NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/2/24
Buccaneers C Ryan Jensen To Retire
After missing most of the past two seasons due to the knee injury he suffered during training camp in 2022, Ryan Jensen will opt to retire. The veteran center announced on social media Friday he will leave the game after 11 years.
Jensen, 32, has been with the Bucs since 2018. The former sixth-round Ravens pick served as an integral piece on the Bucs’ Tom Brady-era O-lines, helping the team win Super Bowl LV. But Jensen sustained a severe knee injury two summers ago, one that altered his career.
Shortly after Brady backtracked on retirement No. 1 in March 2022, the Bucs reached an agreement to bring back Jensen. The Pro Bowl center signed a three-year, $39MM deal to stay in Tampa. Months later, however, Jensen suffered the injury that took him out of the mix. The Colorado State alum sustained full tears of his MCL and PCL and a partial tear of his ACL, along with meniscus damage.
Jensen did not undergo surgery and worked his way back to play every snap in the Bucs’ wild-card game against the Cowboys, but he was not at full strength that night. And the return for the playoff matchup did not precede Jensen being back to regular duty this past season. The Bucs placed Jensen on IR before the season, and it came out at that point his career was likely over. He is making that official today.
The Ravens plugged Jensen into their starting lineup on a part-time basis in 2015, but he broke through during his 2017 contract year. Jensen started all 16 games for the Ravens that season, becoming the team’s regular center. That attracted the attention of the Bucs, who signed him (four years, $42MM) to be the pivot in their then-Dirk Koetter-run offense. Bruce Arians did not rock the boat at the position, and Jensen displayed durability before that seminal 2022 day, starting every game as a Buccaneer from 2018-21.
While the presences of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin may have done the most to entice Brady during free agency in 2020, Tampa Bay presented the all-time great QB with a promising O-line setup. Jensen joined guards Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa, along with tackle Donovan Smith at that point. The Bucs then used their first-round pick to nab Tristan Wirfs, who quickly emerged as a right tackle anchor en route to eventual All-Pro acclaim. Jensen started all five Bucs playoff games from 2020-21, helping the team to its second championship and commanding a strong market that produced the subsequent $13MM-per-year accord.
Jensen’s injury played a major role in the Bucs’ offense unraveling in 2022, and while he expressed optimism that he could return to 100% before the 2023 season, his latest training camp did not feature much participation. The Bucs restructured Jensen’s contract last year, and he will count $16.57MM against the Bucs’ 2024 cap. While Brady’s $35.1MM void years-driven number from this past season dwarfs that figure, it still represents a decent chunk of dead cap.
During his nine regular seasons as an active NFLer, Jensen started 90 games. He will close his career having pocketed more than $72MM.
Titans Hire Ravens’ Dennard Wilson As DC
FEBRUARY 2: The deal has now been finalized, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. Wilson joins Nick Holz in becoming a first-time NFL coordinator as part of rookie head coach Brian Callahan‘s initial staff.
JANUARY 31: With former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen not returning under the staff of new Titans head coach Brian Callahan, a new hire became necessary. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, it will be Ravens defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson who will take over defensive play-calling duties in Tennessee in 2024.
Baltimore’s defensive staff has been popular in the interview circuit after the team led the league in points allowed, turnovers forced, and sacks. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald was recently hired as Pete Carroll‘s replacement in Seattle, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver interviewed twice for the Falcons’ and Commanders’ head coaching positions, linebackers coach Zach Orr has interviewed for the Packers’ defensive coordinator job, and pass-game coordinator Chris Hewitt interviewed in Jacksonville for another defensive coordinator job.
Wilson has been an especially popular name, as well. Tennessee was one of five teams vying for Wilson’s services this offseason. The 41-year-old Maryland native had been scheduled interview a second time with the Giants, was requested to interview with the Packers and Rams, and was expected to be in consideration to replace Macdonald in Baltimore.
Wilson has widely been regarded as one of the league’s better defensive backs coaches, spending time with the Jets and Eagles before his role in Baltimore. In both previous locations, he even eventually added the role of passing game coordinator to his title. During his time with the Eagles, Wilson’s unit helped lead the league’s top pass defense and second-overall defense in total yards allowed. First-team All-Pro cornerback James Bradberry, Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay, and converted safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson all flourished in Wilson’s room, with Gardner-Johnson even leading the league in interceptions following the position change from slot cornerback.
For a time, it was thought that Wilson was the clear choice to take over at defensive coordinator for the Eagles whenever Jonathan Gannon moved on to a head coaching job. Unfortunately, the team ended up hiring Sean Desai instead, a decision that reflects poorly a year later. After getting passed up for the gig, Wilson found his way to Baltimore where he has helped yet another defensive unit reach elite status. This year Wilson guided the blossoming of second-year safety Kyle Hamilton, watched converted cornerback Brandon Stephens take over as a full-time starter after switching from safety, and coached backup safety Geno Stone as he went toe-to-toe with Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland for the interception title.
Now, Wilson will finally get that opportunity as a defensive coordinator that he got passed up for in Philadelphia. With Callahan set to call plays for the offense in Nashville, the Titans now have both play-callers set. All that remains is for the two coaches to fill out the rest of their staff, including a new offensive coordinator to work under Callahan, as well.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/1/24
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/1/24
One minor move to pass along:
Free Agent
- Retired: TE Antony Auclair
Auclair is calling it a career after having spent five-plus years in the NFL. The Université Laval product caught on with the Buccaneers as an UDFA in 2017, and he ended up spending four years with the organization. He totaled 40 games (20 starts) in Tampa Bay, hauling in 10 catches for 84 yards. He earned a ring after appearing in eight games for the Bucs in 2020. He spent the 2021 campaign in Houston, adding another five catches to his resume. He hasn’t been on an NFL roster since he spent the 2022 preseason with the Titans.
Texans To Bring Back LS Jon Weeks
Already the longest-tenured player in Texans history, Jon Weeks will keep going with the AFC South franchise. The veteran long snapper is set to play a 15th season with the team.
Weeks agreed to another one-year contract to stay in Houston on Thursday, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Standard long snapper money will come Weeks’ way, with the specialist agreeing to terms on a $1.38MM deal for the 2024 season. The contract includes a $168K signing bonus.
This season, Weeks reached 227 games as a Texan this season (239 if playoff games are counted, as Weeks has snapped in every Texans playoff game). The 2024 season will be Weeks’ age-38 campaign; he will turn 38 later this month. The low wear and tear on long snappers allows for considerable longevity, and Weeks has taken full advantage by extending his career to this point.
The Texans initially added Weeks as a 2010 UDFA. This will be the Baylor alum’s eighth contract with the team. After signing multiple four-year extensions during the 2010s, Weeks has gone year-to-year since 2020.
Houston’s long snapper has played for seven head coaches, counting the team’s two interim leaders during his career, over the course of his NFL run. Weeks earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2015. He has lapped the field in terms of Texans games logged, surpassing Andre Johnson‘s previous franchise games-played record (169) a few years back.
Buccaneers STC Keith Armstrong To Retire
The Buccaneers will be in search of another new coordinator this offseason after losing their special teams coordinator of the last five years to retirement. Keith Armstrong, 60 years old, informed the team of his intentions to retire today, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
Armstrong began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Temple, in 1987. Two years later, Armstrong had coached all three sides of the ball after working a year at Miami (FL) as an assistant defensive backs and special teams coach and a year at Akron as a wide receivers coach. He ended his college coaching tenure with a three-year stint as the secondary coach at Oklahoma State followed by a year at Notre Dame as the linebackers and special teams coach.
Armstrong debuted in the NFL with the Falcons as a safeties coach in 1994, eventually being promoted to secondary coach in 1996. Despite his focus on the defensive side of the ball up to this point in his career, Armstrong officially made the switch to special teams with his move to Chicago. After four years as special teams coach with the Bears, Armstrong spent seven years in the same position in Miami followed by 11 years with the Falcons.
In 2019, Armstrong left Atlanta to reunite with two former connections in Todd Bowles and Bruce Arians. It was a long-awaited reunion after Armstrong and Bowles had played as teammates in college at Temple under Arians in the mid-1980s. Armstrong’s move to Tampa Bay marked his first official coordinator designation.
Bowles is now in the position of having to replace two coordinators. After watching offensive coordinator Dave Canales depart for the head coaching job in Carolina, Bowles will now be tasked with replacing Armstrong, as well.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/31/24
Here are today’s reserve/futures deals in the NFL:
Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DT Eric Banks, LS Evan Deckers, LB Vi Jones, DT Lwal Uguak
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/31/24
Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: LB Jesse Luketa, OL Carter O’Donnell
Both Luketa and O’Donnell were on their way to becoming exclusive rights free agents in the offseason. Arizona gets ahead of things with one-year extensions for each player.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/30/24
Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures deals:
Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
- CB Tre Swilling
Detroit Lions
- DL Mitchell Agude, WR Maurice Alexander, OL Matt Farniok, RB Jake Funk, T Connor Galvin, CB Craig James, RB Jermar Jefferson, S Brandon Joseph, WR Tom Kennedy, DT Chris Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- TE Noah Togiai