HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Poll: Which 2018 Last Place Team Is Likeliest To Make Playoffs In 2019?

May 29th, 2019 at 7:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Turnarounds in the NFL often don’t take long. Unlike Major League Baseball, where prospects usually face a minimum promotion time of two years, new NFL players can make an impact during their respective rookie seasons. With more teams embracing the use of free agency and trades as avenues of player acquisition, it’s possible to improve a club year-over-year.

Worst-to-playoffs revamps happen nearly every season, and 2018 was no exception. A year after finishing last in the NFC North, the Bears and new head coach Matt Nagy rebounded to take the division crown. Meanwhile, the Texans and Colts both posted 4-12 records in 2017 before earning a postseason appearance this past season.

So, which last place team from 2018 will make a leap into the playoffs during the upcoming season? Let’s take a look at the candidates:

New York Jets

The Jets are searching for a new general manager after firing Mike Maccagnan, but they should be poised for an improvement on the field as 2018 third overall pick Sam Darnold heads into his sophomore campaign. Gang Green gave Darnold a few more weapons by signing running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Jamison Crowder, but failed to augment an offensive line that ranked dead last in run-blocking and 18th in pass-blocking, per Football Outsiders. While New York could see a jump in their win total, will it be enough to overtake the Patriots?

Cincinnati Bengals

Although the Bengals didn’t make any splash additions during the offseason, they did attempt to address their porous offensive line by drafting Alabama tackle Jonah Williams (which will push incumbent blindside protector Cordy Glenn to guard), and signing ex-Bills guard John Miller. Improving their front five from “horrible” to simply “average” would be a win for the Bengals, especially as quarterback Andy Dalton enters a make-or-break year under new head coach Zac Taylor.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Among the clubs that finished in last place in 2018, the Jaguars have experienced the most recent success: as recently as 2017, Jacksonville finished 10-6 and was a few plays away from making a Super Bowl appearance. The Jaguars retained head coach Doug Marrone after last year’s 5-11 record, but quarterback Blake Bortles was cut, clearing the way for free agent signee Nick Foles. Rookie first-round edge rusher Josh Allen will join a defense that’s bringing back most of its key parts aside from linebacker Telvin Smith, who won’t play in 2019.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders raised eyebrows by adding controversial locker room presences such as Vontaze Burfict and Richie Incognito this offseason, but they’ve also brought in talent at positions of import, such as wideouts Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, offensive tackle Trent Brown, and edge rusher Clelin Ferrell. The wisdom of drafting a running back (Josh Jacobs) and box safety (Johnathan Abram) in the first round notwithstanding, Oakland has undoubtedly augmented its roster. Whether the Raiders’ moves will be enough to overtake two of the AFC’s best teams in the Chiefs and Chargers is another question.

New York Giants

The Giants’ offseason has been…interesting. After trading away star pass-catcher Odell Beckham Jr. for pennies on the dollar, general manager Dave Gettleman made a number of questionable decisions in free agency and the draft. Big Blue handed Golden Tate a four-yar $37.5MM deal to replace OBJ, but Tate is best in the slot, a position already spoken for by Sterling Shepard. Gettleman then used the sixth overall selection on quarterback Daniel Jones, a prospect most analysts had pegged as a Day 2 selection, and the No. 17 pick on Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence, a run-stuffing defensive tackle who likely won’t be a full-time player.

Detroit Lions

One of only three last place teams to keep their head coach in place, the Lions actually finished with the highest Pythagorean win total (the number of games a club should win based solely on points scored/allowed) of any team on this list, per FO. Detroit went on a minor spending spree over the past few months, adding three former ex-Patriots: defensive end Trey Flowers, cornerback Justin Coleman, and wide receiver Danny Amendola. Even with regression expected for the Bears, it’s difficult to see the Lions overtaking Chicago, Green Bay, and Minnesota for the division crown.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers ranked as a top-12 offensive team in both expected points and DVOA despite trailing off at the end of season, and now they’re turning over their loaded passing unit to Bruce Arians. Scoring points shouldn’t a problem, so the onus will be on new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to improve a unit that fell apart in 2018. New additions like Devin White, Shaquil Barrett, and Deone Bucannon will buttress a defensive backfield largely populated by first- and second-year players.

Arizona Cardinals

While they’re not necessarily expected to compete for the postseason in 2019, the Cardinals will certainly be a fascinating club to watch during the upcoming year. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury will bring some version of his Air Raid offense to the NFL, and Heisman winner/No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray will be under leading the attack. Arizona’s draft garnered a wealth of “A” grades across the industry, so the future could be bright for the Cardinals, but they probably don’t have the talent to compete with the rest of the NFC West just yet.

So what do you think? Which of these last place teams is likeliest to earn a postseason berth — either as a division winner or a wild card club — in 2019? Link for app users.

Jets To Interview Joe Douglas This Weekend

May 29th, 2019 at 6:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas will interview for the Jets’ vacant general manager position over the weekend, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

New York is searching for a new GM after firing Mike Maccagnan following the 2019 draft. For now, first-year head coach Adam Gase is running Gang Green’s personnel department as interim general manager, but the club wants to get a full-time executive in place.

Douglas, for his part, was among the first candidates mentioned to potentially replace Maccagnan, and has been viewed as the front-runner for the job from the outset. Indeed, most speculation involving Douglas has revolved around his willingness to accept the Jets’ gig, not New York’s interest in him.

A longtime NFL executive, Douglas spent 16 years in the Ravens’ personnel department before joining the Eagles in 2016. He was reportedly in consideration for the Texans’ GM position in 2018, but the Eagles denied Houston’s interview request.

Here’s a look at the other rumored candidates for the Jets’ job, via PFR’s GM Search Tracker:

Panthers To Meet With Gerald McCoy

May 29th, 2019 at 4:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Gerald McCoy is “tentatively” scheduled to meet with the Panthers this week, a source tells Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Carolina will host McCoy beginning on Thursday night, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

The Panthers first expressed interest in McCoy last week, and that interest “has not waned,” reports Rodrigue. A number of teams, including the Falcons, Saints, Colts, and Bengals have all reportedly at least considered a McCoy addition, but he’s only met with the Browns and Ravens thus far. Cleveland and Baltimore are McCoy’s preferred destinations, although he’s likely to be swayed by financial specifics.

While Carolina already boasts Kawann Short and Dontari Poe at defensive tackle, the club still has room for McCoy along the interior. Short and Poe each played between 50-60% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps in 2018, so McCoy could certainly fit into a rotation. McCoy would likely take playing time away from former first-round pick Vernon Butler (who’s already had his 2020 fifth-year option declined) and reserve Kyle Love.

McCoy, 31, ranked fourth among defensive tackles with 21 quarterback hits in 2018 and finished as the NFL’s No. 28 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/29/19

May 29th, 2019 at 4:25pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: G Kofi Amichia
  • Waived: OL Landon Turner

Kansas City Chiefs

Oakland Raiders

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Released: DT Stevie Tu’ikolovatu

Tennessee Titans

Redskins Sign Montez Sweat

May 29th, 2019 at 3:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have signed first-round pick Montez Sweat, according to a team announcement. With that, the Redskins now have both of their first-round picks under contract after previously signing Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins. 

[RELATED: 2019 NFL Draft Results By Team]

The Redskins stood pat at No. 15 and came away with Haskins, who was widely regarded as one of the two best QBs in the draft. After that, they moved back into the first round to snag Sweat at No. 26. Both players could prove to be incredible values – Sweat was pegged as a top 10 choice before a misdiagnosed heart condition hurt his stock. Then, just before the draft, doctors caught the error and OK’d him and his “normal heart” to play football.

Sweat finished his two-year Bulldogs career with 22.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss. He spent his first two collegiate campaigns at Michigan State, where he did not see a whole lot of playing time. In 2019, head coach Jay Gruden says that he expects to use Sweat frequently.

Marvin Lewis Eyeing NFL Return

May 29th, 2019 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals and head coach Marvin Lewis went their separate ways after the 2018 season, bringing his 16-year run to an end. This week, Lewis signed on to serve as an advisor for Herman Edwards‘ Arizona State program, and sources close to Lewis believe he’s keeping his toe in coaching with an eye on getting back into the NFL in 2020 (Twitter link via Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson). 

Lewis, 61 in September, went 131-122-3 with the Bengals, giving him the most wins in franchise history. While Lewis inherited one of the worst teams in the NFL and turned them into a winner, his legacy is marred by the Bengals 0-7 playoff record during his tenure.

In a league obsessed with energetic and young coaching hires, it remains to be seen whether Lewis can garner consideration for head coaching roles. Still, given Lewis’ reputation as a defensive mind and his track record as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, a DC job is certainly not out of the question.

Jets Didn’t Contact Peyton Manning

May 29th, 2019 at 2:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Shortly after the firing of Mike Maccagnan, it was widely rumored that the Jets had their sights set on Peyton Manning as a potential candidate to take over the GM job. However, Manning says he never heard from the club about the position (Twitter link via Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post). 

“Nobody ever contacted me … And I’m not sure I was qualified anyway,” Manning said after playing a round of golf with Tiger Woods in Ohio.

There have been conflicting reports on Manning’s interest level in taking on a GM job. Recently, a source told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY that he would not want to pursue such an opportunity, but Manning has indicated in the past that he would want to consider GM openings. Either way, Manning won’t be the next GM of the Jets, despite his relationship with head coach Adam Gase.

Manning apparently isn’t on the Jets’ radar, but we know of five candidates who definitely are: Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas, Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer, Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly, Vikings assistant GM George Paton, and Saints director of pro scouting Terry Fontenot.

Jaguars Work Out Terrelle Pryor

May 29th, 2019 at 1:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars will work out free agent wide receiver Terrelle Pryor on Wednesday, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Pryor spent time with the Bills and Jets last year but finished out with just 16 catches for 252 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. 

The former Ohio State quarterback broke out in 2016 with the Browns, tallying 77 catches for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. He joined the Redskins after that on a one-year contract, but was unable to take advantage of the platform deal. His 2017 season ended with a 20/240/1 stat line.

It’s fair to wonder whether injuries continued to hamper Pryor’s production last year. The Jets released Pryor in October while he was dealing with a groin strain. Days later, he declared himself to be close to 100% healthy, but he didn’t look all that sharp with the Bills. The 29-year-old (30 in June) had a couple of solid performances with the Jets in the fall, so there’s still reason to believe that Pryor can be a difference maker in the NFL.

The Jaguars’ wide receiver group currently features Keelan Cole, Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook, and Chris Conley.

Browns, Ravens Top Gerald McCoy’s List

May 29th, 2019 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns and Ravens are in the lead for Gerald McCoy‘s services, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, if neither club offers him the contract he wants, it’s possible that things could open up for other teams. 

One of those teams could be the Panthers, who have a desire to upgrade at defensive tackle and have been lurking, according to Rapoport. With less than $10MM in projected cap space, the Panthers don’t have a ton of breathing room, but they could get creative with some contract adjustments and/or a backloaded contract for McCoy.

Pairing McCoy with Kawann Short would give the Panthers a potent attack on the inside, but Dontari Poe‘s contract may stand in the way. Signed to a three-year, $28MM deal in 2018, cutting Poe today would leave the Panthers with a whopping $9.2MM cap charge versus just $166K in savings. Instead, the Panthers may prefer to stay the course with Short, Poe, and quality backup Kyle Love.

NFLPA Bracing For Work Stoppage

May 29th, 2019 at 11:27am CST by Zachary Links

This week, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith urged all agents to advise their clients to save money in the event of a labor stoppage in 2021, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily (on Twitter). 

“With a possible work stoppage less than two years away, this is the opportune time to set up a structured and organized savings and budgeting plan with your clients,” Smith wrote in the email. “I can’t stress enough the importance of having our player members in a sound financial situation should a work stoppage occur. We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length. We are also encouraging all players to save 50% of their salary and bonuses and to save the entirety of their Performance Based Pay amounts they should earn over the next two regular seasons.”

This is the first time that the union has ever made such an appeal via agents, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com hears, though an NFLPA source says Smith has communicated similar messages in public speeches and direct conversations with players. Furthermore, the union does not want the letter to be taken as a sign that CBA talks are going poorly. As another source put it, the letter is part of the union’s “ongoing message to negotiate for the best but prepare for the worst.”

As Graziano notes, Smith has had a rocky relationship with agents and some have smashed the union chief for his perceived lack of results in the last round of talks.

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