HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Jason Witten To Retire After 17 Seasons

January 27th, 2021 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two years back in the game, Jason Witten will return to retirement. The future Hall of Fame tight end informed ESPN.com’s Todd Archer he is leaving football for a second time.

Witten retired after the 2017 season but returned to the NFL in 2019, re-signing with the Cowboys. He played the 2020 season as a Raider. When Witten’s one-year Raiders contract expires in March, he intends to sign a one-day Cowboys deal to make this second NFL exit official.

“A coach once told me, ‘The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example,’” Witten said, via Archer. “As I hang it up, I walk away knowing that for 17 seasons I gave it my absolute all. I am proud of my accomplishments as a football player on the field and the example I tried to set off of it. Football is a great game that has taught me many valuable lessons, and I look forward to passing on that knowledge to the next generation.”

While Witten was productive upon returning to the Cowboys in 2019, catching 63 passes for 529 yards and four touchdowns, his age-38 season in Las Vegas saw a steep statistical decline. After signing for $4MM in March 2020, Witten caught just 13 passes for 69 yards with the Raiders. Although he did score two TDs — one of which a go-ahead grab late in a shootout against the Chiefs in Vegas — the Raiders had Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller do most of the heavy lifting on the receiving end.

Witten’s one-and-done Raiders run did allow him to surpass 13,000 receiving yards for his career. Witten and Tony Gonzalez are the only tight ends to do that. No other tight end has ventured past 12,000 yards. The reliable possession cog, however, resides much higher on the receptions list. Witten’s 1,228 catches rank fourth all time — behind only Jerry Rice, Larry Fitzgerald and Gonzalez.

A Cowboys third-round pick in 2003, Witten became one of the most reliable players of his era. He produced four 1,000-yard seasons — each during Tony Romo‘s stay as Dallas’ quarterback — and 11 Pro Bowls. That is tied with Bob Lilly for the most in Cowboys history. A Cowboys cog for 16 seasons, Witten owns the team’s records for receptions, receiving yards, games played (255) and games started (245). The veteran’s one-year stay as a Monday Night Football analyst not going especially well will end up merely delaying his Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Latest On Matthew Stafford

January 27th, 2021 at 2:43pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

This offseason projects as an unprecedented one in terms of quarterback movement. One high profile veteran signal-caller who will definitely be on the move is Matthew Stafford, who is set to be traded after 12 years with the Lions.

We heard yesterday that Detroit was preparing to start trade talks, and it sounds like things are heating up. There’s “significant interest” in Stafford, and “about a third of the league” has already called the Lions to inquire, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter video link). That would suggest that anywhere from 10-12 teams have already reached out to gauge the asking price.

To that end, Rapoport says the team “should be able to get at least a first-rounder” in any trade. There have been suggestions that the Lions want to wrap things up quickly, and it sure sounds like Stafford could have a new home before too long. The obvious contenders like the Colts, Broncos, Washington etc. are quite likely among the teams who have placed calls, but there are at least a handful of wild card teams at play here as well.

We’ve already heard that the 49ers could be interested in making a deal. Meanwhile, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says he would be surprised if the Patriots don’t at least sniff around the situation. As he notes though, the return of Matt Patricia to New England’s coaching staff could complicate things if he and Stafford don’t have the best relationship (which isn’t necessarily the case).

Interestingly, Reiss also writes that if the 49ers pull off a trade for Stafford it could have a ripple effect where Bill Belichick is able to re-acquire Jimmy Garoppolo from San Francisco. That would certainly be a crazy arc. Whatever happens, we should have a lot more on the Stafford front soon.

Coaches, Execs Believe Aaron Rodgers Wants Out Of Green Bay

January 27th, 2021 at 1:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

No matter how hard Aaron Rodgers tries to downplay his comments at his post-NFC Championship Game press conference, it’s clear the speculation isn’t going away anytime soon. Rodgers, of course, raised plenty of eyebrows by saying his future was “uncertain” after the Packers’ heartbreaking loss to the Buccaneers.

Green Bay has gone into damage control mode, with team CEO Mark Murphy declaring emphatically that Rodgers would be back in 2021, and that “we’re not idiots.” But despite all that, coaches and execs around the league remain “convinced a bitter divorce is pending” between the two sides, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. La Canfora reports that head coaches and GMs told him this, which would obviously be interesting to say the least.

La Canfora’s sources contend there is tension between Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur, with one NFL head coach saying “it’s never really been good between him and the coach. It’s been a long feeling-out process, and it looks like it’s over.” If true, it’s a pretty remarkable turn of events considering Rodgers is coming off a season that will see him named league MVP shortly.

One assistant coach said Rodgers’ unhappiness is “the worst kept secret in football” and that he was “sending a signal to the rest of the league” with his comments. One long-time NFL exec says “trust me. The quarterback wants out.” Rodgers’ contract runs through the 2023 season, but La Canfora speculates he could force a trade by threatening to retire if one isn’t granted.

The Packers, if you’ll recall, brought a lot of this drama upon themselves by drafting Jordan Love in the first-round last April. As the Eagles learned the hard way after drafting Jalen Hurts in the second-round, it’s nearly impossible to avoid controversy when drafting a quarterback high with one already on the roster.

The Love pick clearly stung Rodgers at the time, and he responded with by far his best season in years. It’s likely the Packers weren’t expecting that kind of late-career resurgence when drafting Love. It’s rare for there to be this much talk about blowing things up on a team that is coming off back to back NFC Championship Game appearances, but here we are.

Buckle up, because this surely isn’t the last we’ve heard on this situation as we enter a wild offseason where seemingly everything is up in the air.

Rams To Have Open QB Competition In Training Camp

January 27th, 2021 at 12:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

With each passing day, it becomes more and more clear how little confidence the Rams have in Jared Goff. Earlier this week, GM Les Snead said Goff “is a Ram at this moment” and that it’s “too early” to tell his future. In other words, the kiss of death in GM-speak.

Immediately after Los Angeles’ season ended with a playoff loss to Green Bay, Sean McVay said Goff was the quarterback “right now.” Now it appears that even if Goff manages to make it to training camp on the roster, he’s not guarantee the starting job. There will be an open competition for the job in Rams camp between Goff and John Wolford, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is told (Twitter video link), and that’s if Goff isn’t traded first.

Rapsheet’s comments also seem to indicate there’s a good chance Goff is dealt this offseason, although it’s unclear who would want to take on his hefty contract. It’s a remarkable fall from grace for the former first overall pick, as just a couple of years ago Goff was thriving in McVay’s system and led the Rams to the Super Bowl. As Rapoport points out, Goff’s 45 wins since the 2017 season are second in the league behind only Tom Brady.

On the other hand if me manages to win the job, it would be a meteoric rise for Wolford. As of a month ago, he had never taken a regular season NFL snap. He then got the start in Week 17 after Goff hurt his thumb, and started the Rams’ wild card win over Seattle. He was quickly knocked out of that game though, and Goff (serving as the emergency quarterback) took over and got the win.

Goff’s NFC title run earned him a huge extension, one that Snead and McVay have now clearly come to regret. He’s signed through the 2024 season, although a team could very easily get out of it after the 2022 campaign, when cutting him would only have an $8.6MM dead cap hit per Spotrac.

This surely isn’t the last we’ve heard of the Rams’ quarterback situation. Snead and McVay have been very aggressive making moves during their time together (like with the trade for Jalen Ramsey), and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if they manage to pull off another splash despite limited resources.

Bucs’ Bruce Arians: “Hell No” I Won’t Retire

January 27th, 2021 at 8:10am CST by Zachary Links

Bruce Arians is having too much fun to stop now. If the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl, the veteran head coach says he won’t be tempted to leave on a high note. 

[RELATED: Bucs Want To Re-Sign AB]

“Hell no,” said Arians when asked about the possibility of retirement (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). “I’m going for two. If the Glazers will have me back.”

At least, it was a fair question. Arians, 68, has retired twice before. Most recently, he retired as the Cardinals’ head coach after the 2017 season. He was also claimed to be walking away in 2011, when he parted ways with the Steelers.

Arians has won two Super Bowls as an assistant, but he’ll be going for his first ring as a head coach. Win or lose, the Glazers will almost certainly want him back. The same goes for wide receiver Antonio Brown — the Bucs reportedly want to re-sign the controversial star, who has stayed out trouble since coming to Tampa Bay. In the regular season, Brown caught 45 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns in eight games.

Seahawks To Hire Shane Waldron

January 27th, 2021 at 7:59am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks are set to hire Rams passing game coordinator Shane Waldron as their offensive coordinator (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). Waldron has worked for Sean McVay since 2016 — now, he’ll get to run his own offense and face his former mentor twice per year.

The Seahawks opened up their OC job with the firing of Brian Schottenheimer earlier this year. Waldron has never called plays before, but McVay has spoken highly of his acumen and leadership abilities.

“He’s a phenomenal coach,” McVay said in 2018 (via Justin Rogers of The Detroit News). “He’s a great communicator. He’s got a rare ability to authentically and genuinely connect with not only coaches but the players and be able to correct in a manner that doesn’t make guys’ guards come up. It’s all about problem-solving and doing it together.”

Former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn , Bills quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey, and Raiders running backs coach Kirby Wilson were also considered along the way. Ultimately, Pete Carroll went with Waldron, who becomes the latest Rams coach or exec to leave L.A. Brandon Staley, Joe Barry, Brad Holmes, Ray Agnew, and Aubrey Pleasant have all made their exits in recent weeks.

Titans Made Dean Pees Offer To Return

January 26th, 2021 at 8:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dean Pees has pledged to join the Falcons as defensive coordinator, completing a second unretirement in the past four years. But the Titans were also interested in the veteran assistant.

After Pees committed to follow Arthur Smith to Atlanta, Mike Vrabel offered him a chance to return to Tennessee. However, the Titans sought Pees in a consultant-type role instead of a return to their DC post, Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com reports.

We first heard of a Falcons-Pees partnership over a week ago, a day after Smith’s official hire, pointing to the ex-Titans OC prioritizing his former Tennessee coworker. The Falcons announced the hire less than a week later.

The Titans turned to outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen as their de facto DC last season. Bowen was the team’s primary defensive play-caller and remains on Vrabel’s staff. Pees, 71, unretired to join Vrabel’s staff in 2018 — after leaving the Ravens — but left Tennessee after the 2019 season and did not coach this past season. The Titans gave Steelers assistant Teryl Austin a DC interview earlier this month but have not filled the position. It remains uncertain if the team will do so.

While Pees will be tasked with elevating a Falcons defense that has struggled for the better part of the past three years, the Titans will need to make some improvements as well. They slid from 16th in defensive DVOA in 2019 to 29th this past season. Opponents also converted third downs at a historically great rate (51.9%) against the Titans, after the team ranked eighth in this category in 2019.

Lions To Hire Ray Agnew As Assistant GM

January 26th, 2021 at 7:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams will lose another front office staffer to Detroit. New Lions general manager Brad Holmes will bring Ray Agnew with him as assistant GM, according to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Agnew, a former first-round pick who won a Super Bowl as a member of the Rams later in his career, worked as the team’s director of pro scouting for the past four years. The Lions are committing to the Rams’ scouting directors going forward, with Holmes coming over after serving as Los Angeles’ college scouting director.

An 11-year NFL veteran who started at defensive tackle for the 1999 Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV, Agnew broke into the personnel ranks with the Jets before joining the Rams front office. Having made the playoffs in three of the past four years, the Rams have seen teams pay attention at hiring time. The team has lost two execs and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley this offseason.

While the Rams will receive two third-round picks for the Lions’ hire of Holmes, due to the NFL’s Rooney Rule revision incentivizing teams that lose minorities to GM or head coaching positions, no such compensation will come from Agnew’s departure. But Les Snead will need to replace two key staffers now.

Agnew will join two-time GM John Dorsey on Holmes’ staff, which has begun the process of finding top value for Matthew Stafford. The Lions began trade talks Tuesday.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/26/21

January 26th, 2021 at 6:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures deals:

Buffalo Bills

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

49ers Re-Sign RB Jeff Wilson

January 26th, 2021 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

A 49ers season that saw five players see key rushing responsibilities ended with Jeff Wilson atop the backfield hierarchy. The team will make sure Wilson sticks around next season.

The 49ers announced they reached a one-year extension with Wilson on Tuesday. A 2018 UDFA, Wilson was on track for restricted free agency. He is now under contract for 2021.

Rushing for 600 yards (4.8 per carry) and seven touchdowns in his third NFL season, the North Texas product joined Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman in missing time with injury but stood out when on the field at points as well. Wilson scored three touchdowns against the Patriots but suffered a high ankle sprain during that blowout win. However, he returned late in the season and took over after Mostert was shut down. The 25-year-old back torched the Cardinals for 204 scrimmage yards in Week 16 and will represent a low-cost option for San Francisco next year.

San Francisco’s backfield was oddly both injury-prone and reliable in 2020, with its cogs constantly going down but producing frequently as well. The 49ers have Mostert, Wilson and JaMycal Hasty under contract in 2021. Higher-priced cogs Coleman and Jerick McKinnon are set for free agency.

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