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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

Eagles LB Devin White On Track For Starting Role?

July 1st, 2024 at 3:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Linebacker was a position of weakness for the Eagles last season, with Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow spending much of the year in a starter’s role. The position will look different in 2024, in large part due to the addition of Devin White. 

The former Buccaneers top-five pick was connected to a trade request stemming from his desire for a market-topping extension. The 2023 campaign did not go according to plan for him, though, and his free agent value suffered considerably. White took a one-year deal with the Eagles which carries a base value of $4MM.

Reaching incentives on the pact will allow the 26-year-old to earn up to $3.5MM extra, and seeing a notable role on defense will obviously play a key role in that. White operated as a starter during spring workouts, as noted by Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. He did so alongside Zack Baun, another free agent signing. The former Saint made 62 appearances and 14 starts across the past four years.

White’s Buccaneers tenure included a Super Bowl victory in 2020 and a Pro Bowl nod the following year. The LSU product has frequently filled the statsheet, racking up 566 tackles and 23 sacks in five Tampa Bay seasons. Issues related to coverage and inconsistent play led to him losing his starting job to K.J. Britt down the stretch last season, and as a result it came as no surprise when he departed on the open market. White’s play in Philadelphia will play a key role in determining his value on a new Eagles pact or one sending him to a third team.

Of course, the fact that White and Baun logged starter’s reps in the spring means highly-touted 2022 draftee Nakobe Dean has ground to make up during training camp. The latter was a central figure in Georgia’s national title-winning teams, but he hardly saw any defensive usage as a rookie. Things changed last season when Dean started four games until injuries limited him to only five appearances. The 23-year-old has two years remaining on his rookie contract and his workload in 2024 could be tied to how White and Baun perform in padded practices once training camp opens.

NFL Contract Details: Rookies, Andrews, Shepard

June 15th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Normally, the details of rookie contract signings don’t draw much note from the media. Most facets of the rookie contract are not up for negotiation, so by the book numbers don’t tend to interest the NFL world. Lately, though, NFL teams have gotten creative with how they deal with rookie deals, usually rewarding first- and second-round picks with guaranteed money.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 noted three second-round picks whose deals were reported recently. New Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil out of Michigan’s rookie deal will see the base salaries of his 2024 and 2025 seasons fully guaranteed and $897K of $1.5MM guaranteed from his 2026 salary. Dolphins rookie offensive tackle Patrick Paul from Houston will see similar guarantees. All of his base salary for 2024 and 2025 will be guaranteed along with $413K of his 2026 salary worth $1.42MM. Lastly, Cowboys rookie pass rusher out of Western Michigan, Marshawn Kneeland, will see his first two years fully guaranteed, as well. Kneeland will also see $322K of his 2026 base salary (worth a total of $1.42MM) guaranteed.

Here are some other details from recent contracts around the NFL:

  • We recently saw the Patriots grant center David Andrews a raise in a new extension. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe gives us further details on the new contract. He notes that Andrews was guaranteed $1.75MM of his $5MM for 2024. He also reports that the deal will reduce Andrews’ cap impact next year from $8.43MM to $6.68MM.
  • The Buccaneers recently signed former Giants receiver Sterling Shepard to a one-year, $1.38MM deal. Wilson of KPRC2 tells us that Shepard will be able to earn a $50K roster bonus if he’s on the active roster by Week 1 of the season. He’ll also have the opportunity to earn an additional $6,911 per game in active roster bonuses for a potential season total of $117,500.

Buccaneers Sign Round 1 C Graham Barton, Conclude Rookie Deals

June 13th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Graham Barton technically qualified as part of this draft’s run on first-round tackles, the Duke blocker is shifting to center in Tampa. The Buccaneers have first-string plans for Barton in 2024, and the sides have checked one item off their Year 1 to-do list.

Barton signed his rookie contract Thursday, the Bucs announced. The No. 26 overall pick will be tied to a four-year, fully guaranteed contract that includes a 2028 fifth-year option. The Bucs now have all their 2024 draftees signed.

Tampa Bay fared remarkably well with its last first-round O-line swing, as Tristan Wirfs is now firmly in play to sign an extension that establishes the new benchmark for tackles. The team had not, however, used a first-round pick on an interior blocker since guard Davin Joseph back in 2006. That makes Barton a Jason Licht-era first. Unsurprisingly, the team is likely to plug the Duke prospect into its starting lineup in Week 1.

The Bucs saw their center plan drift off course during training camp in 2022. Re-signed to pair again with an unretired Tom Brady, Ryan Jensen suffered a severe knee injury that kept him off the field for nearly the season’s entirety. While Jensen returned in time for the Bucs’ wild-card game against the Cowboys, he missed all of last season and has since retired.

Tampa Bay used Robert Hainsey as its center for the past two seasons. The former third-round pick displayed durability by going 34-for-34 in starts, but Pro Football Focus graded him 32nd at the position last season. Now in contract year, Hainsey will still have a shot to win the Bucs’ left guard role. But Barton is on track to work as Tampa Bay’s pivot.

Although Barton spent the past three seasons as Duke’s starting left tackle, he played center as a freshman. Teams were eyeing the experienced Blue Devils blocker for an interior role. The Steelers were believed to have shown interest, but they went with tackle Troy Fautanu in Round 1. This left Barton, a first-team All-ACC tackle in 2022 and ’23, for the Bucs. Barton, who also drew All-American acclaim last season, only made five college starts at center. But the Bucs will bank on the first-rounder providing a big upgrade inside.

Jensen started 65 games for the Bucs, operating as the team’s center starter for six years. The Bucs will hope Barton can become a true long-term answer. Here is how Tampa Bay’s draft class breaks down:

LB Lavonte David Contemplated Retirement Before Re-Signing With Buccaneers

June 13th, 2024 at 1:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of many in-house moves the Buccaneers have made this offseason was another re-up with Lavonte David. The All-Pro linebacker inked a one-year deal in March to set himself up for a 13th season in Tampa Bay.

That pact is worth $8.5MM, marking a raise from the previous campaign. David had a strong season individually in 2023 (134 tackles, 4.5 sacks), and that continued production helped the Buccaneers reach the postseason for a fourth straight year. That ability to qualify for the playoffs was one of the reasons he elected to continue his Bucs tenure.

As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes, David also gave at least some consideration to joining a new team in the offseason. The 34-year-old acknowledged the possibility of signing with a contender ahead of 2024 “crossed my mind.” Rather than starting over in a new environment or hanging up his cleats, though, he will remain in place as Tampa Bay looks to earn David’s second career Super Bowl.

“Honestly, that didn’t take long,” he added when discussing his decision to re-sign. “I definitely still love the game of football. I still want to play and I still feel like I’m playing at a high level. I still feel like I can compete with the best and obviously the organization felt the same way. It was a no-brainer for me to come back. Us being competitive also played a main part in it.”

The Buccaneers have been busy retaining players this spring. The likes of David, Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr. have each signed multi-year deals to keep them in place. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs is in need of a lucrative extension of his own, but he will at least be in the fold for 2024 via his fifth-year option. That core should give Tampa Bay a strong chance of topping the NFC South again.

David said earlier in the offseason his choice would come down to either a new Bucs agreement or retirement. The fact he gave thought to joining a new team is a notable departure from that stance, although it comes as little surprise the Super Bowl LV winner did indeed consider ending his career. For at least one more year, however, David will add further to his Buccaneers accolades as the team pursues a deep postseason run.

Buccaneers Sign Second-Round Pick Chris Braswell

June 12th, 2024 at 8:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Buccaneers edge rushing group is going to look a bit different in 2024 after the departure of Shaquil Barrett in free agency. One of the players hoping to help fill that role will be the team’s second-round draft selection this year, Alabama’s Chris Braswell. The first step towards that after the draft has been taken as Tampa Bay announces that Braswell has now signed his rookie contract.

Braswell decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility in Tuscaloosa after a breakout season for the Crimson Tide. Following the 22-year-old’s redshirt seasons, Braswell appeared in every game for Alabama the next two years but only mustered backup numbers with 34 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble in both years combined. Last year, though, starting only two games in continued limited time, Braswell showed what he could contribute. He finished second on the team in sacks (8.0) and third in tackles for loss (10.5).

Braswell joins a youthful pass rusher group. 2021 first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has been a starter in the group for the last two years. Last year’s third-round pick, YaYa Diaby, is expected to take a step forward in 2024 after leading the team with 7.5 sacks in his rookie season. Adding some veteran presence to the group is Randy Gregory, who split time with the Broncos and 49ers last year.

The Buccaneers pass rushing group failed to produce a player with double-digit sacks last year, though they presented an effective team rush, enough to finish seventh in the NFL is sacks as a team. If they plan on having their first double-digit-sack pass rusher since 2021, someone in the above group will need to break out.

With today’s signing, the team has now signed all but one of their first-round picks. Only first-round Duke center Graham Barton remains unsigned. Here are the others:

Randy Gregory No-Shows Start Of Buccaneers Minicamp

June 11th, 2024 at 7:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Randy Gregory‘s first year in Tampa Bay hasn’t gotten off to the best start. The veteran edge rusher was a no-show for the first day of mandatory minicamp, with coach Todd Bowles declaring it an unexcused absence.

[RELATED: Randy Gregory Files Lawsuit Against NFL, Broncos]

“It’s disappointing when anybody is not here but we’ll deal with it,” Bowles said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). “It’s minicamp and we’ll go accordingly.”

Gregory joined the Buccaneers earlier this offseason, signing a one-year pact that could be worth up to $5MM. The signing reunited the pass rusher with ex-Cowboys assistant George Edwards. The two worked together in Dallas from 2020-21, when Edwards served as a senior defensive assistant. Edwards is now in charge of an OLB grouping that’s supposed to include Gregory.

The beginning of the veteran’s career was define by suspensions. While Gregory has generally avoided trouble in recent years, the player recently filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the Broncos, where he played for one-plus seasons. Gregory claimed that he’s been fined more than $500K over the past year-plus for taking medications that include THC. The suit alleges discrimination, with Gregory claiming he was denied a therapeutic use exemption for this medication before being slapped with a $533K fine. Bowles declined to say whether the player’s absence was related to the lawsuit.

Of course, Gregory will also be subject to fines for missing practice, with Stroud noting that the player could face $100K in penalties. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, the team has a relatively deep group of outside linebackers that includes recent second-round pick Chris Braswell.

Latest On Buccaneers, T Tristan Wirfs

June 11th, 2024 at 8:55am CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 11: Wirfs is indeed in attendance at minicamp, as detailed by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. As a result, he will not be subject to fines. Stroud adds, though, that the team does not want Wirfs to take part in on-field work given the fact he was absent from OTAs. His next participation in that respect could be delayed until a deal is worked out.

JUNE 5: Tristan Wirfs is not expected to join some of this year’s contract-seeking players in skipping minicamp. The All-Pro Buccaneers tackle is on track to show for the team’s mandatory workouts next week, ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine notes.

This is not believed to be a contentious negotiation, even though Wirfs has skipped Bucs OTAs. He is viewed as a key component in an aggressive Bucs retention strategy — one that has already produced new deals for Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr. this offseason.

The Bucs have operated differently from most teams when it comes to retaining players. They let the above-referenced quartet play out their contracts and retained them all, doing so via deals just before free agency (Evans, Mayfield), in free agency (David) or an extension after a franchise tag (Winfield). Tampa Bay has managed to complete deals to keep players on the cusp of free agency for years, retaining the likes of Shaq Barrett (2021), Carlton Davis and Ryan Jensen (2022), and Jamel Dean (2023) on big-ticket deals either just before the market opened or shortly after that year’s legal tampering period began.

Wirfs going down this path would make him a clear candidate for a franchise tag. Most teams prefer to have their extensions done before a player’s contract year, reducing leverage that comes from free agency nearing. The Bucs have zagged here, in many cases, though it would be interesting to see them go down this road with a player who is in line for a potential tackle-record deal. For now, Wirfs is tied to an $18.6MM fifth-year option salary.

GM Jason Licht called a Wirfs extension a key piece of the team’s puzzle, and Laine adds indications point to the 2020 first-round pick landing an extension that surpasses the four-year, $112MM accord the Lions authorized for Penei Sewell. Like Sewell, Wirfs has played both right and left tackle as a pro. Sewell, however, played on the blind side as a rookie due to a Taylor Decker injury. The Bucs moved Wirfs to the higher-profile tackle spot last season, and he delivered a third Pro Bowl showing.

Wifs, 25, moving to left tackle would have seemingly raised his asking price. That may still be the case, but Sewell earned a $28MM-per-year payday — $3MM north of the LT market’s ceiling — after two years as a high-end right tackle. While the Bucs are not believed to be close on terms with their two-time All-Pro blocker just yet, the team has a second Wirfs contract squarely on its radar. The sides will reconvene at minicamp next week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/10/24

June 10th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

  • Waived: LB Steele Chambers

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived/injured: NT Buddha Jones

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brightwell was waived/injured by the Giants in May but ultimately reverted to IR. The former sixth-round pick struggled to carve out a role behind Saquon Barkley in New York. Brightwell’s tenure with the Giants will officially end with the RB having collected 256 yards from scrimmage.

Thompkins suffered a hamstring injury in late May that ultimately led to him getting waived/injured. As ESPN’s Jenna Laine notes, it’s about a two-week recovery timeline for the Grade 1 strain, meaning the wideout should be on the brink of full health.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times passed along a troubling wrinkle to the situation last week, noting that Thompkins’ release quickly followed public accusations of spousal abuse from his estranged wife. The woman, Maria Castilhos, posted pictures of injuries that she claims were sustained in February of 2023.

“First and foremost, Deven categorically denies the allegations levied against him by his estranged wife, Maria Castilhos,” attorney Brett Gallaway said in the statement. “Unfortunately, Deven and Maria have been going through a contentious divorce proceeding and child custody battle, and it appears that she thought it would help her case to release these false and defamatory videos.

“… We expect he will be fully exonerated after a review of the facts, background, and clear ulterior motive behind the release of these videos and fabricated assault allegations.”

Thompkins served as Tampa Bay’s primary returner in 2023, finishing with 16 kickoff returns (for 327 yards) and 25 punts (for 234 yards). The former UDFA had a limited role on offense, hauling in 17 catches for 83 yards and one touchdown. As Stroud notes, coach Todd Bowles said the “door is open” to Thompkins returning to the Buccaneers once he’s healthy, although the team has already replaced him on the roster with Cody Thompson.

WR Sterling Shepard Addresses Bucs Deal

June 7th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Adam La Rose

Sterling Shepard will not be with the Giants in 2024, but he will attempt to continue his career with the Buccaneers. The veteran wideout agreed to a Tampa Bay deal on Thursday which came together in relatively short order.

While in conversation with veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson, Shepard explained that quarterback Baker Mayfield reached out earlier this week to see if he was prepared to play another season in the NFL. The two were teammates at Oklahoma, and a reunion was one of the scenarios Shepard was willing to consider in the event he committed to suiting up for the 2024 campaign.

The 31-year-old noted that he “turned done other opportunities” before a potential Bucs deal came on his radar. Mayfield informed Shepard that his name was being floated by Tampa Bay with respect to interest, which paved the way for the latter’s agent to reach out. A tryout was arranged, and Shepard’s performance earned him a contract and the opportunity to carve out a role on Tampa’s receiver depth chart.

Mike Evans – who signed a two-year deal including $29MM fully guaranteed this offseason – remains the Buccaneers’ top option in the passing game. Fellow Pro Bowler Chris Godwin is under contract for one more year, although his future is less certain at the moment. Tampa Bay also has a pair of recent draft investments (2023 sixth-rounder Trey Palmer and 2024 third-rounder Jalen McMillan) set to play a role on offense this year.

Shepard will look to earn playing time as part of that group. The former second-rounder had a consistent New York tenure from 2016-20, but injuries limited him to 10 games across the next two campaigns. Last season, he occupied a minor role on a Giants team transitioning to younger options at the receiver spot. Shepard will now have an unexpected opportunity to re-build his value to an extent while playing with Mayfield for the first time since 2015.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Shepard said (via Jared and Paul Schwartz of the New York Post).“I can’t say I wanted to experience that, I always wanted to be a Giant but I’m not mad at it, man. It’s a really good situation, they have a really good football team, really talented football team and I get to be reunited with my boy and get to play with him a little bit. I’m excited about it.”

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