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Poll: Which 2019 HOF Finalist Should Make It In 2020?

February 2nd, 2019 at 8:14pm CST by Micah Powell

On Saturday, the 2019 Hall of Fame class was announced and Tony Gonzalez, Ty Law, Ed Reed, Champ Bailey, Kevin Mawae, Gil Brandt, Pat Bowlen and Johnny Robinson all found out they would be enshrined in August.

While eight inductees is certainly a full class, several other players, coaches and contributors were left just short of receiving their spot in Canton. Those individuals are likely to have a good shot at crossing the threshold in 2020, as only Troy Polamalu is likely to enter from the new class of eligible players on his first ballot. Others first-timers who could hear their names called include 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis and Colts receiver Reggie Wayne.

Of the 2019 snubs, who is the most deserving?

Steve Atwater – Made the Pro Bowl in eight of his ten seasons with the Broncos and earned two First Team All-Pro honors. His hard-hitting play at free safety helped Denver advance to three Super Bowls and win titles in his last two seasons with the team. He reportedly gained a lot of steam in the discussion room this season, so he will enter 2020 as a favorite to receive the honor. He will be on the ballot for the third time in 2020.

Tony Boselli – Among players who were not enshrined, Boselli seemed to be the name that generated the most buzz in 2019. According to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, the Jaguars’ left tackle’s case was argued for 26 minutes and 10 seconds, the second-longest of any player up for discussion behind Law (27:16). Though he only played seven seasons, Boselli was arguably the league’s best offensive lineman, earning five Pro Bowl nods and three First Team All-Pro selections. Terrell Davis earning induction in 2017 undoubtedly helps his case a short-career hopeful. He will be on the ballot for the fourth time in 2020.

Isaac Bruce – When Bruce called it quits following the 2009 season, only one player in NFL history had tallied more receiving yards — Jerry Rice. Though he has since been passed by Terrell Owens, Larry Fitzgerald and Tony Gonzalez, the Rams wide receiver produced eight 1,000-yard campaigns, earned four Pro Bowl selections and was a central figure in St. Louis’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense. No first-team All-Pro selections certainly doesn’t help, but his accumulation of stats could put him over the top in 2020, his fourth year on the ballot.

Don Coryell – If you like the passing revolution in the NFL, then you probably think Coryell should be in Canton. An offensive innovator, the Chargers coach’s “Air Coryell” offense led the league in passing yards in seven of his nine seasons and ranked second in 1984. In his tenure with the Chargers, Coryell amassed a 72-60 record, won three division titles and appeared in a pair of AFC Championship games. Unfortunately, he was never able to get over the hump into the Super Bowl. Still, his offensive innovations paved the way for today’s NFL. He will be on the ballot for the sixth time in 2020.

Alan Faneca – A brick wall at left guard for Pittsburgh from 1998-2007, Faneca earned a Pro Bowl selection in every year of the 2000s and was named a First Team All-Pro an astounding six times. He was also a central figure on a tough Steelers squad that claimed a Super Bowl title during the 2005 season. Though he will be on his fifth ballot in 2020, Faneca is a safe bet for enshrinement in the coming years thanks to his All-Decade Team selection.

Tom Flores – A trailblazer on the field and on the sidelines, Flores was the first hispanic quarterback in league history and later became the first hispanic head coach. Apart from that, Flores is also one of 13 coaches to win multiple Super Bowls, after leading the Raiders to titles in Super Bowl XV and XVIII. A coach for 12 years, Flores spent his first nine with the Raiders and compiled an impressive 83-53 mark. He would be a finalist for the second time in 2020.

Steve Hutchinson – Between Seattle and Minnesota, Hutchinson paved the way for two of the most dominant running backs of the last two decades in Shaun Alexander and Adrian Peterson. The guard was rewarded for his efforts in those rushing attacks, earning seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections and claiming five First Team All-Pro honors. It is thought that he and Faneca split votes due to playing the same position. With a more open field in 2020, Hutchinson could receive the good news on his third year on the ballot.

Edgerrin James – One of four players in NFL history with 1,500 rushing yards in four different seasons, along with Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders, James was one of the most dominant and versatile backs of the 2000s. A four-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time First Team All-Pro, James helped form one of the most unstoppable offenses of the decade in Indianapolis with Peyton Manning. His accolades don’t look as sterling due to a stable of stellar backs in the decade, but James unquestionably has the statistical pedigree of a Canton inductee. He will be on his fourth ballot in 2020.

John Lynch – A third-round selection in 1993, Lynch helped turn Tampa Bay from a league laughing stock to one of the best defenses in history during his tenure with the Bucs. A star in the team’s signature Tampa-2 defense, Lynch earned five Pro Bowl selections with the Buccaneers before joining the Broncos in 2004 and earning another four selections before retiring in 2007. The hard-hitting safety will be on the ballot for his seventh time in 2020.

Richard Seymour – The only defensive lineman on the ballot in 2019, Seymour couldn’t muster enough support to enter the hall in his backyard of Atlanta. He will be in the running for 2020, however, thanks to his seven Pro Bowl selections, three First Team All-Pro honors and three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots. An instrumental figure in New England’s run of three titles in four seasons, Seymour could receive votes as a tribute to the team’s dynasty. Even without those votes, Seymour was one of the most versatile defensive ends of his era and could receive the necessary support in 2020, his second year as a finalist.

So who do you think is most deserving from the 2019 finalists to enter the Hall of Fame in 2020? Vote and then back up your case in the comments.

Eagles Seeking Third-Round Pick For Foles

February 2nd, 2019 at 5:59pm CST by Micah Powell

The Eagles are expected to place the franchise tag on backup quarterback Nick Foles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes. That doesn’t make the Super Bowl champion any more likely to return to the team, however, as Philadelphia will seek a third-round pick for his services in a trade. 

Before that tag is used, the Eagles are expected to pick up Foles’ $20MM option next week. The quarterback then will have the opportunity to void the option by paying the team $2MM, which he is expected to do. The Eagles would then be expected to place the tag on Foles, allowing them to trade him to another team.

The long chain of events will culminate with the Super Bowl MVP more than likely suiting up for another team in 2019, assuming the Eagles can find a suitor willing to pay up for Foles. Several teams are expected to be interested in the six-year veteran, including the Jaguars, Redskins and Dolphins. With the process of events, Foles will likely have his choice on his landing spot.

Foles burst on the scene late in 2017, filling in for an injured Carson Wentz and powering the Eagles to a Super Bowl win over the Patriots, the team’s first-ever Super Bowl title. He followed up that performance by again taking the reins from a sidelined Wentz and propelling the Eagles to an improbable run to the postseason and a spot in the divisional round after knocking off the Bears in the wild-card round.

Staff Notes: Bills, Taylor, 49ers, Ryan, Eagles

February 2nd, 2019 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another former Panthers assistant will land a job on the Bills‘ coaching staff. Buffalo hired Ken Dorsey to be its quarterbacks coach. A former Miami Hurricane standout, prior to his days with the 49ers and Browns, Dorsey spent five seasons as the Panthers’ QBs coach. In 2018, the 37-year-old coach was on Appalachian State’s staff. Dorsey will take over for David Culley, who is now on Baltimore’s staff. The Bills also promoted Chad Hall to wide receivers coach. The 32-year-old former NFLer spent his first two seasons in coaching as a Bills offensive assistant. Another hire the Bills announced this week: bringing in Terry Heffernan to be their assistant offensive line coach. Heffernan has NFL coaching experience, being a Lions staffer earlier this decade, but spent the past three years at Division I-FCS Eastern Kentucky. Heffernan coached under new Bills offensive line coach Bobby Johnson in Detroit.

None of the offensive coaches who have been hired or promoted have a direct tie to second-year OC Brian Daboll, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:

  • Two teams have yet to hire their head coaches, but the Bengals will look to finalize their agreement with Zac Taylor soon after Super Bowl LIII. The Rams’ quarterbacks coach will travel to Cincinnati on Monday, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweeting the parties will make their pending partnership official.
  • Rob Ryan initiated the process that ended with him becoming the Redskins‘ new inside linebackers coach. The former defensive coordinator said Kirk Olivadotti‘s decision to take a job with the Packers prompted him to reach out to the Redskins about a job, Ryan said on NBC Sports Washington‘s Redskins Talk podcast. Ryan interviewed with the Redskins twice in the past but has never worked with the franchise.
  • Kyle Shanahan was a bit surprised teams aggressively pursued members of his coaching staff, considering the 49ers went 4-12 this season. “It was a little unexpected,” Shanahan said during an interview with KNBR (via NBC Sports Bay Area). “I didn’t think our staff was going to get raided after a 4-12 year, so that caught me off a little bit.” The Broncos did the main raiding, hiring Rich Scangarello and T.C. McCartney. The Packers also hired Adam Stenavich to become their offensive line coach. Shanahan also denied permission for the Vikings and Packers to interview Mike LaFleur and did not allow Mike McDaniel to speak with the Cardinals, citing neither offensive assistant being up for a play-calling role with one of those teams.
  • San Francisco also lost another assistant, but this time to the college ranks. Defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley will become the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State.
  • The Eagles will swap out assistant offensive line coaches. After Eugene Chung‘s contract expired, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro notes the Eagles will hire Roy Istvan to replace him. Istvan will come all the way up from the NAIA level, having coached most recently at Florida’s Keiser University. However, he spent time with Philadelphia offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland in the distant past, playing for Stoutland at Southern Connecticut in the 1980s and then breaking into coaching during Stoutland’s stay as that program’s OC. This will be Istvan’s first NFL job.

Eagles To Pick Up Nick Foles’ Option?

February 2nd, 2019 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

It appears the Eagles are still trying to see if they can acquire better value for Nick Foles than a compensatory pick. They are now likely to pick up his $20MM option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link).

If the Eagles passed on this option, Foles would be a free agent. However, even if Philadelphia exercises this option, the sides are expected to still part ways. Foles has a $2MM buyout avenue to free himself from this option, and, per Rapoport, that is his expected move if Philly goes this route.

Should Foles give the team $2MM to buy out the option, the Eagles are also believed to be considering the franchise tag, RapSheet adds. This would open the door to the Eagles trading Foles, which has been on the radar for a bit now, and Rapoport adds the parties could be set to work in concert to send the Super Bowl LII MVP to a destination that makes sense.

Tag-and-trade scenarios are rare. The Patriots executed this 10 years ago, sending their backup quarterback, Matt Cassel, to the Chiefs. Like Cassel and the Chiefs in the 2009 offseason, Foles and his new team — in the event this scenario occurs — would be expected to work out a new contract. Foles would sign his tag immediately to trigger a trade, per Rapoport.

Several teams are in need of starting quarterbacks. The Jaguars, Redskins and the Dolphins could be the prime suitors for a veteran like Foles. Miami, however, may not be what Foles is seeking, the team being expected to target a 2020 quarterback prospect. A trade may rule out the Redskins, too. Though the Eagles previously traded Donovan McNabb to their rivals, they would likely avoid an intra-NFC East trade here. Although they may be more interested in Joe Flacco, the Jags have discussed Foles. Jacksonville may be the leading candidate to pursue this, cap issues notwithstanding.

Teams like the Broncos and Giants, with Pat Shurmur having coached Foles in Philadelphia, make sense too. But those franchises would seemingly be closer to drafting a first-round passer instead of bringing in another veteran.

The Eagles could land a third-round 2020 compensatory pick for Foles, in the event he buys his way out of this and no tag-and-trade path comes to fruition. That appears to be the Eagles’ value floor for Foles.

Texans To Promote Tim Kelly To OC

February 2nd, 2019 at 1:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

After going two seasons without an offensive coordinator, the Texans look ready to take a more traditional route in 2019.

They are planning to promote tight ends coach Tim Kelly to work as the offensive coordinator next season, Alex Marvez of Sirius XM reports (on Twitter). Will Lawing is expected to take Kelly’s place coaching Houston’s tight ends.

The Texans parted ways with former OC George Godsey after the 2016 season, and Kelly then rose from offensive quality control coach to tight ends instructor. He had spent the first three years of Bill O’Brien‘s Texans tenure in that lower-level role. Prior to that, Kelly worked as a graduate assistant on O’Brien’s Penn State staff.

This points to the Texans viewing Kelly as a rising coaching talent. Godsey, who served in this role for two seasons, has been the only OC during O’Brien’s tenure. Houston’s head coach did not hire an OC during his 2014 debut campaign. It is not known if Kelly or O’Brien will call plays in 2019, but given the promotion, it is certain Kelly’s input will greatly expand.

This will be Kelly’s first coordinator role in nine years. Prior to his time with O’Brien, he, interestingly, served as defensive coordinator at Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2010.

Houston’s staff lost a key member this week, with quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan taking a job as the Lions’ QBs coach. Ryan interviewed for the Browns’ OC job last year but took a lateral move during this hiring period. He would have been the natural choice for this promotion in Houston, but the Texans may have been grooming Kelly.

The Texans’ No. 11-ranked scoring offense represents the highest ranking during the O’Brien era (though, Houston only deployed the No. 21 DVOA offense). This would make sense given Deshaun Watson‘s 16 starts compared to the franchise’s previous difficulties landing a starting quarterback. O’Brien and Kelly will attempt to improve on that. The Texans have not yet hired another quarterbacks coach.

Lawing worked as an offensive assistant, helping with the team’s offensive linemen, the past two years. Lawing also made the move to the NFL after serving as a GA under O’Brien at Penn State.

49ers Want To Re-Sign K Robbie Gould

February 2nd, 2019 at 12:49pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers sound like they want to retain kicker Robbie Gould‘s services, but it might not be easy. Matt Barrows of The Athletic writes that the two sides aren’t close to a deal, and a new contract isn’t imminent.

In fact, Gould might be content to test free agency. The 36-year-old recently talked to Dan Pompei of The Athletic, and the veteran strongly hinted that he’d be interested in returning to his former team, the Bears. Chicago could be seeking a new kicker following Cody Parkey‘s underwhelming performance this past season, and Gould has a natural connection to the organization after having spent the first 11 years of his career with the team.

Of course, the 49ers still have plenty of leverage. The team could choose to franchise the kicker, and that decision wouldn’t break the bank; last year’s kicker value was around $4.9MM. The team could also choose to sign Gould to a longer-term deal, and general manager John Lynch indicated that they’d be willing to spend for the veteran.

“He’s been incredibly clutch for us,” Lynch told Barrows. “And we’d like to reward him for that.”

After one season with the Giants, Gould signed a two-year deal with San Francisco back in 2017. In his two seasons with the team, the kicker has connected on 72 of his 75 field goal attempts in 32 games. Gould has also converted 55 of his 59 extra point attempts.

Latest On Brian Flores, Dolphins

February 2nd, 2019 at 12:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Once the Super Bowl ends, the Dolphins are planning on announcing Brian Flores as their new head coach. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the Patriots linebackers coach will fly to Miami on Monday morning (on owner Stephen Ross‘s private jet, no less), and the two sides will then presumably finalize a contract and announce the hiring (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter).

As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, this is especially notable following last year’s fiasco between Josh McDaniels and the Colts. Following the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, McDaniels visited New England’s team facility, and it was subsequently reported that the offensive coordinator would instead by sticking in New England.

Naturally, the Dolphins don’t want to find themselves in a similar scenario, and Florio suggests that Miami would be wise to assure that Flores doesn’t even get on the Patriots plane back to Massachusetts. Of course, nothing has suggested that Flores will renege on his presumed deal, but you also can’t blame the Dolphins organization for being a bit wary.

Flores has seen some success in New England, and he most recently served as the team’s de facto defensive coordinator (although he didn’t hold that official title). The Patriots ranked 21st in yards allowed but seventh in scoring this past season, and they’ve only had one non-top-10 scoring defense in the past 13 seasons (Flores has been with the organization for eight of those campaigns). As our own Zach Links pointed out, the Dolphins are hoping Flores will restore order on the defensive side of the ball after having moved on from the offensively-minded Adam Gase.

Exploring The Impending FAs Playing In Super Bowl LIII

February 2nd, 2019 at 11:04am CST by Ben Levine

While Rams and Patriots players are presumably focused on the Super Bowl, there are a number of impending free agents who could boost their stock with a solid performance tomorrow.

Below, we’ve explored the impending free agents who will be on either the Rams’ or Patriots’ rosters for the championship game (with some help from Spotrac.com). The following list does not include players on the injured reserve (a grouping that includes players like Los Angeles running back Malcolm Brown), nor does it include players on the reserve/suspended list (a grouping that includes New England wideout Josh Gordon).

Los Angeles Rams

Former NFL agent (and current CBS Sports analyst) Joel Corry recently explored which big-name players could boost their free agent stock with a standout performance tomorrow. Among Rams players, Suh is a name that naturally bounces off the list. Following his release from Miami, the 32-year-old inked a one-year, $14MM deal with the Rams, and he proceeded to compile 59 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 16 games. He’s improved his play in the postseason, tallying four QB hits in two games. Suh’s big-play ability will make him a name to watch during the Super Bowl, and a standout performance could lead to him receiving some lucrative offers this offseason.

A former first-rounder, Fowler was unceremoniously dealt to the Rams back in October. The 24-year-old has shown flashes during his brief tenure with Los Angeles, and he leads Rams players in postseason sacks (1.5). Teams will surely take a flyer on Fowler this offseason, and a big performance will only help to boost his stock. The same sentiment goes for Anderson; the veteran has emerged as a key piece for the Rams since he joined the team in December. We can only assume that the team will rely on Todd Gurley during the biggest game of the season, but Anderson has shown that he can still be productive.

Meanwhile, Saffold should be considered one of (if not the) premier offensive guard on the market, and even a lackluster Super Bowl showing shouldn’t hurt his free agency stock.

New England Patriots

Trey Flowers is the most intriguing name on this list, as the 25-year-old could end up being one of the top pass-rushers on the market. As Corry points out, players like Frank Clark (Seahawks), Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Dee Ford (Chiefs) and Demarcus Lawrence (Cowboys) could easily be franchised, meaning Flowers could be in line for a big payday (although Corry cautions that the Patriots could also choose to franchise the former fourth-rounder). Flowers had another solid season in 2018, compiling 57 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. While he isn’t as big of a name as some of the Rams’ impending free agents, Flowers has a chance to become a household name by the end of tomorrow’s game.

Trent Brown is another intriguing name on the list. However, barring some catastrophic performance, it’s unlikely the Super Bowl will impact his impending free agent stock. The Patriots acquired the six-foot-eight lineman from the 49ers during the draft, and he proceeded to start all 16 games as Tom Brady‘s blindside protector. With 2018 first-rounder Isaiah Wynn expected to return from a torn Achilles next season, there’s no guarantee that Brown will be back in New England.

It’s interesting that both the Patriots kicker and punter will hit free agency this offseason. The team certainly isn’t afraid to let their long-time special teamers go (see: Adam Vinatieri), but you can assume that both Gostkowski and Allen will be back in New England in 2019. Hogan and Patterson are another two names to watch during the Super Bowl, as the two wideouts have a chance to be big contributors if they draw Brady’s eye.

Longtime NFL Coach Jacob Burney Retires

February 2nd, 2019 at 9:17am CST by Ben Levine

Jacob Burney is calling it a career. The longtime NFL coach coach told NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero that he’s decided to retire (Twitter link). The 60-year-old’s contract with the Bengals officially expired yesterday.

Burney actually started coaching way back in 1983, and he arrived to the NFL in 1994 as the Browns’ defensive line coach. While he’s naturally switched teams, the Chattanooga product continued in that coaching role for more than 20 years. Besides Cleveland, he’s had stints with the Ravens, Panthers, Broncos, Redskins and Bengals.

He spent the past three seasons in Cincinnati, where he’s helped former fourth-rounder Andrew Billings evolve into a starter. While the Bengals’ defensive line looked solid during Burney’s first two years at the helm, they took a step back in 2018. The unit allowed the fourth-most first downs in the NFL, and they were bottom-five in sacks and rushing yards allowed.

The Bengals could look to promote from within to replace Burney, and assistant Matt Raich could be an option (although this is merely my speculation). On the flip side, new head coach Zac Taylor could decide to add his own coaches.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Flores, Grier, Ross, WR’s, Josh Gordon

February 1st, 2019 at 10:04pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

While Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has played a large role in hiring Miami’s coaches in the past, that wasn’t the case this time around. Ross identified and hired Adam Gase on his own, but had nothing to do with bringing in new coach-in-waiting Brian Flores, sources told Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Instead, it was new GM Chris Grier who is solely responsible for hiring Flores, Salguero writes.

Salguero writes that Grier and Flores are longtime friends, and that now ex-Dolphins coaches told him it was “no secret within the organization that Grier was focused on Flores as the favorite to be Miami’s new coach even before interviews began.” Flores, the current Patriots’ defensive play-caller, and Grier both started as scouts in their respective organizations and Salguero writes that their paths crossed frequently, sparking a friendship. Miami is reportedly all-in on tanking in the 2019 season, and it’ll be very interesting to see how Flores fares.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • While the contract Odell Beckham Jr. signed this offseason “became the new financial benchmark for wide receivers”, it “didn’t dramatically reset the market as some, including myself, anticipated”, opines former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry. In his piece, which is worth a read, Corry breaks down this offseason’s wide receiver market, and he thinks 2019 will be the year the market is truly reset. Corry writes that Julio Jones, Tyreek Hill, and Amari Cooper will likely all land new deals this offseason.
  • Speaking of wide receivers, commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about Josh Gordon during his annual Super Bowl press conference. Goodell said ““right now the focus is what can we do to help Josh (Gordon) to get to that place (where he can play football)”, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Goodell’s comments suggest that Gordon, who stepped away from the Patriots earlier this season, could eventually play in the league again even though Goodell slapped him with an indefinite ban. It won’t come easily, but it appears Gordon’s NFL career isn’t dead yet, just on life support.
  • In case you missed it, Goodell also had updates on two more embattled players, Kareem Hunt and Reuben Foster.
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