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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Los Angeles Rams

January 24th, 2018 at 7:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Los Angeles Rams, a surprise contender that captured the NFC West crown before suffering a defeat in the first round of the postseason.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:

  1. Robert Quinn, DE: $12,399,770
  2. Andrew Whitworth, T: $12,166,666
  3. Alec Ogletree, LB: $11,600,000
  4. Michael Brockers, DT: $10,750,000
  5. Mark Barron, LB: $10,000,000
  6. Robert Woods, WR: $8,000,000
  7. Tavon Austin, WR: $8,000,000
  8. Jared Goff, QB: $7,619,365
  9. Rodger Saffold, G: $7,500,000
  10. Aaron Donald, DT: $6,892,000

Other:

  • Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $51,012,500
  • 23rd pick in draft
  • Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for RB Todd Gurley

Three Needs:

1) Find a dynamic edge defender: We don’t need to tell you that defensive tackle Aaron Donald is an absolute monster. He earned a near-perfect 99.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, and was the only interior lineman who ranked among the NFL’s top 20 in quarterback pressures (his 52 were third-most in the league, behind only Demarcus Lawrence and Khalil Mack).

Thanks to Donald’s dominance and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips‘ scheming, Los Angeles posted a decent performance against opposing signal-callers: while the club ranked just 24th in sacks, it finished fifth in adjusted sack rate and 16th in pressure rate. Imagine what the Rams could do after improving on edge options Robert Quinn and Connor Barwin, each of whom graded as bottom-20 pass-rushers in 2017, according to PFF. Quinn’s production has been dwindling for at least three consecutive seasons, while Barwin is now 31 years old and will hit free agency in March.Matt Longacre (Vertical)

The only problem with trying to improve an edge defense through free agency is that most teams don’t let quality pass-rushers get away, meaning many players on the open market will come with some kind of flaw (age, injury, etc.). So the Rams may first need to look internally, and potentially give more playing time to backup Matt Longacre, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Longacre, 26, played more snaps in 2017 than he had in the previous two seasons combined, and came through with 5.5 sacks and 15.5 pressures. Cameron DaSilva of RamsWire recently looked at why Longacre was so successful last year, noting that stunts and twists were a large part of Longacre’s usage.

If Los Angeles does look at the free agent edge rushing market, they won’t find much. Demarcus Lawrence is overwhelmingly likely to stay with the Cowboys either through a long-term contract or the franchise tag, leaving the Lions’ Ezekiel Ansah as the top defender available. Ansah has spent his entire career in a 4-3 scheme, leaving questions as to whether he could play in the Rams’ 3-4 front. If LA doesn’t think Ansah is a viable option, the club will instead have to look at incremental improvements.

The first call general manager Les Snead makes should go to veteran defender Julius Peppers, who is a free agent again after spending the 2017 season in Carolina. Peppers is 38 years old, but he hasn’t posted fewer than seven sacks in a decade. And the Rams shouldn’t necessarily worry about Peppers’ advanced age given that they’re in clear win-now mode. Not only can Peppers still be productive, but he played in a 3-4 look from 2014-16 — while Phillips and ex-Packers DC Dom Capers run different versions of the 3-4, Peppers has proven he can be effective in a stand-up role.

The other pass-rusher that should interest the Rams is Aaron Lynch, who will become a free agent in March after four seasons with the 49ers. Los Angeles should have a good idea of Lynch’s ability given that it plays San Francisco twice per year, but Lynch admittedly hasn’t been on the field much since 2016 (he’s averaged only 16% playtime over the past two seasons). The 24-year-old Lynch was reportedly overweight and in danger of getting cut last May, and while those are concerns, those issues could also mean Lynch will be cheap once he hits the open market. As recently as 2015, Lynch ranked fifth in the NFL with 34 pressures — that’s the type of upside that should interest the Rams, potentially on a multi-year deal.Clay Matthews (Vertical)

A few other veteran players could be of note to the Rams this offseason, including a number that may be released in the coming months. Chief among them are two notable NFC North defenders, the Packers’ Clay Matthews and the Bears’ Pernell McPhee. Both are age-29+ and have dealt with injuries in recent season, but both also still have the potential to be play-making difference-makers. If they’re cut, the Rams should have interest. Los Angeles could also consider a trade, with the target being the Colts’ Jabaal Sheard. Sheard is coming off the best season of his career, but if Indianapolis is going to undergo something of a rebuild, it doesn’t need a 29-year-old edge defender, meaning he could probably be had.

If the Rams don’t land an impact edge rusher in free agency, they may be up a creek without a paddle, as the 2018 draft class of outside linebackers/defensive ends isn’t rife with top-end talent. NC State’s Bradley Chubb isn’t falling until the end of the first round, and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com only lists three other edge defenders — Arden Key (LSU), Harold Landry (Boston College), and Sam Hubbard (Ohio State) among his top-50 prospects. Adding insult to injury, Los Angeles doesn’t own a second-round pick in 2018 (ramifications of the Sammy Watkins trade), so it won’t be able to take advantage if one of those defenders listed takes a draft-day tumble.

2) Bolster the interior offensive line: The Rams’ 2017 offensive turnaround was one of the more discussed topics in the NFL last season, and the club’s improvement along the offensive line was a major part of that effort. After the 2016 campaign, Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus graded Los Angeles’ front five as the No. 27 offensive line in the league, a ranking that almost seemed too positive given that the Rams had finished 29th in both adjusted line yards and adjusted sack rate.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Chicago Bears

January 23rd, 2018 at 6:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Chicago Bears, who posted a 5-11 record in 2017 and have since hired a new staff that includes former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy as head coach.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:

  1. Mike Glennon, QB: $16,000,000
  2. Akiem Hicks, DE: $9,600,000
  3. Kyle Long, G: $8,848,158
  4. Josh Sitton, G: $8,666,668
  5. Pernell McPhee, LB: $8,075,000
  6. Danny Trevathan, LB: $7,150,000
  7. Mitch Trubisky, QB: $6,598,281
  8. Dion Sims, TE: $6,333,333
  9. Bobby Massie, T: $6,100,000
  10. Charles Leno, T: $5,900,000

Other:

  • Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $42,025,379
  • Eighth pick in draft
  • Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for WR Kevin White

Three Needs:

1) Add multiple receiving threats: Only two players topped 25 receptions for the Bears a season ago. One was Kendall Wright, who led Chicago in both catches (59) and yards (614) but is now an unrestricted free agent. The other was a rookie running back Tarik Cohen.

The Bears fielded — by far — the worst pass-catching unit the league, making No. 2 overall pick Mitch Trubisky‘s rookie campaign all the more difficult. Luckily, Chicago has the cap space and draft capital to revive its receiving corps under new offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. Finding roster space won’t be a problem, either, as both Wright and Dontrelle Inman are unrestricted free agents, Josh Bellamy is a restricted free agent, Kevin White and Cameron Meredith are coming off injury (Meredith is an RFA, too), while Markus Wheaton — who managed three receptions while earning $6MM in 2017 — will likely be released.

Even if we assume Bellamy, White, and Meredith will all return and be healthy in 2018, the Bears still need to bring in two or three new wide receivers over the next few months. Chicago currently ranks 12th in available cap space, but the club will almost certainly gain $11.5MM in room (and thus move to eighth in the cap space rankings) by trading or releasing quarterback Mike Glennon. As such, free agency should be the first avenue for the Bears as they seek to improve on their pass-catchers.Jarvis Landry (vertical)

Chicago should compete at the top of the market, and that means the team’s initial calls should go to Jarvis Landry, Sammy Watkins, and a rehabbing Allen Robinson. Landry, notably, could potentially be targeting a Davante Adams-esque contract ($14MM annual salary, $30MM guarantees), which is a hefty total for a slot receiver. New head coach Matt Nagy didn’t use a typical slot receiver in Kansas City, so it’s unclear if Landry would be worth the deal he’s seeking. Robinson, meanwhile, should still generate a good deal of interest as he recovers from a torn ACL, but he will come at a much cheaper rate than Landry (and possibly on a one-year pact).

It’s not the end of the world if the Bears fail to land one of those aforementioned wideouts, but if they do, they need to hit the second tier of free agent receivers, a list that includes Paul Richardson, Terrelle Pryor, Marqise Lee, Jordan Matthews, John Brown, Mike Wallace, Danny Amendola, Donte Moncrief, and Brice Butler. Given his youth (age-25), Richardson is probably the only WR listed here that could eventually evolve into a No. 1 option, but that also means he’ll require a larger deal. Butler could be a particularly interesting, and Chicago could give him a clear chance to become a starter.

Even after (hopefully) adding an upper-tier pass-catcher, the Bears still need to take a few dart throws at low-cost options. Albert Wilson has spent his entire career working under Nagy in Kansas City, and though he’s never topped 45 receptions, he could theoretically offer scheme familiarity in Chicago. Jeremy Maclin could potentially be released by the Ravens later this year, and though he’ll be 30 years old when the season gets underway, he could be another target for the Bears given his time with Nagy in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. And Josh Huff enjoyed success under Helfrich at Oregon, so if he’s cut by the Saints in the near future, he could make for a worthwhile flyer.Calvin Ridley (vertical)

After inking a few free agent wideouts, Chicago can still use the draft to supplement their offensive weaponry. The most obvious choice — and the only wide receiver worth selecting with a top-10 pick — will be Alabama’s Calvin Ridley, who totaled 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns over three seasons with the Crimson Tide. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) sent Ridley to the Bears in his first mock draft of the year, while Luke Easterling of USA Today calls Ridley a “sharp route-runner” and a “constant threat to beat defenses over the top.”

Of course, the Bears have enough needs that their first-round pick won’t necessarily be used on a wide receiver. If that’s the case, Chicago could target player such as SMU’s Courtland Sutton (an excellent size weapon at 6’4″), Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk (whom Matt Miller of Bleacher Report calls the best slot receiver in the draft), or Indiana’s Simmie Cobbs. The Bears don’t currently own a third-round pick thanks to the Trubisky trade, so they’ll likely need to secure a wideout in the first two rounds.

2) Fill holes at cornerback: On the whole, the Bears’ passing defense was acceptable under coordinator Vic Fangio, as the unit ranked 14th in DVOA. The only problem? Chicago’s top two cornerbacks — Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara, each of whom played at least 80% of the Bears’ defensive snaps — are scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in March, meaning the club could potentially have to find two new starters.

Whether or not the Bears can, or should, re-sign either Fuller or Amukamara depends entirely on asking price. Amukamara is still only 28 years old, but the NFL free agent market has deemed him worthy of only a one-year contract in each of the past two offseasons. Fuller, meanwhile, is a former first-round pick coming off the best season of his career, but he missed the entirety of the 2016 season with injury and has been up-and-down in his other NFL campaigns.Read more

PFR Glossary: Rooney Rule

January 23rd, 2018 at 11:17am CST by Zachary Links

Pro Football Rumors is in the process of creating a glossary of terms related to free agency, the salary cap, and other areas of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. If you’re confused by our references to concepts like franchise players or reserve/futures contracts, or just want further clarification on the specifics, the glossary should help clear things up.

We’ll continue to add entries to this glossary, which can be found anytime on the right sidebar under “PFR Features.” 

This offseason, the Raiders found themselves in a bit of a controversy over their head coaching search. On Christmas Eve, owner Mark Davis reached a verbal agreement with Jon Gruden to become the team’s next head coach. It wasn’t until after New Year’s Day that two minority candidates – Oakland tight ends coach Bobby Johnson and USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin – were interviewed for the position. On January 6, the Raiders rolled out the black-and-silver carpet to announce Gruden’s return in an over-the-top press conference. It was clear that neither Martin nor Johnson had a real chance at getting the job.

Established in 2003, the Rooney Rule stipulates that teams must interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching positions. Named after former Steelers owner Dan Rooney, the rule is in place to make sure that candidates of color have a fair shake at climbing the ranks. Some felt that the Raiders broke the spirit of the rule by not giving real consideration to a minority candidate, but the NFL recently declared that the Raiders did in fact comply with the protocol. The Fritz Pollard Alliance, which works with the NFL to monitor minority hiring practices, has vowed to push for changes to the rule that will prevent a similar situation from playing out.

When the Rooney Rule was introduced, there were historically very few non-white head coaches in the NFL. Fritz Pollard became the first black head coach in NFL history in the 1920s and the league did not see another minority head coach until 1979 when the Raiders hired Tom Flores.

Since the advent of the Rooney Rule 15 years ago, dozens of qualified minority candidates have been given opportunities to showcase themselves for head coaching positions. However, it’s hard to say concretely whether this has directly led to a greater number of minority hires as the number has vacillated over time. For example, there were four head coaches of color in 2003, eight in 2011, four in 2013, and eight again in 2017. The number stands at eight today, matching the all-time high, with Mike Tomlin, Todd Bowles, Anthony Lynn, Vance Joseph, Hue Jackson, Marvin Lewis, Ron Rivera, and Steve Wilks all holding HC positions.

In recent years, the rule has been extended to general manager vacancies. In December 2016, the NFL agreed to informally apply the rule to offensive and defensive coordinator positions, though there are no penalties for noncompliance. If a team is found to have broken the Rooney Rule in a head coaching search, the club may be faced with a substantial fine and/or a forfeiture of draft picks.

In the wake of the Raiders controversy, we could see further reform to the Rooney Rule between now and the 2018/19 offseason.

PFR Originals: 1/14/18 – 1/21/18

January 21st, 2018 at 4:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

  • As the offseason progresses, PFR will assess each team by examining the top three needs on each respective roster. We covered two organizations last week:
  • Super Bowl LII takes place in two weeks, so Greg Goldstein asked PFR readers which of the four potential matchups is likeliest to occur. A Patriots vs. Vikings contest nearly secured a majority of the vote (47.44%), while Jaguars vs. Eagles finished last, with only 11% of respondents choosing that matchup.
  • Free agency will open in fewer than two months, meaning scores of new contracts will soon be signed. With that in mind, Zach Links went over the concept of contract incentives in the latest PFR Glossary entry.
  • I posted a list of Important 2018 Offseason Dates that will occur over the next six months or so. Key events include the start of the 2018 league year, the 2018 draft, and the franchise/transition tag deadline.

PFR Glossary: Contract Incentives

January 18th, 2018 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

With the offseason just around the corner, we wanted to give a refresher on contract incentives and their various forms. Signing bonuses can sweeten the pot for free agents and are largely self-explanatory, but incentives are a bit trickier.

At the most basic level, contract incentives are designed to reward a player for his performance — in some cases, these financial rewards are linked to individual or team production, while other incentives can be earned simply by the player earning a spot on his team’s active roster from week to week. These incentives are divided into two categories: Likely to be earned (LTBE) and not likely to be earned (NLTBE).

Under the NFL’s definition, a likely to be earned incentive is generally one that was achieved the year before. So if a running back racked up 1,300 yards on the ground in 2017 and has an incentive in his contract that would reward him for surpassing 1,200 yards in 2018, that incentive is viewed as likely to be earned and counts against his cap hit from the start of the year. On the other hand, a back who has never surpassed 700 rushing yards in a season could have an incentive on his deal for 2014 that would reward him for rushing for 800 yards — such a bonus would be considered not likely to be earned, and wouldn’t count against the player’s cap number.

Because the player’s or team’s performance in a given season dictates whether or not the incentive is actually earned, the player’s cap number is sometimes altered after the fact. For instance, there’d be no change if a player met the criteria for a $50K LTBE incentive, but if he failed to earn that incentive, his team would be credited with $50K in cap room for the following season. Similarly, if a $50K NLTBE incentive isn’t reached, nothing changes, but if a player does earn that incentive, his club’s cap space for the following season is reduced by $50K.

A simple incentive linked to yardage or touchdown totals in a season isn’t too hard to track, but there are more convoluted forms of bonuses. Let’s say a player coming off an injury that limited him to six games played signs a contract that would pay him $500K in per-game roster bonuses. That player would be considered likely to appear in six games, but unlikely to appear in more beyond that. So, of his $500K in roster bonuses, $187,500 would initially count against the cap, as the LTBE portion.

Here are a few more notes on contract incentives and how they work:

  • Any incentive that is considered to be in the player’s sole control, such as weight bonuses, or his presence at workouts, is considered likely to be earned.
  • Any incentive in the first year of a rookie contract is considered likely to be earned.
  • Individual performance incentives can be linked to most basic statistical categories, such as yardage, yards per attempt, and touchdowns. However, more obscure stat categories typically aren’t allowed for individual incentives. For instance, a receiver couldn’t have an incentive tied to receptions of 20+ yards. Meanwhile, a defender could have an incentive linked to sacks or interceptions, but not to tackles for a loss.
  • In some cases, individual performances can also dictate the value of traded draft picks. For example, the Jaguars making the playoffs this year altered their trade for Marcell Dareus. The Bills received a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick for Dareus in the parties’ October trade, but that pick became a fifth-rounder when the Jags reached the postseason.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry, modified from an earlier entry by editor emeritus Luke Adams. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Information from Russell Street Report, Over The Cap, and Salary Cap 101 was used in the creation of this post.

Top 3 Offseason Needs: New York Jets

January 18th, 2018 at 9:11am CST by Zachary Links

In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the New York Jets, who were more competitive than expected in 2017.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:

  1. Muhammad Wilkerson, DE: $20,000,000
  2. Kelvin Beachum, T: $9,500,000
  3. Buster Skrine, CB: $8,500,000
  4. Brian Winters, G: $7,000,000
  5. James Carpenter, G: $6,805,000
  6. Ben Ijalana, T: $6,000,000
  7. Leonard Williams, DT: $5,928,004
  8. Jamal Adams, S: $5,058,820
  9. Jermaine Kearse, WR: $5,000,000
  10. Bilal Powell, RB: $4,883,334

Other:

  • Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $74,579,406
  • Sixth pick in draft
  • Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for DT Leonard Williams

Three Needs:

Identify their next starting quarterback: Josh McCown did a solid job last year, but his contract expires in March and his 39th birthday is coming in July. Meanwhile, backups Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg stand as the Jets’ only QBs under contract. Petty, a Baylor product who was selected in Mike Maccagnan‘s first draft as GM, completed less than 50% of his passes upon taking over for McCown at the end of the season. Hackenberg, a second round pick in 2016, has yet to play a down of real NFL football.

It is possible that the Jets will look to re-sign McCown as their Week 1 starter after he turned in a handful of brilliant performances last year. In each of the Jets’ five wins, McCown completed more than 70% of his passes. He also helped Gang Green get out to a 14-0 lead over the Patriots in October before Tom Brady & Co. came roaring back to win by a final of 24-17. Still, that’s only a viable scenario if the Jets draft a promising but raw QB in April. Otherwise, the Jets will only consider keeping McCown as a high-priced backup, provided that he would be willing to serve in that capacity and the Jets can justify spending ~$7MM on a reserve.

The good news for the Jets is that this year’s potential free agent QB crop has a handful of quality options. With tons of cap room (though, not as much as some other teams have), you can expect the Jets to make a run at Kirk Cousins if he becomes available. The Redskins reserve the right to hit him with a third consecutive franchise tag or this could be the offseason that they finally give him the lucrative long-term contract that he’s looking for. But, if the Redskins allow him to test the open market or even the restricted market, the Jets won’t hesitate to get in on the bidding. This past season was not Cousins’ finest, but he has shown that he can be a backend top-10 signal caller when surrounded with the right personnel. If he reaches free agency, he’ll be the best QB up for grabs in years. 

The Chiefs are expected to move on from Alex Smith this year and if they can’t find a viable trade for him, they might release him outright. Adding Smith wouldn’t be as sexy of a move as signing Cousins, but Smith did lead the Chiefs to the postseason when many expected him to crash and make way for Patrick Mahomes. You also might be surprised to learn that Smith graded out as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best quarterback of the season, tying him with Russell Wilson and putting him ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford.

Case Keenum, PFF’s No. 8 ranked QB, shocked the world with his performance this year and he just might help the Vikings reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1976. It’s hard to imagine Minnesota letting him get away at this point, but if he’s out there, the Jets will at least put feelers out for him. Of course, the clear downside with Keenum is that he accomplished very little before this season. Has Keenum, almost 30, finally come into his own? Or was his success the product of Pat Shurmur‘s system? On the plus side, Keenum looks the part of a postseason winner in this limited sample, something that could not necessarily be said for Smith. Smith is 2-5 in his playoff career with his last postseason W coming in 2015.

Beyond those three, there are some intriguing, yet risky, QBs who could be available. Teddy Bridgewater looked the part of a rising star in his first two NFL seasons, but he has not seen real playing time since the end of the 2015 campaign. Tyrod Taylor, at times, has looked the part of a legitimate NFL starter, but he would be more of a bridge option than anything for the Jets. Ditto for Bridgewater’s teammate, Sam Bradford, who is also scheduled to reach free agency in March.

Although he’s largely untested, QB-needy teams like the Jets will be keeping an eye A.J. McCarron‘s grievance case. If he wins, the Bengals QB will go from an restricted free agent to a UFA, allowing him to finally cash in and get his opportunity as a starter. It’s unclear how the Jets’ decision makers feel about McCarron, but the Browns’ old regime was willing to part with a second-round pick and a third-round pick to land him before the trade deadline.

Technically speaking, Drew Brees is also slated to be a part of this group, but he is widely expected to remain with New Orleans. Other big names like Eli Manning might become available, but the Jets have gotten an up close look at the two-time Super Bowl champ and are certainly aware of his sharp decline. There’s no scenario in which the Jets would sign Manning to be their starter for multiple seasons, nor is there a scenario in which Manning agrees to groom a top draft pick only to step out of the way during the season.

Sam Darnold (Featured)Armed with the No. 6 pick, the Jets will have a crack at this year’s best quarterbacks, though they would have to get ahead of the Giants at No. 2 in order to have their pick of the litter. Despite their hiccups in 2017, USC’s Sam Darnold and UCLA’s Josh Rosen remain the top arms in this year’s class with Darnold representing the perceived safer choice and Rosen possibly having the higher ceiling. If the Jets stay at No. 6 and miss out on both, they could entertain the likes of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Lamar Jackson.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Cincinnati Bengals

January 17th, 2018 at 7:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll begin this year’s series with the Cincinnati Bengals, who posted a 7-9 record and finished third in the AFC North a season ago.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:

  1. Andy Dalton, QB: $16,300,000
  2. A.J. Green, WR: $13,750,000
  3. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB: $9,600,000
  4. Geno Atkins, DT: $9,550,000
  5. Vontaze Burfict, LB: $9,510,000
  6. Darqueze Dennard, CB: $8,526,000
  7. Carlos Dunlap, DE: $7,300,000
  8. Adam Jones, CB: $6,666,668
  9. George Iloka, S: $6,200,000
  10. Michael Johnson, DE: $6,125,000

Other:

  • Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $37,436,799
  • 12th pick in draft
  • Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for T Cedric Ogbuehi

Three Needs:

1) Offensive line, offensive line, offensive line: The Bengals’ recent dip in performance — the club made five consecutive postseason appearances from 2011-15 before slipping below .500 in each of the past two years — was presaged during the 2015 draft, when Cincinnati used its first two selections on a pair of offensive linemen: Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. Given that starting linemen Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler were scheduled to hit free agency after the 2016 campaign, the Bengals were planning ahead by envisioning a future starting five full of youth.Cedric Ogbuehi (Vertical)

That scheme has failed spectacularly: Ogbuehi has graded as a bottom-10 tackle in each of his two years as a starter, per Pro Football Focus, while Fisher hasn’t played more than 38% of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps in any of his three pro seasons. Russell Bodine continued his run as one of the worst starting centers in the NFL, Clint Boling settled in as a league-average left guard, and the Bengals relied on Andre Smith — in his second stint with the club — to play more than half their snaps. Cincinnati bottomed out in Football Outsiders‘ offensive line rankings, finishing 20th in adjusted sack rate and 24th in adjusted line yards.

Revamping an offensive line in a single offseason seems like a daunting task, but other clubs have managed the feat in the recent past. The Rams signed Whitworth and fellow aged veteran John Sullivan last spring and instantly fielded one of the the best front fives in the league. Same goes for the Vikings, who inked tackles Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers and drafted center Pat Elflein. As a condition of his return as head coach, Marvin Lewis indicated owner Mike Brown is open to spending in free agency — something the Bengals rarely do — so additions could be on the horizon.

The free agent crop of offensive tackles is barren, however, meaning Cincinnati isn’t likely to find a blindside protector on the open market. Nate Solder is the clear No. 1 option available among free agent tackles, and two other Patriots — Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle — comprise the next best choices among an uninspiring group. Fleming, still just 25 years old and a consistent blocker over the past two seasons, could be an intriguing solution for the Bengals, but a draft choice seems like a more palatable route as the club seeks front five patches.

Drafting another first-round offensive tackle would represent an admission that the Ogbuehi selection has been a failure, and it’s time for Cincinnati to cop to that mistake. Texas’ Connor Williams is considered the top tackle available in 2018, according to Scouts Inc. (ESPN Insider subscription required), while Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey or Oklahoma’s Orlando Brown could also be in consideration. In his first mock draft of the year, Todd McShay of ESPN.com sent Williams to the Bengals in the first round.

Justin Pugh (vertical)While the Bengals may not be able to find a suitable tackle during the free agent period, there are a number of interesting interior offensive linemen with expiring contracts. Giants lineman Justin Pugh would seem to be a perfect match for Cincinnati, as the former first-round pick can handle either tackle or guard, giving the Bengals flexibility as they sort out their front unit. Pugh will be expensive (he’ll likely earn in excess of $10MM annually), as will the Panthers’ Andrew Norwell, the top guard available. Pugh’s New York teammate, center Weston Richburg, could also be on the Bengals’ radar if they want a massive upgrade over Bodine.

If Cincinnati wants to spend in the middle of the market as opposed to the top, it could target a few ex-Cowboys, especially given that it just hired former Dallas offensive line coach Frank Pollack. Like Pugh, veteran Byron Bell has the ability to play tackle and guard, while interior lineman Jonathan Cooper also has recent experience with Pollack. Other mid-tier free agent options could include Ryan Jensen (Ravens), Josh Kline (Titans), Daniel Kilgore (49ers), Alex Boone (Cardinals), and Matt Slauson (Chargers).

Restricted free agency is a rarely-used player acquisition avenue for NFL teams (just three RFAs signed offer sheets in 2017), but the Bengals would do well to assess the RFA market in the coming weeks. Broncos center Matt Paradis is hitting restricted free agency after three solid seasons in Denver, but general manager John Elway will likely use at least a second-round tender on Paradis, making him cost prohibitive. Titans guard Quinton Spain, however, has been quietly competent as a starter from 2016-17, and isn’t certain to require anything more than an original round tender, making him a potential Cincinnati target.

2) Bring back Tyler Eifert, or find a new tight end: Eifert has long been referred to as “Rob Gronkowski Lite,” as the two share a penchant for red zone touchdowns, wear similar arm braces, and — unfortunately — struggle to deal with injuries. Through five NFL seasons, Eifert has appeared in less than 50% of the Bengals’ games (39 of 80) and has never played a full 16-game slate. In 2017, Eifert underwent back surgery and was placed on injured reserve after just two contests, so a long-term deal is likely out of the question given his recent injury history.Tyler Eifert (Vertical)

If the Bengals do re-sign Eifert, it will likely be a one- or two-year deal that is heavily laden with per-game roster bonuses, meaning Eifert would have a significant amount of money riding on his health. For that reason, I’d expect Eifert to land elsewhere and sign with a club that will insert performance-based incentive language into his next contract (something Cincinnati typically won’t do). As a last-ditch option, the Bengals could consider deploying the franchise tag on Eifert, but that would require a commitment north of $10MM.

With Eifert sidelined, backup tight end Tyler Kroft posted the best season of his three-year career by managing 42 receptions for 404 yards and seven touchdowns (the latter figure was good for sixth among NFL tight ends). The Bengals could certainly head into the 2018 campaign with Kroft as their starting tight end, but it’s not out of the question that the club pursues an upgrade. Depth behind Kroft is also an issue, as C.J. Uzomah, Cethan Carter, FB/TE hybrid Ryan Hewitt, and rookie Mason Schreck combined to play just 368 snaps in 2017.

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Important 2018 NFL Offseason Dates

January 14th, 2018 at 1:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Even with the NFL in the midst of the postseason, the offseason is already underway, as head coaching and general manager vacancies are quickly being fgilled. As such, it’s worth looking ahead to the NFL’s offseason calendar for an idea of which dates will be more important during the next several weeks and months. With teams filling out their coaching staffs and preparing to make changes to rosters, there are plenty of days to circle on the calendar.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the NFL’s key offseason dates and deadlines:

January

  • January 15
    • Deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the 2017 NFL draft.
  • January 27
    • Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
  • January 28
    • Assistant coaches for teams in the Super Bowl – who have previously interviewed for a head coaching job – can interview a second time with the club no later than the Sunday before the Super Bowl.

February

  • February 5
    • 2018 waiver system begins.
  • February 13
    • Teams may sign CFL players whose 2017 contracts have expired.
  • February 20

    • First day for teams to designate a franchise or transition player.
  • February 27-March 5
    • The NFL scouting combine will be held in Indianapolis.

March

  • March 6
    • As of 3pm CT, teams can no longer designate a franchise or transition player.
  • March 12-14
    • Team may contact agents and negotiate contracts for players who will become unrestricted free agents on March 14. Free agent contracts can’t be signed yet, but informal agreements can be reached.
  • March 14
    • The 2018 league year begins, and free agency opens. By 3pm CT, teams must make decisions on player options, submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents, submit minimum tenders to exclusive rights free agents, and be under the 2018 salary cap. Trades can be made and free agents can be signed after 3pm CT.
  • March 25-28
    • The NFL owners meetings will be held in Phoenix, Arizona.

April

  • April 20
    • Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
  • April 25
    • Deadline for previous club to exercise right of first refusal (ie. match offer sheets) on restricted free agents.
  • April 26-28
    • The NFL draft will be held in Arlington, Texas.

May

  • May 3
    • Teams exercising fifth-year options on 2015 first-round picks must do so prior to May 3.

July

  • July 16
    • Deadline for teams to work out multi-year contracts with free agents designated as franchise players.

PFR Originals: 12/31/17 – 1/7/18

January 7th, 2018 at 4:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

  • With the 2017 regular season in the rearview mirror, coaching and front office news figures to dominate the NFL landscape for the next several weeks. With that in mind, PFR has published three tracks to keep track of each change:
    • 2018 NFL Head Coaching Tracker: We’ll post information about the remaining open jobs in Arizona, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and New York. A number of candidates have been linked to each position, and thus far, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, and Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks are among the most popular interviewees.
    • 2018 NFL General Manager Tracker: The Packers have already found their replacement for Ted Thompson, as they promoted incumbent director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst earlier today. Use this list to see each of the candidates linked to Green Bay prior to Gutekunst’s promotion, as well as to keep track of the goings-on in Houston.
    • 2018 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker: This tracker will be see many changes in the next few weeks, as new head coaches opt to bring in their own staff. For now, we’re tracking alterations in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay, and Oakland.

2018 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker

January 7th, 2018 at 3:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While at least six NFL teams are making head coaching changes this offseason, the number of clubs replacing offensive and/or defensive coordinators figures to be much higher than that. In addition to all those teams hiring new head coaches, who may want to bring in their own assistants, several clubs also figure to make changes on one side of the ball or the other after getting disappointing results in 2017. And, of course, the teams whose coordinators landed head coaching jobs will need to replace them.

With reports circulating on potential candidates, interview requests, and actual meetings, we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on all the latest updates on teams hiring new offensive and/or defensive coordinators. This post, which will be updated daily, can be found under the “PFR Features” menu on the right-hand side of the site.

Updated 3-6-18 (5:53pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Harold Goodwin)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Rick Dennison)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Mike Shula)

  • Norv Turner, former offensive coordinator (Vikings): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Dowell Loggains)

  • Mark Helfrich, former head coach (Oregon): Hired

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Bill Lazor, interim offensive coordinator (Bengals): Retained

Cleveland Browns (vacant)

Denver Broncos

  • Bill Musgrave, interim offensive coordinator (Broncos): Retained

Detroit Lions

  • Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Lions): Retained

Green Bay Packers (Out: Edgar Bennett)

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Rob Chudzinski)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Chiefs): Promoted

Miami Dolphins (Out: Clyde Christensen)

  • Dowell Loggains, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Hired

Minnesota Vikings (Out: Pat Shurmur)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Sullivan)

New York Jets (Out: John Morton)

Oakland Raiders (Out: Todd Downing)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Frank Reich)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Todd Haley)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Darrell Bevell)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Terry Robiskie)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: James Bettcher)

  • Al Holcomb, linebackers coach (Panthers): Hired

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Dean Pees)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Eric Washington, defensive line coach (Panthers): Promoted

Chicago Bears

  • Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator (Bears): Retained

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Paul Guenther)

Detroit Lions

  • Paul Pasqualoni, defensive line coach (Boston College): Hired

Green Bay Packers (Out: Dom Capers)

Houston Texans (Out: Mike Vrabel)

  • Romeo Crennel, assistant head coach (Texans): Hired

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Ted Monachino)

  • Matt Eberflus, linebackers coach (Cowboys): Hired

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Gus Bradley, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Retained

New England Patriots (Out: Matt Patricia)

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders (Out: John Pagano)

  • Paul Guenther, defensive coordinator (Bengals): Hired

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Kris Richard)

  • Ken Norton Jr., former defensive coordinator (Raiders): Hired

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dick LeBeau)

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