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QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Steelers Bring Back LB Tyler Matakevich

July 17th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

After four seasons in Buffalo, Tyler Matakevich is coming back to where his NFL journey began. The Steelers announced a reunion with the veteran linebacker Wednesday. It is a one-year deal.

Role players regularly land deals with teams around the time training camps start, and Matakevich having played four seasons in Pittsburgh stands to help his cause when it comes to landing on the team’s 53-man roster (or 16-man practice squad). The Steelers drafted Matakevich in the 2016 seventh round. This marks the second straight year he has signed a one-year contract.

Matakevich, 31, returns to a team that has made major changes at linebacker since he was last in town. The team’s GM (Omar Khan) and DC (Teryl Austin) have changed as well, though Mike Tomlin is going into his 18th season as the team’s head coach. Pittsburgh signed Patrick Queen this offseason and returns 2023 free agency pickup Elandon Roberts. Cole Holcomb, however, is still recovering from the serious knee injury he suffered last November. The Steelers have not re-signed 2023 starter Kwon Alexander, either, though they did draft NC State’s Payton Wilson in Round 3.

A starting role should not be considered likely for Matakevich, who has made his NFL living on special teams. The Temple alum has started one game in eight seasons, but he has missed just two career contests and lined up as an ST regular throughout. Matakevich has hit the 80% snap rate on special teams three times, including in 2021 and 2023 with the Bills.

In 17 games last season, Matakevich played just 16 defensive snaps. But he has not dipped below the 75% ST snap rate since 2018. The ninth-year vet seems a good bet to avoid the practice squad, having been an active-roster player throughout his career. The Steelers would have that option, however, though they could also have a roster spot due to a Holcomb placement on the reserve/PUP list. With the 2023 UFA’s availability for the season in doubt, a spot does appear open. To make room on their 90-man roster, the Steelers waived safety Jalen Elliott.

Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Defense

July 17th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

As veteran report dates for training camps near, NFL payrolls are largely set. Extension- and trade-related matters remain, but as far as high cap numbers go, the list will not change much between now and Week 1. After we ran down the top cap charges on the offensive side of the ball last week, here are the highest 2024 figures tied to defenders:

  1. Maxx Crosby, EDGE (Raiders): $30.48MM
  2. T.J. Watt, EDGE (Steelers): $30.42MM
  3. Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $27.49MM
  4. Joey Bosa, EDGE (Chargers): $26.11MM
  5. Khalil Mack, EDGE (Chargers): $25.39MM
  6. Montez Sweat, EDGE (Bears): $25.09MM
  7. Harold Landry, EDGE (Titans): $23.8MM
  8. Jaire Alexander, CB (Packers): $23.49MM
  9. Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $22.88MM
  10. Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Bears): $22.44MM
  11. Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.41MM
  12. Jeffery Simmons, DL (Titans): $21.65MM
  13. Daron Payne, DL (Commanders): $21.61MM
  14. Jonathan Allen, DL (Commanders): $21.44MM
  15. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Steelers): $21.36MM
  16. Vita Vea, DL (Buccaneers): $20.97MM
  17. DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE (Cowboys): $20.46MM
  18. Quinnen Williams, DL (Jets): $20.4MM
  19. Grady Jarrett, DL (Falcons): $20.38MM
  20. Myles Garrett, EDGE (Browns): $20.17MM
  21. Trey Hendrickson, EDGE (Bengals): $20.17MM
  22. Derwin James, S (Chargers): $19.86MM
  23. Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $19.03MM
  24. Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): $18.4MM
  25. Marcus Williams, S (Ravens): $18.03MM

While a handful of quarterbacks are set to break the single-player record for cap hit — after this offseason’s $30.6MM cap spike — this year’s defensive hits do not check in on that level. Crosby and Watt are at $30MM, but those numbers do not match last year’s top defender cap hit — attached to then-Giants D-lineman Leonard Williams ($32.26MM). With Aaron Donald now in the dead money category following his retirement and Chris Jones extended, some new faces have climbed toward the top of this list.

The Raiders gave Crosby a $6MM 2024 pay bump to reward a former Day 3 pick who has unlocked another level while attached to an extension signed in 2022. Rather than greenlight a new deal for their top defender, the Raiders moved money around on his through-2026 extension to accommodate a rising market. This season now marks the highest cap hit on this Crosby contract.

Although the Chargers worked out pay-cut agreements with Bosa and Mack, both edge rushers are still among the most expensive — cap-wise — players in the league. The March reductions, however, moved Bosa’s cap number down from $36.6MM and lowered Mack’s from $38.5MM. With James tied to the second-highest 2024 safety figure, Jim Harbaugh‘s team — while clearing out costs on offense — remains among the top defensive spenders.

Two years remain on Watt’s deal, which has paid out its guaranteed money. With Nick Bosa having secured a defender-record extension and lower-production players — compared to Watt, at least — Brian Burns and Josh Allen surpassing the future Hall of Famer’s 2021 extension, a third Steelers-Watt agreement will likely be rumored soon. Heyward has expressed interest in a fourth Steelers contract, which would reduce his lofty cap figure, but the accomplished veteran has not heard much from the team’s side on this matter.

The Packers have begun talks with Clark on what would be a third extension. His current $17.5MM-per-year contract has fallen to 15th among active D-linemen. A new deal would update that figure for a reliable starter while reducing his 2024 cap hit. Despite rumors about the Pack separating from Alexander coming out in December, GM Brian Gutekunst shot down any such move associated with the league’s highest-paid corner.

Baker requested a trade last year, eyeing a deal closer to the James-Fitzpatrick level. The longtime Cardinal DB is in the final year of an extension agreed to back in 2020. Although the Cardinals are rebuilding, Baker has remained part of Jonathan Gannon‘s team. He expressed hope to stay in Arizona beyond 2024, and the Cardinals have the contract-year safety — the team’s longest-tenured starter, now that D.J. Humphries is off the roster — on the team going into his age-28 season.

Steelers LB Cole Holcomb In Danger Of Missing 2024 Season?

July 14th, 2024 at 3:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cole Holcomb proved to be an effective contributor following the Steelers’ efforts at reshaping their linebacking corps last offseason. The sixth-year veteran served as a full-time starter before his debut Pittsburgh campaign came to an abrupt end.

Holcomb suffered a major knee injury in November, shutting him down for the rest of the season. An update last month provided by Mark Kaboly of The Athletic indicated the 27-year-old was a likely candidate to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. That designation would require at least a four-week absence to begin the season, but the latest on his situation is not encouraging.

Kaboly writes that any contributions the Steelers receive from Holcomb in 2024 “would be a bonus” (subscription required). That leaves open the possibility of the former fifth-rounder missing most or all of the campaign, a development which would be acutely felt at the second level of Pittsburgh’s defense. Holcomb signed a three-year, $18MM deal last spring and as such faced considerable expectations upon arrival. The former Commander racked up 54 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles across eight games with his new team prior to the injury.

Of course, the linebacker spot has received further attention from the Steelers in recent months. Pittsburgh signed Patrick Queen in free agency to provide a new face in the starting lineup. The team also added Payton Wilson in the third round of the draft. The NC State alum enters the league with injury concerns but high upside given his college production.

In addition to those two, Pittsburgh has the likes of Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson in place at the LB spot. The former was also a 2023 free agent signing, and he logged a heavy workload in his debut Steelers season. Roberts totaled 101 tackles and 2.5 sacks, and he could reprise a starting role alongside Queen if Holcomb were to miss considerable time. Robinson primarily played on special teams last year, and further injuries on the depth chart would likely be needed for him to take on notable defensive responsibilities.

Once training camp opens, the Steelers will make a decision with respect to placing Holcomb on the active/PUP list. Players can be activated from there at any time, but it appears availability of any kind close to the start of the 2024 campaign (and perhaps well beyond that point) should not be expected.

Jacoby Jones Passes Away

July 14th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Rory Parks

Former NFL wide receiver and return specialist Jacoby Jones has passed away, as ESPN’s Jamison Hensley was first to report. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports that Jones died overnight in his sleep in his Houston-area home, and that the cause of death is not yet known. Jones was just 40 years old.

Selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2007 draft, Jones eventually became a complementary weapon on Houston’s offense, catching 109 balls for 1,511 yards and 11 scores over the 2009-11 seasons. However, he made his mark as a return man almost immediately, and over his first five years in the league, he averaged over 10 yards per punt return three times and took back three punts and one kickoff for touchdowns.

His time with the Texans came to something of an unceremonious end, as he muffed a punt in a divisional round game against the Ravens in 2011, which Baltimore recovered at Houston’s 2-yard line. The Ravens converted the turnover into a touchdown and went on to win the game by a 20-13 score.

Coincidentally, Jones signed with Baltimore the following offseason, a transaction that proved to be invaluable for player and team alike. While he again enjoyed an important ancillary role on offense, his return skills were instrumental to the Ravens’ success in 2012, as he took back two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns and led the league with a 30.7 yards-per-return rate on kickoffs.

His performance in that season’s playoffs, though, is what cemented his legacy, particularly in Baltimore. In an upset win over the top-seeded, Peyton Manning-led Broncos in Denver, Jones was on the receiving end of a Joe Flacco bomb late in the game, with the Ravens trailing by a touchdown and facing a a 3rd-and-3 on their own 30 with 42 seconds left in regulation and no timeouts. Jones got behind the Denver secondary, caught the Flacco pass, and scampered into the endzone, blowing a kiss to the stunned crowd as he did so.

Following what became known as the “Mile High Miracle,” the Ravens would go on to defeat the Broncos in double overtime and eventually advanced to Super Bowl XLVII. Near the end of the first half of the team’s win over the 49ers in that contest, which was held in Jones’ hometown of New Orleans, Jones caught another deep Flacco pass, falling to the turf to secure the catch and then getting to his feet to elude San Francisco defenders on his way to paydirt. He then returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a 108-yard touchdown, all part of a 34-31 victory for Baltimore.

Jones, who earned First Team All-Pro honors for his 2012 performance, played for the Ravens for two more seasons, adding another kickoff return TD along the way. He played nine games between the Steelers and Chargers in 2015, and he officially announced his retirement in September 2017.

Wilson passes along statements from the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh, who was in his fifth year as Baltimore’s HC when the club captured Super Bowl XLVII.

We at PFR pass along our condolences to Jones’ family and friends and his former teammates and coaches, many of whom have taken to social media to share their memories of a gregarious, affable, and often electric player.

Steelers UDFA Looking To Fill In For Cameron Sutton

July 13th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Ely Allen

The Steelers defense was dealt a blow when the league leveled an eight-game suspension on presumed starting nickelback Cameron Sutton. With Sutton out for just under half of the season, finding someone else to step in becomes crucial to the secondary. During a deep dive into the defense, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly looked into some likely options to start the season as the team’s top slot cornerback.

After six years in Pittsburgh, Sutton was not a part of the team’s defense in 2023 after signing a three-year deal to head to Detroit. Shortly after his first season with the Lions, though, an arrest warrant was issued for Sutton as he faced a charge of domestic battery by strangulation. The next day, the Lions cut ties with Sutton. Sutton met with his former team a little over a month later, eventually signing with the Steelers back in June on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.

The Steelers likely took Sutton on knowing that he’d be suspended by the league for some period of time. Until he can make his reappearance for Pittsburgh in Week 10, though, the Steelers will need to fill his role.

To that purpose, the team is looking mainly in two directions. One option is veteran cornerback Josiah Scott, who has spent the last three years with the Eagles after getting traded by the Jaguars following his rookie season. Scott isn’t unfamiliar with Pittsburgh, spending two weeks on the practice squad last year before returning to Philadelphia. In the two seasons before bouncing around last year, Scott started four of 29 game appearances for the Eagles. Kaboly notes that Scott was running as the first-team nickelback early in the spring before the team added Sutton.

Another player has appeared as an under the radar option to take over the starting job, though. Undrafted rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop has emerged as a new favorite for the job, according to Kaboly. Starting his collegiate career at Western Kentucky, Bishop didn’t start a game for the Hilltoppers until getting a single start in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.

He became a full-time starter as a fourth-year redshirt sophomore, leading the team with three interceptions. Bishop transferred to Minnesota the following year, playing in every game for the Golden Gophers. He transferred one more time for his final season of eligibility in order to be a full-time starter at West Virginia. With the Mountaineers, Bishop led the nation with an incredible 20 pass breakups and led his team with four interceptions, earning both first- and second-team All-American honors and first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Bishop’s success has continued so far in his NFL career. Signing with the Steelers after surprisingly going undrafted, Bishop has made an impact early on in the offseason. He seemed to be a candidate to earn a roster spot as an undrafted rookie with lots of playing time early into organized team activities, but Kaboly notes that Bishop even nabbed the starting role as the team concluded mandatory minicamp.

With Sutton out for the first half of the season, things are shaping up to give Bishop an opportunity to make a big impact as an undrafted rookie in 2024. He’s looking likely to have a guaranteed roster spot right now, but a good training camp could book a starting job for Bishop to start the year.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.

Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.

[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]

The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.

Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.

As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  16. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020: signed extension in 2024
  17. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  18. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  19. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
  20. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  21. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  22. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  23. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  24. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  25. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
  26. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  27. Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
  28. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  29. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  30. Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
  31. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  32. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Van Jefferson Leading Steelers’ WR2 Competition?

July 9th, 2024 at 10:32am CST by Adam La Rose

Much has been made this offseason about the Steelers’ receiving corps. Few (if any) known commodities are in place behind George Pickens on the depth chart, leading to the expectation Pittsburgh would pursue a high-profile trade.

Such a move has not yet taken place, though, and as a result the team’s internal options are on track to compete for playing time during training camp and the preseason. Pickens will handle the No. 1 role in 2024, his first season without Diontae Johnson in the fold. The latter was traded to the Panthers, creating a vacancy on the perimeter. Likewise, Allen Robinson‘s release opened up a starting spot in the slot.

Quez Watkins joined the Steelers this offseason in part due to the opportunity he would have to earn a first-team role, but a different free agent signing appears to have the inside track for the WR2 gig. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes Van Jefferson is currently “in pole position” for a starting spot (subscription required). The latter spent three-plus years with the Rams before being traded to the Falcons ahead of the 2023 deadline.

That move allowed Jefferson, 27, to spend time playing under Arthur Smith. The ex-Falcons head coach is now in place as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, and that familiarity could translate to a role in Pittsburgh. Jefferson had a strong second season in Los Angeles (50 catches, 802 yards, six touchdowns), but he has not managed to repeat that production since. The former second-rounder signed with the Steelers on a league minimum deal, an indication of his market value and his tenuous hold on a roster spot entering training camp.

Pittsburgh has the likes of third-round rookie Roman Wilson and 2022 fourth-rounder Calvin Austin in the mix for signficant playing time in the slot in particular. The latter is on track for an increased workload compared to last year, but the spot opposite Pickens will be one to monitor during the summer. Jefferson, Watkins and Scotty Miller are among the names to watch on that front. It will be interesting to see if Jefferson delivers a strong showing in camp and the preseason or if one of the other contenders surpasses him in the receiver pecking order.

Steelers CB Cameron Sutton Issued Eight-Game Suspension

July 8th, 2024 at 9:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s investigation into Cameron Sutton has concluded, and it has resulted in a suspension. The Steelers cornerback has been issued an eight-game ban for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, as noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He will not appeal the suspension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Sutton was the subject of an arrest warrant which was issued in March on the charge of domestic battery by strangulation. The 29-year-old was a member of the Lions at the time, having played in Detroit for 2023 on a $11MM-per-year deal. One day after news of the warrant broke, the Lions released him.

More than three weeks after the warrant was issued (which was well before it became public knowledge), Sutton surrendered to police. The Lions had advised him to do so, and since then he has seen misdemeanor battery charges resolved by entering a pretrial diversion program. As past disciplinary decisions have shown, however, players do not need to be convicted of crimes to face punishment under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Shortly before the draft, Sutton took part in a free agent visit with the Steelers, the team with which he spent the first six years of his career. No further developments on that front took place for several weeks until, in June, the parties agreed to a one-year deal. Sutton was set to earn the veteran minimum on his Pittsburgh accord, so being suspended without pay for the campaign’s opening eight weeks will lower his earnings considerably.

A third-round pick in 2017, Sutton logged just two starts across his first three seasons in the league. The Tennessee alum has been a mainstay on his teams’ defenses since then, though, logging over 1,000 snaps in 2021 and doing so again during his single Lions campaign last season. That experience will give Pittsburgh a starting-caliber option in the secondary during the second half of the year.

The Steelers have Joey Porter Jr. in place as a perimeter starter, and the same will likely be true of trade acquisition Donte Jackson. Sutton has primarily played on the boundary during his career, but he has experience in the slot and could find himself there upon returning to Pittsburgh’s lineup once his suspension has been served. A depth addition this summer could now be on the team’s radar knowing they will be shorthanded in the secondary, however.

The Steelers’ bye week falls on Week 9, meaning the earliest point at which Sutton could make his debut would be during the team’s Week 10 matchup against the Commanders.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 5th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following 2023’s five-team coaching carousel, this offseason featured a quarter of the jobs becoming available. One HC-needy team (New England) did not put its position on the market, promoting Jerod Mayo, but the rest did. The Patriots’ decision also produced the first shakeup among the league’s longest-tenured head coach list since 2013.

Since the Eagles fired Andy Reid, Bill Belichick‘s Patriots HC stint had run the longest. After a 4-13 season, the six-time Super Bowl-winning leader was moved out of the picture. No team hired Belichick, generating a wave of rumors, and only one (Atlanta) brought him in for an official interview. While Belichick should be expected to take at least one more run at a third-chance HC gig, Mike Tomlin rises into the top spot on this list.

Tomlin is going into his 18th season with the Steelers, and while he has surpassed Bill Cowher for longevity, the steady leader still has a ways to go to reach Chuck Noll‘s 23-season Pittsburgh benchmark. Tomlin, 52, enters the 2024 season 17-for-17 in non-losing seasons, separating himself from his predecessors in that regard.

Belichick’s ouster brought far more attention, but his Patriots predecessor also slid out of the HC ranks after a 14-year Seattle stay. Pete Carroll‘s third HC shot elevated the Seahawks to their franchise peak. No Hawks HC comes close to Carroll’s duration, and while the Super Bowl winner was interested in remaining a head coach, no team interviewed the 72-year-old sideline staple.

Belichick and Carroll’s exits leave only Tomlin, John Harbaugh and Reid as coaches who have been in place at least 10 years. With Mike Vrabel also booted this offseason, only eight HCs have held their current jobs since the 2010s. A few 2017 hires, however, stand out; Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay and Sean McDermott have now each signed multiple extensions. Now riding back-to-back Super Bowl wins, Reid joined Tomlin in signing an offseason extension.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2024 season:

  1. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2027
  2. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  3. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2029
  4. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  5. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2027
  6. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  8. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  9. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  10. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020; signed offseason extension
  11. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  12. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021; extended through 2027
  13. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  14. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  15. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  16. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  17. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  18. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  19. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  20. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
  21. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  22. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  23. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  24. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
  25. Jerod Mayo (New England Patriots): January 12, 2024
  26. Antonio Pierce (Las Vegas Raiders): January 19, 2024
  27. Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans): January 22, 2024
  28. Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers): January 24, 2024
  29. Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers): January 25, 2024
  30. Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons): January 25, 2024
  31. Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks): January 31, 2024
  32. Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders): February 1, 2024
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