earning an interview with the Raiders while also landing on the Patriots’ short list of candidates. Brown got his front office start in New England before joining Philly’s operation in 2013. He ended up spending six years with the Eagles, working his way up to director of college scouting. After a few years in the AAF and XFL, he landed with the Bengals in 2021.
Fortunately for both Borgonzi and Brown, there should be plenty of gigs to go around. Josina Anderson recently pointed to at least five GM gigs that will open this offseason (not including the recently fired Joe Douglas with the Jets).
League Considering More Tom Brady Broadcasting Restrictions
Tom Brady already faces several restrictions as he juggles his roles as part-owner of the Raiders and as an announcer for FOX Sports. As the iconic QB’s television gig continues to evolve, the NFL may implement even more rules to prevent any competitive advantages for the Las Vegas franchise.
[RELATED: Bigger Role In Vegas For Tom Brady In Future?]
According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, some NFL owners recently discussed complications surrounding Brady’s one-on-one player interviews. The league pointed to a recent chat between Brady and Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, and there are concerns that the NFL may need to create additional conditions “to ensure Brady does not receive information he shouldn’t as a Raiders partner.”
Specifically, the NFL is considering restricting Brady to “live or recorded interviews for broadcast only,” which will ensure that his conversations are shared publicly. The NFL would also prohibit Brady from having private one-on-one conversations with players, and the NFL could force Brady to conduct broadcast interviews outside of team facilities and even outside of team hotels. The interviews could also require prior approval and monitoring by the league.
The NFL has already prohibited Brady from attending pregame production meetings with coaches/players. Brady is also barred from visiting opposing teams’ practice facilities, and he’s not allowed to publicly criticize officials. As Fischer notes, these restrictions are common for any team owners, although they naturally provide some obstacles for Brady as a broadcaster. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, one team attempted to waive these restrictions and allow Brady to attend a pre-production meeting. However, the NFL refused, and Florio says there was a sense that neither FOX Sports nor their broadcaster were interested “in pushing back.”
Beyond Brady’s announcing role, the former QB’s role as a Patriots team ambassador is also under the microscope. The future Hall of Famer will always be connected to the franchise, and per Fischer, he agreed in 2023 to occasionally attend Patriots events. The league is debating whether it’s “appropriate” for Brady to have a role with one team while serving as a part-owner of another franchise.
If the finance committee decides to act on any of these restrictions, the matter could be taken up by all of the league’s owners. NFL owners are set to meet in mid-December.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/21/24
Just one minor move to pass along:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: TE Blake Whiteheart
As the Browns prepare for tonight’s matchup with the Steelers, they’ve added some tight end depth to the active roster. Blake Whiteheart is positioned to make his fifth appearance for the Browns this season, with the former UDFA having hauled in three receptions for 13 yards and one touchdown. With fellow TE Geoff Swaim sidelined with a concussion, Whiteheart will likely slide in as the team’s third tight end behind David Njoku and Jordan Akins.
Packers CB Jaire Alexander Suffered Torn PCL
Jaire Alexander has been limited by a knee issue over the past few weeks, and it sounds like the injury is worse than the cornerback and the Packers initially let on. Alexander told Matt Schneidman of The Athletic that he suffered a PCL tear that might keep him off the field for several more weeks.
Alexander suffered the tear during Green Bay’s Week 8 win over Jacksonville. He sat out the team’s Week 9 contest and had a bye during Week 10. After practicing on a limited basis last week, Alexander started Sunday’s win over the Bears, but he only got into 10 defensive snaps before exiting the game for good. As Schneidman notes, coach Matt LaFleur had previously revealed that Alexander would be on a snap limit for Week 11, but the cornerback was still expected to play more than a handful of drives.
“I stayed here the whole bye week trying to hopefully come back and make an impact for the team,” Alexander told Schneidman. “It was a game-time decision at that, so we didn’t know … until, you know, a few minutes before the game if I would play or not.
“I just tried to give it a go … I went out there and s–t, all I could really give was 10 plays and then it — I felt something. If you know how (posterior cruciate ligaments) work, it don’t just get done in three weeks, so it just needed more time. I reaggravated it going back out there and only doing 10 plays, so now we just trying to get my knee back right.”
Alexander expressed optimism that he can get back to his All-Pro production for the stretch run of the 2024 campaign. However, the cornerback cautioned that he may need more time off as he looks to return to full strength.
The former first-round pick established himself as one of the NFL’s top defensive backs with strong showings in 2020 and 2022. Unfortunately, his other recent campaigns have been wrecked by injuries. He was limited to four games in 2021 thanks to a shoulder injury, and he got into only seven games in 2023 while dealing with back and shoulder issues (along with a one-game suspension). Alexander also missed a pair of games earlier this season while nursing a groin injury.
Keisean Nixon has secured the other starting CB spot this season and will continue to lead the depth chart with Alexander out of the lineup. Eric Stokes got a long look as the team’s third CB but was passed by Carrington Valentine in Week 11.
Bucs Exec Jacqueline Davidson On GM Radar
Women have begun making inroads to GM consideration in recent years. The Broncos’ Kelly Kleine Van Calligan joined longtime NFL exec Dawn Aponte in interviewing for GM posts (with the Raiders and Chargers, respectively) in 2024. This came after then-Eagles exec Catherine Raiche met with the Vikings about their GM job two years ago.
The Browns soon hired Raiche as assistant GM, putting her squarely on the radar to earn future consideration for a top front office post. The Buccaneers have a veteran exec who may join the above-referenced women on the GM interview circuit soon. Bucs VP of football research Jacqueline Davidson looks to be on the radar as well.
Many within the NFL expect Davidson to eventually become the first female GM, according to the New York Post’s Brian Costello. (This would apply to the modern era, as Susan Tose Spencer operated as the Eagles’ de facto GM in the mid-1980s.) Davidson has been with the Bucs since 2020, after having spent 12 years with the Jets, rising to the club’s director of football administration. Davidson served under multiple GMs in New York, with Costello adding she was highly respected within the organization.
Davidson has not interviewed for a GM post yet but has been in the league since 2004. A Jets hire during Mike Tannenbaum‘s GM run, Davidson stayed on under John Idzik and then Mike Maccagnan. After having served as a Jets chief negotiator, Davidson has played a central role in Bucs contract talks for the past few offseasons, rising to her current post in 2023. Working with GM Jason Licht and cap chief Mike Greenberg in helping the Super Bowl LV-winning team retain its 22 starters for the 2021 season, Davidson played bigger roles in extending Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. this offseason. Greenberg, who started his NFL career as a Jets intern during Davidson’s New York tenure, has been on the GM carousel for a bit from Licht’s Tampa Bay staff.
The Rooney Rule mandates teams interview two external minorities for all GM and HC positions. Women are included under this umbrella for interview purposes. Raiche did not land the Minnesota job in 2022 but soon helped replace eventual Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in Cleveland that summer. She did not interview for a position this offseason.
The 2025 offseason will feature at least one GM opening, after the Jets fired Joe Douglas, with more vacancies likely coming. A disappointing Jaguars season has Trent Baalke on the hot seat, while Andrew Berry (Browns), Joe Schoen (Giants) and Ryan Poles (Bears) are not assured of returning next year. It will be interesting to see if any women are part of the 2025 GM carousel.
Ravens To Start S Ar’Darius Washington
The safety spot has seen plenty of developments this season for the Ravens, one in which the team has struggled against the pass. Veterans Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson have each seen time out of the lineup, and neither are in position to operate as a starter moving forward. 
Williams was benched in Week 8, a move which appeared to mark an end to his time as a first-team option. The 28-year-old instead reprised his starting role for each of the following two games. Jackson, meanwhile, was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s contest against the Steelers. Williams logged just one defensive snap during the loss.
In the wake of both players losing out on playing time, Ar’Darius Washington stepped into a starting role. The former UDFA was on the field for every defensive snap, forming a tandem on the backend with Kyle Hamilton. Washington has only five starts to his name across his four-year Baltimore tenure, but (in the wake of an increased workload being projected this summer) that figure is set to grow over the coming weeks.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh confirmed (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) the “formula” at the safety spot moving forward will include Washington in the starting lineup alongside Hamilton. If both members of that pairing remain healthy, Williams (who has two more years left on his deal but no guaranteed salary over that time) and Jackson (a pending free agent) will be slated for special teams responsibilities down the stretch.
The Ravens did not allow a touchdown on Sunday, but they still sit last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (285). The secondary received an addition at the trade deadline in the form of cornerback Tre’Davious White, but the team’s play at safety will be key in any potential turnaround on defense. Washington will get the opportunity to solidify a first-team role over an extended period having already set a new personal mark in tackles (36) along with recording his first career interception in 2024.
The TCU product is a pending restricted free agent, and strong play during the rest of the season could confirm his status as at least a candidate for a notable RFA tender this offseason. Washington could play his way into a long-term Ravens commitment depending on his performances over the coming weeks.