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PFR Originals: 1/8/17 – 1/15/17

By | at January 15, 2017 4:33 pm

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

  • As the offseason progresses, PFR will assess each team by examining the top three needs on each respective roster. We covered five organiztions last week:
  • Five of six clubs searching for new head coaches have now filled their respective vacancies, but many of those teams (plus several others) are now on the hunt for fresh offensive and defensive coordinators. Keep track of all the latest on this year’s hiring cycle by following PFR’s 2017 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker.
  • At present, only one team — the 49ers — are conducting interviews for a new general manager, but we will update our 2017 GM Search Tracker with notes on San Francisco and any other clubs that might join the fray this offseason.
  • Despite the fact that the playoffs are ongoing, the NFL offseason is officially underway — look ahead to the NFL calendar with PFR’s list of Important 2017 NFL Offseason Dates.
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Important 2017 NFL Offseason Dates

By | at January 14, 2017 8:46 pm

Even with the NFL in the midst of the postseason, the offseason is already underway, as five of the six coaching vacancies around the league have now been filled. 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 16
    • Deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the 2017 NFL draft.
  • January 28
    • Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
  • January 29
    • 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 6
    • 2017 waiver system begins.
  • February 14
    • Teams may sign CFL players whose 2016 contracts have expired.
  • February 15

    • First day for teams to designate a franchise or transition player.
  • February 28-March 6
    • The NFL scouting combine will be held in Indianapolis.

March

  • March 1
    • As of 3pm CT, teams can no longer designate a franchise or transition player.
  • March 7
    • First day for teams to contact agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents on March 9. Free agent contracts can’t be signed yet, but informal agreements can be reached.
  • March 9
    • The 2017 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 2015 salary cap. Trades can be made and free agents can be signed after 3pm CT.
  • March 26-29
    • The NFL owners meetings will be held in Phoeniz, Arizona.

April

  • April 21
    • Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
  • April 26
    • Deadline for previous club to exercise right of first refusal (ie. match offer sheets) on restricted free agents.
  • April 28-30
    • The NFL draft will be held in Philadelphia.

May

  • May 2
    • Teams exercising fifth-year options on 2014 first-round picks must do so prior to May 2.

This post is an edited version of a previous entry by PFR editor emeritus Luke Adams.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Tennessee Titans

By | at January 14, 2017 5:20 pm

In advance of March 9, 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 Tennessee Titans, who finished with a 9-7 record and narrowly missed out on the AFC South crown.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

  1. Brian Orakpo, LB: $9,000,000
  2. Jurrell Casey, DL: $8,520,000
  3. Derrick Morgan, LB: $8,000,000
  4. Jason McCourty, CB: $7,000,000
  5. Da’Norris Searcy, S: $6,750,000
  6. Marcus Mariota, QB: $6,603,811
  7. DeMarco Murray, RB: $6,250,000
  8. Rishard Matthews, WR: $5,833,333
  9. Wesley Woodyard, LB: $5,500,000
  10. Delanie Walker, TE: $5,333,333

Other:

Three Needs:

1) Build a new secondary: The Titans’ 2016 pass defense was, in a word, poor. Tennessee ranked 25th in DVOA against the pass and allowed the third-most yards in the league, finishing ahead of only the Saints and Packers in that regard. In the midst of a dismal year against opposing passers, the club even unloaded veteran cornerback Perrish Cox, who had just signed a three-year deal worth $15MM prior to the 2015 season. The Titans had evidently decided that dropping Cox and accepting $5MM in dead money in 2018 was preferable to demoting him to a lesser role.

The defensive back crew set to return in 2017 doesn’t offer much confidence, as none of Tennessee’s cornerbacks rated among the top 30 in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus (2016 free agent acquisition Brice McCain earned the highest grade at No. 38). Antwon Blake, who did most of his work on special teams rather than the defensive side of the ball, is an unrestricted free agent, while Jason McCourty — the most high-profile of the Titans’ CBs — isn’t the player he once was. 2016 rookies Kalan Reed and LeShaun Sims, Curtis Riley, and D’Joun Smith currently comprise the rest of Tennessee’s projected cornerback depth chart.A.J. Bouye (Vertical)

Armed with more than $70MM in cap space (good for third in the NFL), the Titans have no excuse not to bring in a free agent corner this offseason, especially given that the market with be flush with options. The club’s No. 1 target should be the Texans’ A.J. Bouye, who graded out as the NFL’s second-best corner (per PFF) and will only be 26 years old when the 2017 campaign gets underway. Not only would Bouye give Tennessee the shutdown cornerback that its secondary so desperately needs, but the Titans would be severely weakening a division rival by poaching one of Houston’s best defensive players.

Of course, the Texans probably have no desire to let Bouye get away, and will likely employ the franchise tag if no long-term deal can be reached. Instead, one other interesting avenue for the Titans could be pursuing Patriots restricted free agent Malcolm Butler. New England will almost assuredly place a first-round RFA tender on Butler, meaning that any club that signs him away would have to part with a first-round pick to do so (while giving the Pats the right to match the agreed-to deal). One note on this potential scenario: The Titans would only be forced to relinquish the 18th overall pick to New England, not the fifth overall selection they acquired from the Rams.

Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

A player such as Butler — one of the best cornerbacks in the league entering his age-27 season — is certainly worth the 18th pick in the draft, but the Titans would have to craft an offer sheet in such a way that the Patriots wouldn’t be able to match. That could be tough to do, especially since New England has nearly as much cap space (~$68MM) as Tennessee and has already traded away some of its impending free agents in Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins. Additionally, most NFL clubs avoid the restricted free agent market given that it entails essentially negotiating a deal for another club to take advantage of. In other words, the Titans could spend valuable man hours putting in the hard work of talking numbers with Butler’s agent, only to have the Patriots swoop in and match the deal.

Admittedly, there are impediments to acquiring either Bouye or Butler, but there are other solid cornerbacks who should be available in the next few months. Trumaine Johnson, Stephon Gilmore, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Morris Claiborne represent the best options on the free agent market, while Logan Ryan could also intrigue the Titans as a versatile second-tier corner. The draft offers another pipeline of cornerback talent, and the 18th pick is probably the area where Tennessee could target someone like Florida’s Teez Tabor, Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey, or the Ohio State duo of Marshon Lattimore or Gareon Conley.

Of course, cornerbacks aren’t the only part of a secondary — the Titans used a rotation at safety last season, with Kevin Byard, Daimion Stafford, Da’Norris Searcy, and Rashad Johnson all playing more than 500 defensive snaps. Both Stafford and Johnson are free agents, and Stafford should probably be the priority given that he’s a key part of Tennessee’s special teams unit. Byard, meanwhile, is a favorite of NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell, and should see an even larger role in 2017. If the Titans do want to add a top-notch safety early in the draft, there are seemingly two options: LSU’s Jamal Adams and Ohio State’s Malik Hooker.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Arizona Cardinals

By | at January 12, 2017 9:48 pm

In advance of March 9, 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 Arizona Cardinals, who finished with a 7-8-1 record despite being viewed as Super Bowl contenders when the season began.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending free agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

  1. Carson Palmer, QB: $24,125,000
  2. Larry Fitzgerald, WR: $15,850,000
  3. Patrick Peterson, CB: $13,706,965
  4. Jared Veldheer, T: $10,250,000
  5. Mike Iupati, G: $9,700,000
  6. Tyrann Mathieu, DB: $8,100,000
  7. Daryl Washington, LB: $7,170,000
  8. Justin Bethel, CB: $5,250,000
  9. Tyvon Branch, S: $4,500,000
  10. Drew Stanton, QB: $4,000,000

Other:

Three Needs:

1) Add a cornerback to play opposite Patrick Peterson: On the whole, the Cardinals’ defense was extremely effective in 2016. The unit — led by second-year coordinator James Bettcher — finished first in sacks, second in both DVOA and yards, third in adjusted sack rate, and fourth in takeaways. The one true weakness on the defensive side of the ball, however, was at the cornerback spot opposite Patrick Peterson, where Arizona ranked 27th in DVOA against opposing No. 2 receivers. As such, finding a reliable second cornerback should be atop the Cardinals’ list of priorities this offseason.Brandon Williams (vertical)

Arizona thought it had an option to play second fiddle to Peterson when it selected Brandon Williams in the third round of last year’s draft. Williams, who converted from running back to cornerback in the summer of 2015, was immediately inserted into the Cardinals’ starting lineup in Week 1 against the Patriots and was immediately — and, perhaps, predictably — torched. Williams played 100% of Arizona’s defensive snaps in the season opener (71 plays), but only played 169 snaps the rest of the season, mostly at the tail end of the campaign after the Cards had been eliminated from postseason contention. The 24-year-old Williams clearly has room to grow and should be allowed the time do so, but it will be difficult for Arizona to count on him as a starting defensive back in 2017.

Following Williams’ public flagellation against New England, trade acquisition Marcus Cooper moved into the starting lineup and stayed there, playing more than three-quarters of the Cards’ snaps on the season. Cooper managed four interceptions but didn’t grade well according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked Cooper as the No. 108 cornerback among 120 qualifiers. Now a free agent, Cooper would be better deployed as a depth option if re-signed, joining Justin Bethel — whose short-lived stint in the starting lineup was deemed a “failure in progress” by head coach Bruce Arians — Williams, and 2016 rookie Harlan Miller in that capacity.

Luckily for the Cardinals, both the free agent market and the upcoming draft are full of intriguing cornerback options. When the new league year begins in early March, it’s possible that A.J. Bouye, Trumaine Johnson, Stephon Gilmore, and Dre Kirkpatrick could all hit free agency (although, one or more of those defensive backs could be tied up via the franchise tag). That quartet will be searching for top-of-the-market deals, however, and given that Arizona has pressing contract issues in the form of internal free agents Chandler Jones, Calais Campbell, and Kevin Minter, the club will probably stay away from elite level options this spring.Chris Culliver (Vertical)

Instead, the Cardinals could look at second-tier cornerbacks, and perhaps follow the model they used in 2014 when agreeing to a cheap one-year deal with veteran defensive back Antonio Cromartie, who rebounded off a few poor seasons to post a solid year in the desert. Chris Culliver could be a candidate for such a deal this offseason, as the 28-year-old is back on the free agent market after spending time on the Dolphins’ roster last year. Given that he visited with the Cards last summer before signing with Miami, Culliver might intrigue the club once again as a bounce-back player. Other corners who may interest Arizona could include Morris Claiborne, Nolan Carroll, Logan Ryan, and old friend Jerraud Powers.

If the Cardinals don’t find what they’re looking for during the free agent period, the draft will offer the team its next opportunity to find a No. 2 corner. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com tweeted this week that the 2017 draft offers the “deepest/most talented group of CBs” in years, meaning that Arizona should be able to locate either an elite talent near the top of the draft, or a depth piece in the mid rounds. Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State), Teez Tabor (Florida), Marlon Humphrey (Alabama), Quincy Wilson (Florida), and Tre’Davious White (LSU) comprise the top five available corners in the estimation of ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. (Insider subscription required), who places the first three among his top 25 overall prospects.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Minnesota Vikings

By | at January 11, 2017 10:03 pm

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. This edition will focus on the Minnesota Vikings, who entered the 2016 season as the defending NFC North champions and ended it with eight wins and a third-place finish in the division.

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The Vikings began the year in an adverse situation on account of the devastating knee injury quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered at the end of August. Bridgewater sat out all of 2016 as a result, though the Vikings’ quarterback production was steady without him. That output came at a significant cost, however, as the Vikings reacted to Bridgewater’s injury by sending multiple draft picks – including their first-rounder this year – to the Eagles for Sam Bradford prior to Week 1. At the helm of a conservative passing attack, Bradford tossed 20 touchdowns against just five interceptions and set an NFL record with a 71.6 percent completion rate.

Given both Bradford’s decent performance and Bridgewater’s uncertain health, Minnesota is planning on going into 2017 with the former under center. General manager Rick Spielman will of course have to supplement the talent around Bradford to get the team back to the playoffs next season, and that task will obviously be more difficult without a first-rounder. Spielman does have eight other picks at his disposal, though, and the Vikings aren’t at risk of losing a slew of crucial contributors from 2016 to free agency.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits For 2017:

  1. Adrian Peterson, RB: $18,000,000
  2. Sam Bradford, QB: $17,000,000
  3. Everson Griffen, DE: $8,200,000
  4. Xavier Rhodes, CB: $8,026,000
  5. Harrison Smith, S: $7,500,000
  6. Linval Joseph, DT: $6,850,000
  7. Kyle Rudolph, TE: $6,800,000
  8. Sharrif Floyd, DT: $6,757,000
  9. Alex Boone, LG: $6,700,000
  10. Brian Robison, DE: $6,600,000

Current Projected Cap Room (via Over the Cap): $23,437,353

Other:

1.) Repair the offensive line: The Vikings’ offensive line finished the season as Football Outsiders’ 30th-ranked group after clearing the way for an NFL-low 3.2 yards-per-carry average and allowing the league’s 10th-most sacks (38). Injuries were a major part of the problem, particularly at tackle, as Matt Kalil, Andre Smith and Jake Long missed most of the year. All three of those players are scheduled to become free agents this offseason, leaving Minnesota without an obvious solution at either tackle spot. T.J. Clemmings remains under contract after leading Vikings linemen with 882 snaps, but he also ranked as Pro Football Focus’ third-worst tackle. Exclusive rights free agent Jeremiah Sirles racked up significant on-field time, too, with 772 snaps, though he wasn’t particularly effective (49th among PFF’s 81 qualified tackle). While Clemmings and Sirles could again serve as depth next season, the Vikings are going to have to do something about both starting spots.

Of Kalil, Smith and Long, all are expendable when considering their performances, but the latter two seem especially likely to depart. Minnesota’s decision to sign Smith to a one-year deal last March wasn’t panning out even before he succumbed to an elbow injury a few weeks into the season. And the Vikings didn’t add Long until October, which only happened because Kalil and Smith went on injured reserve. Long then suffered a torn Achilles in November, potentially ending the soon-to-be 32-year-old’s career.

Kalil, who started 66 straight games prior to suffering a season-ending hip injury in Week 2, has been a staple with the Vikings since they drafted him fourth overall in 2012. However, he has struggled since a quality rookie year, meaning the Vikes could stand to upgrade over him. The problem is that they might have a hard time doing that via the draft, which doesn’t feature a deep tackle class (again, no first-rounder hurts). Free agency is rather light on left tackles, too – despite his age (35), longtime Bengal Andrew Whitworth is easily the best of a weak lot and would be a more-than-capable stopgap for Minnesota. It’s worth noting that Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer previously worked as the Bengals’ defensive coordinator from 2008-13, so he’s quite familiar with Whitworth.

Meanwhile, unless he re-signs with Jacksonville before March, Luke Joeckel will represent another option. He’s all too similar to Kalil, though, as both a high pick (No. 2 in 2013) who hasn’t lived up to his draft stock and someone who’s coming off an injury-shortened year. Longtime NFC North rival Riley Reiff isn’t great, either, but the five-year Lion does bring vast experience at both tackle spots and has started 14-plus games in four straight seasons.

Shifting to the right side, the Ravens’ Ricky Wagner stands out as the top soon-to-be free agent blocker. The 27-year-old has logged 14 or more starts in each of the past three seasons, and he ranked as PFF’s 19th-best tackle in 2016. Mike Remmers (Panthers), Austin Pasztor (Browns), Sebastian Vollmer (Patriots), Jordan Mills (Bills) and Marshall Newhouse (Giants) have also amassed plenty of experience, but it’s debatable whether any would be clear upgrades over what the Vikings already have. At the very least, any could act as competition to the Vikes’ in-house options. Vollmer and Bell did miss all of 2016, however, which could preclude Minnesota from kicking the tires on either after injuries ravaged its line during the season.

Moving inside, the Vikings might not feel the need to do anything major with left guard Alex Boone, center Joe Berger and right guard Brandon Fusco in place. Fusco is somewhat of a weak link, though, as he ranked 62nd among PFF’s 74 qualified guards in 2016. Therefore, the team could try to upgrade over him with a free agent like T.J. Lang (Packers), Kevin Zeitler (Bengals; again, there’s a Zimmer connection), John Jerry (Giants), Larry Warford (Lions) or Brian Winters (Jets). The Vikings might otherwise bring back key 2015 cog Mike Harris, who missed all of this season with an undisclosed illness but is optimistic about his recovery.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Cleveland Browns

By | at January 10, 2017 6:17 pm

In advance of March 9, 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 Cleveland Browns, who finished 1-15 in 2016, narrowly avoiding a winless season.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending free agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

  1. Joe Haden, CB: $14,400,000
  2. Joe Thomas, T: $10,000,000
  3. Robert Griffin III, QB: $9,250,000
  4. Tramon Williams, CB: $7,500.000
  5. Josh McCown, QB: $5,041,668
  6. Demario Davis, LB: $4,800,000
  7. Desmond Bryant, DL: $4,000,000
  8. Gary Barnidge, TE: $3,812,500
  9. Jamar Taylor, CB: $3,275,000
  10. Danny Shelton, DT: $3,191,910

Other:

Three Needs:

1) Find a franchise quarterback: The image has reached near immortal status on the internet: a Browns fan donning a jersey listing the litany of quarterbacks that have led the club since it returned to Cleveland in 1999, beginning with Tim Couch and Ty Detmer and concluding with the likes of Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin III. 26 signal-callers have made at least one start for the Browns during that stretch, yet Cleveland is still searching for a franchise quarterback as the calendar turns to 2017.Robert Griffin III Browns (vertical)

Upgrading under center should be a primary goal for the Browns this offseason, as their current depth chart at the position is wholly uninspiring. Griffin is signed through the 2017 campaign, and Cleveland executive Sashi Brown said last September that the club doesn’t view RGIII as simply a short-term solution. However, Griffin started only five games in 2016 while dealing with injuries, and wasn’t overly effective when he was on the field, completing less than 60% of his passes while posting a Total Quarterback Rating of just 33. The Browns could clear $7.5MM in salary cap space by releasing Griffin this offseason, and while Cleveland certainly doesn’t need any extra cap room, the team should at least approach Griffin about a paycut.

Elsewhere on the roster, veteran Josh McCown is not part of the Browns’ long-term future (and is now considering retirement), leaving 2016 third-round pick Cody Kessler as the lone remaining option of intrigue. Thrown into the fire perhaps before he was ready, Kessler performed relatively well, tossing six touchdowns against two interceptions while managing a Total QBR of nearly 50. Kessler isn’t a star, but his display of competency during his rookie season indicates that he could carve out a career as a high-end backup, and offer the upside of a poor man’s Andy Dalton.

So even with Kessler in tow, the Browns are still in the market for another quarterback, and free agency could be the first place the club turns in its hunt. While Cleveland could take a flier on a QB such as Mike Glennon, EJ Manuel, or Ryan Nassib, it’s not readily apparent than any of those options would offer a substantial improvement on the Browns’ internal choices. Washington’s Kirk Cousins, on the other hand, would represent a significant upgrade at the quarterback position, but the Redskins are extremely unlikely to let their QB hit the open market. Recent reports have indicated Washington won’t hesitate to use the franchise tag on Cousins for a second consecutive year, but if he does reach free agency, the Browns would likely be a prime contender for his services.Mitch Trubisky (Vertical)

The draft, then, offers the best chance for Cleveland to secure a long-term option at quarterback, and while draft analysts posit that no “sure-thing” signal-caller exists in the 2017 class, this year’s crop of prospects does include some first-round QB candidates. The Browns reportedly “love” UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, and having scouted him in recent weeks, could use the first overall pick on the Tarheel quarterback. If Cleveland opts to go in another direction at No. 1, the club could look at Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer (whom Browns scout Lake Dawson has spent an “inordinate” amount of time watching) or Clemson’s Deshaun Watson with the twelfth selection.

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2017 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker

By | at January 9, 2017 6:42 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 2016. 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 2-13-17 (2:30pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Kyle Shanahan)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Anthony Lynn)

Denver Broncos (Out: Rick Dennison)

Houston Texans (HC Bill O’Brien will call plays, replacing George Godsey)

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Nathaniel Hackett, interim offensive coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (49ers): Interviewed

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Rob Boras)

New York Jets (Out: Chan Gailey)

Oakland Raiders (Hired/Promoted: Todd Downing, replacing Bill Musgrave)

Washington Redskins (Hired/Promoted: Matt Cavanaugh, replacing Sean McVay)

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Richard Smith)

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers (Hired/Promoted Steve Wilks, replacing Sean McDermott)

Cleveland Browns (Hired: Gregg Williams, replacing Ray Horton)

Denver Broncos (Out: Wade Phillips)

  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired
  • Reggie Herring, linebackers coach (Broncos): To be interviewed

Houston Texans (Hired/Promoted Mike Vrabel, replacing Romeo Crennel, who was named assistant head coach)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: John Pagano)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Gregg Williams)

  • Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Hired

Miami Dolphins (Hired/Promoted: Matt Burke, replacing Vance Joseph)

San Francisco 49ers (Hired: Robert Saleh, Out: Jim O’Neil)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Signed Mike Smith to extension; Smith withdrew name from Chargers’ HC search)

Washington Redskins (Out: Joe Barry)

6 comments Atlanta Falcons Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New York Jets Newsstand PFR Originals San Francisco 49ers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Washington Commanders

2017 NFL GM Search Tracker

By | at January 9, 2017 4:41 pm

Two clubs — the Colts and 49ers — 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: 2017 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Listed below are the GM candidates that have been linked to Indianapolis and San Francisco, along with their current status. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 1-29-17 (8:30pm CT)

Indianapolis Colts

San Francisco 49ers

1 comment Indianapolis Colts Newsstand PFR Originals San Francisco 49ers

Top 3 Offseason Needs: Denver Broncos

By | at January 8, 2017 10:00 pm

In advance of March 9, 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 Denver Broncos, who finished 9-7 in 2016 and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

For the second time in three years, the Broncos need a new coach, with unusual circumstances creating this vacancy. Gary Kubiak‘s retirement came suddenly after the defending Super Bowl champions played a rare inconsequential Week 17 game. But even though the two-year Denver HC would have certainly returned for a third season if he felt he was healthy enough to do so, the team has several key areas of need for the first time in a while. The Broncos for years featured a top-tier quarterback and a quality supporting cast, and over the past three seasons have formed the nucleus of one of the better defenses in modern NFL history. Denver’s defense still functioned at an elite level in 2016, ranking No. 1 in DVOA, but it couldn’t compensate for an offense with glaring deficiencies. No matter which coach the Broncos hire, offense will be the primary concentration this offseason.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits For 2017:

Current Projected Cap Room (via OverTheCap): $38,545,915

Other:

Three needs:

1.) Address the lines: After the Broncos decided to part with some of the best offensive linemen in franchise history, they replaced the aging contributors with some lesser-known commodities and mid-level UFAs. For the most part, the gamble backfired. With the exception of a breakout season from center Matt Paradis, the Broncos’ O-line struggled throughout the season. It marked the second straight year of underwhelming blocking, and the team could be looking at another overhaul.

While the 2015 season saw injuries force suboptimal tackles into action, the latest edition of the line featured the starting edge blockers not delivering for the most part. Replacing the traded Ryan Clady, Russell Okung played in 16 regular-season games for the first time but didn’t stand out particularly at left tackle. And right tackle Donald Stephenson continued the underwhelming play that got him benched in Kansas City. Denver shelved its newly acquired right tackle only to be forced to return him to the lineup due to Ty Sambrailo‘s poor performance.

Although he fared slightly better at right guard than at right tackle, Michael Schofield received one of the worst run-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus. Fellow second-year contributor Max Garcia, moving into the starting lineup at left guard following the team’s decisions to not retain Louis Vasquez or Evan Mathis, delivered a middling season. At least one guard seems likely to stay to bring some semblance of continuity to a line that’s seen anything but the past two years. It deployed new starters at four of the five positions in each of the past two slates.

Despite being unable to generate consistent offense during their Super Bowl charge, the Broncos ranked 17th in rushing in 2015. This season, they plummeted to 27th, putting the onus on Trevor Siemian to move the ball for the most part down the stretch. C.J. Anderson‘s injury affected this to some degree, but the Broncos were often overwhelmed in pass protection as well, giving up 40 sacks this season after absorbing 39 in ’15. Siemian also missed five halves of football due to injury. Paradis is the only lock to return. A Stephenson cut will cost the Broncos $2MM in dead money while generating $3MM in cap savings. The team must decide whether or not to exercise the four-year, $48MM part of Okung’s two-pronged contract on the final day of the 2016 league year. Bringing the 29-year-old blocker back at that price seems unlikely, but finding a superior UFA options might be a task. At right tackle, players like Sebastian Vollmer and Riley Reiff could be available. The guard market, though, looks plentiful.

T.J. Lang, Larry Warford, Ronald Leary and Kevin Zeitler all are scheduled to be UFAs. As of now, it’s unknown if the Broncos are going back to a power scheme or staying with Kubiak’s zone-blocking preference, making potential targets tougher to identify. David DeCastro and Kyle Long reset the non-Kelechi Osemele guard market this year, receiving $10MM-AAV deals. As the cap climbs toward $170MM, the latest crop of top UFA interior blockers figures to be in line to shoot for eight-figure-per-year deals. Should the Broncos move on from Okung and Stephenson, they won’t have a veteran contract up front and would be in position to make a bid for one of these UFAs to play team with one of their incumbents, likely Garcia.

Denver coaxed Derek Wolfe into signing a team-friendly deal but missed Malik Jackson this season. After Vance Walker‘s ACL tear, the team could not recreate the departed UFA’s impact. Initially, the defending Super Bowl champions planned to use a rotation of Walker, Jared Crick and second-round pick Adam Gotsis. That pretty much became Crick at right defensive end, with Gotsis not factoring in much, and this was the most noticeable difference between the Super Bowl unit and its successor. The Broncos dropped from third to 28th against the run. Crick remains under contract, but the team will likely look to at least supplement him at right end if not shoot for an upgrade. A nose tackle vacancy exists now as well after the Broncos did not pick up Sylvester Williams‘ fifth-year option.

High-end nose solutions could exist in Dontari Poe and Brandon Williams, but with greater needs looming on their offensive line, the Broncos may not want to spend big here. At end, the team could look to bring back the soon-to-be 30-year-old Walker on a short-term deal. Should Calais Campbell want to join a star-studded defense with a need at right defensive end, that would be an interesting option on a medium-length accord. Of course, the longtime Cardinals stalwart won’t be cheap, and the Broncos already have most of their payroll allocated to defense.

Nevertheless, there will be plenty of new faces manning the lines for the 2017 Broncos.

2.) Make a decision at quarterback: Trevor Siemian gave the Broncos more than what could have been expected from a seventh-round pick who had never thrown an NFL pass before 2016. Kubiak preferred him to Paxton Lynch in the short term, cementing this notion by keeping the first-rounder on the sideline in a meaningless Week 17 game that could have been used for developmental purposes. We heard last month the team planned to go into 2017 with Siemian in command, but that all could change now that Kubiak is gone. The Broncos will have a new offensive staff coming in, potentially altering the respective statuses of the incumbent passers.

After a solid cameo against the Buccaneers for a half in Week 4, Lynch struggled against the Falcons and Jaguars in his spot starts. If John Elway deems his quarterback of the future a longer-term project, a higher-profile bridge solution could make sense. A trade for a player like Tony Romo would not be out of character for the GM, but the Cowboys quarterback would have to renegotiate his contract ($24.7MM ’17 cap number) in all likelihood and will be 37 next season. Part of the reason the Broncos could dole out extensions to Darian Stewart, Emmanuel Sanders and Brandon Marshall this year came as a result of no longer having a franchise-QB salary on their payroll. Putting that kind of money back into the quarterback position would tighten the budget elsewhere.

As the Broncos showed last offseason with Colin Kaepernick, they won’t be forced into a deal at an unfriendly price. But going into another season with unqualified quarterback could potentially waste an additional year of Denver’s loaded defense. While it would be somewhat impractical to go after a franchise-type passer via trade while rostering a first-round pick needing development, the state of the Broncos’ defense could make that a legitimate conversation.

3.) Locate an auxiliary pass-catcher: While Siemian (3,401 yards, 18 TDs, 10 INTs, 59 percent completion rate) showed more than most thought he would, the Broncos did not possess a balanced offense. And Denver’s lack of a ground game only served as part of the issue. Owen Daniels‘ AFC championship game heroics notwithstanding, the Broncos have been without a reliable receiving tight end since Julius Thomas departed and have not found a third receiver since injuries stalled Wes Welker. For the fifth straight season, the Broncos saw two receivers eclipse 1,000 yards. But no other receiver or tight end surpassed 240, helping defenses key on Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders in a Broncos offense that wasn’t as nuanced as their versions under Adam Gase.

Thomas and Sanders are locked up through 2019. Bennie Fowler, Jordan Taylor and disappointing former second-round pick Cody Latimer are under contract for 2017, as are tight ends Virgil Green and A.J. Derby. But the Broncos will likely search for a third viable pass-catcher. What happens with the offensive line and at quarterback loom as higher priorities, but this is an area Denver could address with a high draft pick or mid-level free agency dollars.

Denver may be more inclined to give the Derby/Green/Jeff Heuerman troika another chance due to the undetermined ceilings of Derby and Heuerman. As far as WR2/3 types go in free agency, players like Kendall Wright, Robert Woods, Terrance Williams and Markus Wheaton figure to be available. The team, though, is unlikely to spend much here due to both Thomas and Sanders making eight figures per year. No team pays more money for its top two wideouts, so an early-round draft pick from the new staff makes more sense.

The Broncos have not seen a drafted wideout produce much for them since a previous regime selected Thomas and Eric Decker in 2010. As college receivers come in more prepared to contribute immediately, it’s something the franchise could look at — especially if the new offensive system centers around three-wideout sets.

2 comments Denver Broncos PFR Originals Top 3 Offseason Needs

PFR Originals: 1/1/17 – 1/8/17

By | at January 8, 2017 1:43 pm

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

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