The Colts pulled off a rare blockbuster trade this offseason, shipping out their first-round pick in exchange for All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Now, we have more details on exactly how that deal came to be. It all happened quickly, as the deal came together in less than a week, sources told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Buckner’s agent met with 49ers brass back at the combine, where they made it clear the big man was looking for at least $20MM annually on a contract extension. San Francisco apparently decided right then and there that they weren’t going to be able to pay that, and needed to look for a trade.
La Canfora reports that a handful of teams were in the mix, but Colts GM Chris Ballard was the most aggressive in his pursuit. Ballard was willing to talk contract details immediately, and of course the defensive tackle ended up getting a new pact worth more than $21MM annually. La Canfora also notes that Indiana’s low three percent income tax played a role in Buckner’s eagerness to join Indy. The Colts have had one of the best defenses in the league this season, in large part due to Buckner’s continued elite play.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- It was a very quiet trade deadline this past week, and the Browns were one of the many teams to stand pat. That doesn’t mean front office head Andrew Berry wasn’t working the phones, and he revealed recently during a call with the media that Cleveland came close on a couple of deals. “We did explore a number of different possible transactions. I’d say maybe a couple of things got perhaps within striking distance but either moved away from us or we moved away from it for various reasons,” Berry said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Berry also indicated that the uncertainty around the 2021 salary cap due to COVID-19 played a large part in the lack of trades. At 5-3, the Browns were in position to be buyers at the deadline for the first time in many years, so it would’ve been exciting to see them add a piece.
- Here’s something we didn’t see coming. The deal Josh McCown recently signed with the Texans is actually for two years, meaning he won’t be a free agent at the end of the year as was initially assumed, La Canfora writes. While it’s a bit surprising considering McCown is 41 and was only on the Eagles’ practice squad until last week, it does make some sense considering the circumstances. Houston is headed into a period of great uncertainty as they look for a new head coach and GM, and McCown will be a steady veteran presence for this rocky transition. La Canfora’s piece makes it clear that the offer was made as a ‘culture’ signing, with McCown essentially serving as another coach for DeShaun Watson moving forward. McCown, who had been participating with the Eagles remotely while living at home in Texas, “agonized” over the decision to leave Philly’s organization, sources told La Canfora. Pretty much everybody seems to believe McCown is going to become a coach whenever he eventually hangs up his cleats, and La Canfora confirms that he is still “very much on the Eagles’ radar as a potential quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator soon after he retires.”
- Speaking of things seemingly everyone believes, Adam Gase is nearly universally thought be on his way out as the Jets head coach. Whenever he’s officially fired New York’s head coaching search will become very interesting, and one name that is bound to come up again is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh has been rumored as a Jets candidate in each of their last three coaching searches, but Rich Cimini of ESPN.com isn’t sure it would be a great fit. Although he notes New York interviewed Harbaugh in 2009 and were interested in 2014, he thinks a coach of Harbaugh’s pedigree would likely want to have personnel control over whatever team he heads to. Considering the Jets just recently hired GM Joe Douglas and aren’t planning on firing him any time soon, that arrangement wouldn’t really gel. All that being said, Cimini does point out that Douglas knows John Harbaugh from his time with the Ravens, so perhaps we shouldn’t totally shut the door on this one.
Jim Harbaugh would be a great hire for NYJ. But, many things have to happen for that.
Since Woody Johnson will likely be back in charge when a new HC is being sought, he may like the idea of such a splash hire and spend the money to do so.
I don’t see baltimore letting him go. He’s easily imo one of the best coaches that continues to put a competitive product on the field each year.
They didn’t say John, they’re talking about his loser brother Jim at Michigan that can’t beat a rival or win a bowl game.
Jim will stay at Michigan. He is god there and no reason to leave a place he loves. He will be fine at Michigan and get it all settled within the next two years
itslonelyatthetrop If they want Harbaugh they probably need the 1# pick. Lawrence would instantly become their top selling point for a coach like Harbaugh. That Jets HC job gains or loses quite a bit of appeal based on their draft position.
JIM Harbaugh- not John.
Jim- Stanford/49ers/Michigan
John- Baltimore Ravens
He’s saying the Jets would need the #1 pick to entice Jim Harbaugh to come. The Jets are not a desirable place to coach, but maybe having Trevor Lawrence would entice Jim Harbaugh.
I think your response might have been meant for @downeysoft42.
Why are we acting like Harbaugh is still a good coach? He’s a bigger name than coach right now.
Even when he’s been successful, he’s worn out his welcome with his personality. Now, he just isn’t doing a great coaching job and he’s supposed to be great with developing QBs but hasn’t developed anyone special at Michigan. Going 8-4/9-3 every year obviously isn’t terrible, but it’s bad at Michigan considering the expectations when he was hired and the fact that they’ve gotten the doors beaten off them in pretty much any significant game.
Right now, he should be closer to getting fired at Michigan than being hired by an NFL team.
Superb NFL HC, tho. Has a reputation as a QB whisperer and maybe he’s better off in the pros where the playing field is easier for team building. Draft and free agency as opposed to losing the local guys to Ohio State and the top national guys to Clemson and Bama. Even Tennessee recruits better than he does.
Well, he also was only an NFL coach for a handful of years. I do not think Harbaugh was bad in his tenure by any means, but after that period, teams started to catch on to his offenses. He never really developed a QB, either. Neither Kaepernick nor Smith ever really put up great stats with Harbaugh, and he hasn’t had a QB in college with that type of season not named Andrew Luck.
Again, not to rain on Harbaugh, but he did inherit a great defense and had a great coordinator to run it in Vic Fangio. Singletary, for all of his faults, did manage to put together a good defense for San Fran as coach before he was fired. Mike Nolan was a great defensive mind back before him as well. They both did contribute to Harbaugh’s success in a legacy sort of way by building that defensive culture and by acquiring players like Patrick Willis, NaVarro Bowman and Justin Smith. I’m not trying to discount Harbaugh completely, but he certainly did benefit from that. I just don’t know that his QB development skills are significant enough to turn around a team at this point.
I think the ultimate benefit of having Harbaugh is that he will simplify the game for a young QB and certainly will relate to him better than Gase could. He’ll still need a lot of help to turn things around for the NYJ, and hasn’t proven recently that he is qualified to do that while managing a roster.
As a Michigan U coach it doesn’t matter what your record is unless you beat Ohio State and Jim has not been able to do that
Harbaugh couldn’t be any worse than Patricia.
With his personality, Jim Harbaugh is the last person the Jets need as coach.
What the Jets need is new ownership. The culture starts there.
Jets = Bieniemy.
That’s the right move…
A first time head coach in an organization with a bad owner and a weak front office? Sounds like a recipe for failure.