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Important 2018 NFL Offseason Dates

By | at January 14, 2018 1:20 pm

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.
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PFR Originals: 12/31/17 – 1/7/18

By | at January 7, 2018 4:56 pm

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.
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2018 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker

By | at January 7, 2018 3:25 pm

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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2018 NFL General Manager Search Tracker

By | at January 4, 2018 9:58 pm

Two clubs — the Packers and Texans — are now looking for new general managers. We’ll keep track of all developments related to those two vacancies in this post. It can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

[RELATED: 2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Listed below are the GM candidates that have been linked to Green Bay and Houston, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make general manager changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 2-25-18 (3:37pm CT)

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

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2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 2, 2018 10:00 pm

Several NFL teams are currently hunting for a new head coach, and amidst reports about interview requests and potential candidates, it’s easy to lose track of the latest updates in the shuffle. So we’ll use this space – which will be updated until every team has hired a new head coach – to keep track of the most recent news and rumors. It can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 2-11-18 (2:35pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Second search

Original search

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

  • Jon Gruden, ESPN commentator: Hired
  • Bobby Johnson, tight ends coach (Raiders): Interviewed
  • Tee Martin, offensive coordinator (USC): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans

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PFR Originals: 12/10/17 – 12/17/17

By | at December 17, 2017 2:53 pm

  • The Vikings are dominating the NFC North and appear likely to secure a first-round playoff bye, but they don’t have a plan at quarterback for the 2018 season. If Minnesota wants to continue its reign next year, it will need to choose a signal-caller from among the available internal options — including Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Bradford — or several free agent/trade candidates. I examined the top options available to general manager Rick Spielman & Co. for 2018, noting each player’s fit with next season’s Vikings roster.
  • While the Giants figure to roll with Eli Manning under center for the rest of the 2017 campaign, there’s no guarantee the veteran quarterback will return to New York next season. With changes coming to Big Blue’s front office and coaching staff, Manning could soon become a free agent or trade candidate, leading Sam Robinson to ask PFR readers where Manning will be playing in 2018. The Jaguars, who employ former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin in their front office, are the favorite with nearly 40% of the vote.
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The Vikings Need A Quarterback In 2018

By | at December 15, 2017 10:00 pm

Currently boasting a 10-3 record and holding the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture, the Vikings are the best NFL team without a clear quarterback plan for 2018. Sure, the Jaguars and Bills could be making changes under center this offseason, but neither of those clubs have the overall talent — at running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, and on the defensive side of the ball — that does Minnesota.

The Vikings have excelled with Case Keenum and (for a one game) Sam Bradford throwing the ball, but both of those signal-callers — and the now-recovered Teddy Bridgewater — are free agents in 2018. Complicating matters is that incumbent offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is expected to draw head coaching interest during next year’s hiring cycle, and if Minnesota is forced to bring in a new play-caller, he may want to choose his own quarterback.

Whether or not Shurmur returns, the Vikings are going to have several difficult decisions to make over the next few months. Let’s take a look at the club’s options at quarterback, beginning with the players currently on their roster:

Internal Options

Case Keenum: A journeyman who’d posted a quarterback rating of just 78.4 during his first five years in the NFL, Keenum is in the midst of his best season as a pro. His passer rating of 96.2 ranks ninth in the league, while he’s seventh among QBs with 6.99 adjusted net yards per attempt. Keenum has only taken 15 sacks on the year (fewest among quarterbacks with at least 300 pass attempts), which speaks not only to improvements along the Vikings’ offensive line, but Keenum’s ability to evade pressure.Case Keenum (vertical)

Keenum, who is playing on a one-year, $2MM contract, appears poised to cash in this offseason, and it wouldn’t be a total surprise if he garners a deal that approaches $18MM annually, especially given the number of teams looking for quarterback help. That figure won’t be a problem for the Vikings, who rank sixth in available 2018 cap space, but it’s unclear if Minnesota views Keenum as a long-term option. The Vikings reportedly haven’t begun extension negotiations with Keenum or any other their quarterbacks, and don’t plan to do so until the 2017 concludes.

That Minnesota hasn’t started contract talks with Keenum is a bit odd, if only because the club will likely face competition to retain Keenum if he hits the open market. The Broncos, Jaguars, Bills, Jets, Browns, and Cardinals are among the teams who could be searching for a quarterback this offseason, so the Vikings may want to take advantage of their exclusive negotiating window. While Minnesota will have the option of deploying the franchise tag on Keenum, the steep price tag (~$23M) makes that course of action unlikely.

Teddy Bridgewater: One of the more inspiring stories in the NFL this year, Bridgewater has valiantly worked his way back from a knee injury suffered prior to the 2016 season. Bridgewater, a first-round pick in 2014, hasn’t played a single snap this season after being activated in early November, but he’s serving as Keenum’s direct backup. It’s fair to wonder if the Vikings will attempt to get a look at Bridgewater in live action over the last three games of the regular season, but the club’s fight for playoff seeding could preclude them from removing Keenum from any of the next three contests.

While the Vikings clearly have a soft spot for Bridgewater (they were “tempted” to start him last month), it’s important to remember that the 25-year-old didn’t exactly light it up from 2014-15. Among the 30 quarterbacks who attempted at least 500 passes in those two seasons, Bridgewater ranked 22nd in passer rating, 25th in adjusted net yards per attempt, and 29th in touchdown percentage. Bridgewater didn’t have the benefit of Minnesota’s current weapons (Adam Thielen was a special teams player until 2016), but it’s difficult to argue there isn’t any risk in relying on Bridgewater.Sam Bradford (Vertical)

Sam Bradford: Bradford did what he could as the Vikings’ starter in 2016: while playing behind arguably the league’s worst offensive line, Bradford set an NFL record for completion percentage but struggled to get the ball down the field, finishing just 23rd in air yards. An excellent 2017 season opener (346 yards, three touchdowns against the Saints) offered hope for the current campaign, but recurring knee issues limited Bradford to only one more half of play before he was placed on injured reserve in November.

Given his injury risk, Bradford may have to accept a one-year, incentive-laden deal this offseason. Depending on the price, such a contract could potentially interest the Vikings, especially if they also re-sign Bridgewater or another low-cost quarterback. Bradford, 30, should have a market, but with a number of enticing options available as free agents this offseason, his knee problems will likely limit his overall earning power.

Free Agents

Drew Brees: Brees’ contract with the Saints will void on the final day of the 2017 league year, and if New Orleans doesn’t reach an extension with its franchise quarterback, he’ll count for $18MM in dead money on the club’s 2018 salary cap. Recent reports have indicated no negotiations have occurred between the two sides, but it’s frankly odd to consider Brees playing for any other club, especially since the Saints have added several exciting young players and improved their defense.

If Brees does consider other teams, though, the Vikings would immediately jump to the top of list. In some ways, Minnesota and New Orleans have similar roster makeups that include solid offensive lines, effective running games, multiple pass-catching weapons, and playmaking defenses. Again, Brees returning to the Saints seems like a near-lock, but the Vikings and their win-now roster would make for a possible fit if he leaves.Kirk Cousins (Vertical)

Kirk Cousins: Washington’s decision to not extend Cousins looks worse and worse as the season progresses, as the club has now paid its quarterback nearly $44MM over the past two years. A third consecutive franchise tag for Cousins would cost the Redskins $34.5MM in 2018, and the team is reportedly no longer considering the cheaper transition tag, a tender which would make it easier for rival teams to make Cousins offers. Cousins will require the largest and longest contract of any contract on this list, but he’d solve the Vikings’ quarterback question for years to come.

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Poll: Where Will Eli Manning Play In 2018?

By | at December 9, 2017 5:58 pm

The status of Eli Manning no doubt played a part in the Giants firing Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo, and their departures opened the door for the 14th-year quarterback to be reinstalled as Big Blue’s starter for Week 14.

But Manning’s future remains cloudy regardless of him being given his job back. Two years remain on the soon-to-be 37-year-old passer’s contract, but with base salaries of $10.5MM and $11.5MM in 2018 and ’19, Manning should receive some interest if the Giants are indeed keen on moving on without him.

With a month left to play, the Giants stand to hold the No. 2 pick behind the Browns. That is certainly quarterback territory, with Josh Rosen expected to come out and Sam Darnold a reasonable bet to follow suit. Wyoming’s Josh Allen is also viewed as a first-round prospect, and he’s expected to declare early as well. John Mara instructed his front office to ramp up quarterback evaluations as this season began to go south, and given the sequence of events that led the franchise to be in position to acquire Manning in the first place, the Giants turning its first awful season since that seminal 2003 campaign into another first-round quarterback wouldn’t be shocking.

However, if the Giants don’t finish with a bad enough record to land in quarterback territory — or if the next GM believes enough talent is present to keep Manning and the veteran-laden defense that booked a 2016 playoff berth together — that could change things. Manning threw 35 touchdown passes two years. His play’s dropped off a bit since, but Big Blue’s had severe offensive line issues the past two seasons.

There figures to be interest if Manning does leave. He plans to play next season, and GMs told CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora a reunion with Tom Coughlin makes too much sense not to happen. Coughlin spoke up in his former charge’s defense after he was benched.

The Jaguars can shed Blake Bortles‘ contract free of charge after the season, and their work this fall has shown what the defensively powered team is capable of with a bottom-tier quarterback. That could be attractive to Manning, the Jags’ lack of a comparable football tradition or similar media market (compared to his current team) notwithstanding. Although, both Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee are pending UFAs, leaving the pass-catching crew uncertain. But Manning could certainly improve their chances at pushing for a Super Bowl berth compared to Bortles.

The other presumptive suitor may trail the Jaguars, since it’s not known if the Broncos would consider it. But Denver’s two primary passers this season are Pro Football Focus’ two lowest-graded players at sports’ premier position. The Broncos’ pass defense has fallen off its otherworldly perch of the past two years, but thanks to improved run-stoppage ability, the unit overall ranks fifth. And with Paxton Lynch having shown little before and during an injury-marred 2017, the Broncos — who have the core of their Super Bowl defense still under contract through 2018, with most signed through at least ’19 — could be back in the mix with better quarterback play.

While the Broncos obviously had immense success with Peyton Manning, they did not opt to pull the trigger on Tony Romo in a similar situation this offseason. One of the most durable players in NFL history, Eli Manning would not bring the health issues those two icons did. But the Broncos appear to be behind the Jaguars in this figurative derby to this point due to the Jags having a less complicated route to acquiring him, and Coughlin’s presence figures to make a big impact if Manning does opt to waive his no-trade clause in the event of a Giants rebuild.

The Dolphins are not believed to be interested. Neither are the Cardinals. The Vikings have three passers on expiring deals and a loaded defense, but it would stand to reason they’d rather retain one of them than pursue an older quarterback.

So, who gets Manning next season? Does the Giants’ about-face point him back to New York for a 15th season, or does their 2-10 record lead the franchise to fully embrace a rebuild? Is the Jaguars connection too obvious not to occur, or would John Elway consider a second Manning to elevate his franchise?

Or does Manning take the Romo route and retire as a Giant, having been one of the most important players in franchise history and having guided the historic operation to two Super Bowl titles? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Where will Eli Manning play in 2018?
Jacksonville Jaguars 39.40% (807 votes)
New York Giants 25.93% (531 votes)
Denver Broncos 18.36% (376 votes)
Another team 9.91% (203 votes)
He will retire 6.40% (131 votes)
Total Votes: 2,048
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PFR Originals: 11/5/17 – 11/12/17

By | at November 12, 2017 2:56 pm

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

  • With the NFL now past the halfway point of the 2017 campaign, many teams are already peeking ahead to the 2018 offseason, so PFR published our master list of 2018 NFL Free Agents. We’ve included restricted free agents, and will also add franchise- and transition-tagged players as those designations are made available. The list will be constantly updated through next season, so make sure to bookmark 2018 NFL Free Agents to keep track of next year’s player movement.
  • One-year deals can often work out for both teams and players (although they typically favor clubs), and I examined the 10 best one-year deals in the league this season. Veteran quarterbacks Josh McCown and Case Keenum have been excellent stop-gaps for the Jets and Vikings, respectively, while lesser-known players such as defensive end Alex Okafor (Saints) and cornerback Nickell-Robey-Coleman (Rams) have also played well on single-season pacts.
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2018 NFL Free Agents

By | at November 8, 2017 9:39 pm

Pro Football Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2018 NFL free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2017 season. The player’s 2018 age is in parentheses. Players are generally sorted by the position at which they played most in ’17, or the position at which their most recent team listed them.

Players who are currently on an NFL roster but don’t have a contract for 2018 are listed below, along with a few other notable free agents who aren’t on a roster at the moment.

Players eligible for restricted free agency are marked with (R), while franchise and transition players will be marked with (F) and (T) respectively. Exclusive rights free agents are not included. All other free agents are assumed to be unrestricted.

If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us. For instant free agent updates, be sure to follow us on Twitter @pfrumors.

Updated 11-26-18 (2:58pm CT)

Quarterbacks

Sam Bradford (31)
Trevone Boykin (25)
Kellen Clemens (35)
Austin Davis (29)
Chad Kelly (24)
Josh Johnson (32)
Landry Jones (29)
Paxton Lynch (24)
Ryan Mallett (30)
EJ Manuel (28)
Matt McGloin (28)
Kellen Moore (30)
Matt Moore (34)
Scott Tolzien (31)

Running Backs

C.J. Anderson (27)
Joe Banyard (29)
Brice Butler (28)
Jamaal Charles (31)
Orleans Darkwa (26)
Lance Dunbar (28)
Andre Ellington (29)
Kenneth Farrow (25)
Tyler Gaffney (27)
Mike Gillislee (28)
Mike James (27)
Matt Jones (25)
Eddie Lacy (27)
Christine Michael (27)
Branden Oliver (27)
Cedric Peerman (32)
Bobby Rainey (31)
Thomas Rawls (25)
Bishop Sankey (26)
Charles Sims (28)
De’Anthony Thomas (25)
Jordan Todman (28)
Mike Tolbert (32)
Fitzgerald Toussaint (28)
Robert Turbin (28)
Terron Ward (26)
Charcandrick West (27)
Terrance West (27)
Andre Williams (26)
Kerwynn Williams (27)
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