2021 February - Pro Football Rumors

Packers, David Bakhtiari Rework Contract

February 13th, 2021 at 6:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers converted David Bakhtiari’s $11MM+ roster bonus into a signing bonus, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With a little help from the left tackle, the Packers will save $8.3MM against this year’s salary cap.

The adjustment won’t impact Bakhtiari’s income. Instead, his payout will be dispersed over the length of the contract, which runs through 2024. With that extra cash, the Packers will have better odds of retaining their own free agents, including running back Aaron Jones and center Corey Linsley.

Pro Football Focus ranked Bakhtiari as the league’s No. 2 tackle in 2020 before his ACL tear in December. His protection helped Aaron Rodgers secure the MVP award and the top seed in the NFC. Throughout his career, the 2013 fourth-round pick has been a rock for Green Bay, starting in all 118 of his games.

Between Bakhtiari, Linsley (PFF’s No. 1 center in 2020), and Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins, the Packers have one of the stronger front fives in the NFL. The Packers now have the capital to keep the band together, though some of their available cash could go towards a Rodgers extension.

No First-Round Picks Offered For Carson Wentz

February 13th, 2021 at 6:39pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s unlikely that the Eagles have been offered a first-round pick for Carson Wentz, according league sources who spoke with to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. That goes for “this year” or any year “in the future,” Bowen says, which means that the Birds may have to settle for far less than they wanted.

The Lions fetched two future first-rounders and a third-rounder for Matthew Stafford, but it’s hardly an apples-to-apples comparison. To get that package, the Lions agreed to take on Jared Goff‘s whopper of a contract. Meanwhile, Wentz has an outsized deal of his own. Wentz, 28, is signed through 2024 with $47.2MM guaranteed through the 2022 season.

The Colts and the Bears have been linked to Wentz. In theory, teams that missed out on Stafford like the Broncos, Panthers, and 49ers could get in the mix. The Patriots were also one-time Stafford suitors, but they’re not interested in the former No. 2 overall pick.

The Eagles claim that they want to move forward with Wentz, but, by all accounts, he still wants out. It may behoove Howie Roseman to make a deal sooner rather than later. If Wentz is on the roster by the third day of the league year in March, the Eagles will owe him a $10MM signing bonus. They can escape that obligation by dealing him beforehand, though they’ll still be on the hook for $33.8MM in dead cap charges.

Zach Ertz Expecting Eagles Exit

February 13th, 2021 at 4:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zach Ertz clashed with Eagles brass and endured his worst NFL season in 2020, but the Pro Bowl tight end said last month he wants to stay in Philadelphia. It appears that is unlikely.

The eight-year tight end is bracing to be traded or released in the near future, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This comes as the quarterback who has thrown the most passes to Ertz throughout his career is on course to leave Philly as well.

Carson Wentz, however, remains an Eagle. Momentum for a Wentz trade appears to have stalled, with the Eagles’ Matthew Stafford-esque asking price not being met. But, one way or another, Wentz and Ertz are on track to be elsewhere next season.

Ertz, 30, caught just 36 passes for a career-low 335 yards and one touchdown last season. The three-time Pro Bowler and NFL single-season record holder for receptions by a tight end (116 in 2018) both struggled and battled injury, missing time due to a high ankle sprain. Coming into the season, Ertz and the Eagles broke off extension talks. He and GM Howie Roseman engaged in a heated discussion at a practice, with the Eagles’ lack of interest in giving Ertz Travis Kelce– or George Kittle–level money likely factoring into this breakdown. The Eagles have Dallas Goedert as a younger option, but he is now heading into a contract year.

The Eagles restructured Ertz’s through-2021 contract twice, most recently in 2019. As a result, they would incur $7MM-plus in dead cap charges if they released Ertz. A Wentz trade will cost Philly a record $33MM in dead money. Ertz is due an $8.25MM salary next season, should the Eagles find a taker for his contract. Only the Saints have a worse cap situation, as of Saturday, with the Eagles projected to be more than $45MM over the 2021 salary ceiling.

Coaching Notes: Kitchens, 49ers, Bucs

February 13th, 2021 at 3:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Freddie Kitchens will see his role expand in New York. The Giants are promoting the former Browns HC from tight ends coach to senior offensive assistant, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). Earlier this month, we heard the Giants may be eyeing more responsibility for Kitchens. Derek Dooley, who received interest from other teams, will take over as the Giants’ tight ends coach, Raanan adds. Previously the Mizzou offensive coordinator, Dooley joined Joe Judge‘s staff last year. The Giants used Kitchens as their interim play-caller while Jason Garrett battled COVID-19 last season and will lean on him more in 2021.

Here is the latest from the coaching circuit:

To replace Antwaan Randle El on their coaching staff, the Buccaneers will also turn to a recently retired quarterback. Thad Lewis will rise from intern to offensive assistant on Bruce Arians‘ staff, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Randle El left to become the Lions’ wide receivers coach. Lewis bounced around the NFL for nearly eight years; he was most recently with the Ravens in 2017.
A day after hiring Jay Valai as cornerbacks coach, the Eagles will lose him. Alabama will instead hire Valai, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg (on Twitter). Announced as one of the Eagles’ hires earlier this week, Valai will join former Texans HC Bill O’Brien at Alabama. Valai will replace Karl Scott as the Crimson Tide’s cornerbacks coach. Scott joined the Vikings’ staff this week.
Hired recently after a one-year stint as Lions DC, Cory Undlin will serve as the 49ers‘ secondary coach and defensive passing-game specialist. Fellow former DC James Bettcher will be a senior defensive assistant and the team’s run-game overseer on that side of the ball. The 49ers are promoting Darryl Tapp to assistant defensive line coach and hiring former wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and Klay Kubiak as quality control assistants. Klay is one of Gary Kubiak‘s sons. Even after Gary’s retirement, there are still three Kubiaks in the NFL — Klay and brothers Klint (the new Vikings OC) and Klein (a Cowboys scout). Hankerson also has a history with Kyle Shanahan, having played with Washington from 2011-13.
The Bengals hired Justin Hill as running backs coach. Hill will come to Cincinnati from the college ranks, having spent the past six seasons as Tulsa’s running backs coach. This will be his first NFL job. The Bengals are also promoting former NFL wideout Troy Walters to receivers coach. Walters served as Cincy’s assistant wideouts coach last season, working under Bob Bicknell.
Robert Saleh made an interesting hire recently. The new Jets HC added Steve Scarnecchia as his chief of staff, per Brian Costello of the New York Daily News. The son of longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, Steve spent the past six years as the Falcons’ assistant to the head coach. Steve Scarnecchia was part of both the Patriots’ Spygate scandal, working in the team’s video department from 2001-04, and was the Broncos staffer whose filming of a 49ers walkthrough in 2010 led to Josh McDaniels‘ firing in Denver. The younger Scarnecchia will accompany new Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich in moving from Atlanta to New York.

Broncos On Radar For Carson Wentz?

February 13th, 2021 at 2:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Involved in the Matthew Stafford trade talks and rumored to be on Deshaun Watson‘s destination list, the Broncos may also soon be linked to quarterbacks with their No. 9 overall pick. They may also be on the radar for another high-profile passer, in what has become an increasingly complex offseason at this position.

The Broncos are a team to monitor for Carson Wentz, Adam Caplan of InsidetheBirds.com notes. The Eagles have been connected to a Wentz deal for over a week now, but teams have clearly not met their asking price. Philadelphia initially sought a Stafford-type haul for Wentz. It does not appear teams are obliging.

Thus far, the Colts and Bears have been mentioned as the leading Wentz suitors. But other teams have discussed the former MVP candidate with the Eagles. While it is unclear if the Broncos are one of them, the team has a new GM (George Paton) and has toiled in quarterback uncertainty since Peyton Manning‘s 2016 retirement. Wentz (11th in QBR in 2019) would stand to provide an upgrade on Drew Lock, but the former No. 2 overall pick regressed considerably in 2020 and has $47.2MM guaranteed left on his deal through the 2022 season. Both factors have surely contributed to Wentz’s market not taking off like Stafford’s did.

It would make sense for the Broncos to see how the Watson saga plays out before making a move for another veteran, but the Texans have not shown any indication they will trade their franchise quarterback. This would force other teams to move to lower-cost solutions, and Wentz is fully expected to be moved before he collects a $10MM bonus on March 19.

Eagles Complete Coaching Staff

February 13th, 2021 at 12:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Nick Sirianni‘s staff in Philly is just about complete, and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer has passed along the long list of coaches on Twitter. Among the notable, unreported hirings are running backs coach/assistant head coach Jemal Singleton, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, and linebackers coach Nick Rallis.

Following a long collegiate coaching career, Singleton has consistently worked in the NFL since 2016, spending time with the Colts, Raiders, and Bengals. He spent the past two years in Cincinnati, helping guide a running backs room that was led by Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard. This offseason, he briefly accepted a role as special teams coordinator and running backs coach the University of Kentucky before opting for Philly’s offer. He’ll be looking to help the Eagles find their first 1,000-yard rusher since LeSean McCoy in 2014.

Following a brief playing career, Rocker has served as a defensive line coach for almost three decades. Besides a three-year stint with the Titans, Rocker has spent most of his coaching career in the collegiate ranks, including a 2020 campaign where he served as the defensive line coach for South Carolina. The 54-year-old has coached a number of future first-round picks, including DeMarcus Ware, Jamaal Anderson, Nick Fairley, and Peria Jerry.

Rallis, 27, just completed his fourth year of coaching and his third with the Vikings. During his stint in Minnesota, he worked his way up from assistant linebackers coach to defensive quality control coach.

This Date In Transactions History: Chargers Extend HC Anthony Lynn

February 13th, 2021 at 11:31am CST by Ben Levine

Oh, how much can change in a year. On this date literally last year, the Chargers officially signed head coach Anthony Lynn to a one-year extension that would keep him in Los Angeles through the 2021 season. If you’ve been following along at home since the end of the regular season, Lynn is no longer the head coach of the Chargers.

Let’s recap where the Chargers were on February 13, 2020. The team was coming off an ugly 5-11 campaign, the worst record of Lynn’s (then) three seasons with the team. Naturally, the head coach found himself on the hot seat, but the organization quickly killed that narrative by handing Lynn a one-year extension. The vote of confidence made a bit of sense; Lynn had some success during his first two years at the helm, guiding the Chargers to a 21-11 record and a playoff victory. Plus, as GM Tom Telesco noted following the 2019 season, the team’s abysmal play shouldn’t have been attributed to coaching. Rather, the 2019 Chargers dealt with a long list of injuries and inconsistent quarterback play from Philip Rivers.

Of course, in hindsight, the one-year extension should have been the writing on the wall. If the organization was truly committed to their head coach, they would have given him a lengthier extension. Instead, they effectively made the 2020 campaign a “prove-it” season for Lynn (or, if the organization hadn’t ultimately fired him, they basically just delayed his lame-duck status for one year). In other words, the front office was clearly already preparing for a potential coaching change when they handed Lynn his extension last year.

The Chargers would get off to a brutal 3-9 start to begin the 2020 campaign, with six of those losses being decided by less than a touchdown. Naturally, those close losses landed on the lap of the head coach. Despite a four-game winning streak to end the season and incredible play from rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, Lynn was fired by the Chargers back in January.

It didn’t take long for Lynn to find another gig. After discussing a role with the Seahawks, the 52-year-old ended up joining the Lions as the offensive coordinator on Dan Campbell‘s new staff. The Chargers pivoted to a defensive-minded coach to replace Lynn, hiring Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to be the 17th head coach in franchise history.

On this date in 2020, maybe there was some optimism that Lynn could end up sticking around in Los Angeles (although the comment section of our article tells a different story). In reality, it was a clear sign that the Chargers were already planning for a future with a different head coach.

Falcons Add Chris Olsen To Front Office

February 13th, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Ben Levine

Chris Olsen is joining the Falcons front office. The team announced on Friday that they’ve hired the executive to be their new senior director of football administration. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports that Olsen signed a three-year deal with a fourth-year team option.

“Chris is widely respected across the entire league for his knowledge of the game and the business, and the work he has accomplished to this point in his career,” said Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot. “On top of that, he is a great human being and teammate and we are excited for him to join the Falcons organization. We look forward to what we can accomplish and build together.”

Olsen previously spent more than a decade with the Texans organization, with his responsibilities including contract negotiations and salary cap planning. The executive served under several GMs, and he briefly led football operations following the firing of Brian Gaine. As Wilson notes, Olsen was responsible for some of the larger deals in Texans history, including J.J. Watt‘s $100MM deal. Olsen is expected to serve a similar role in Atlanta.

After earning a master’s degree in sports management from Springfield College, Olsen served as the manager of labor operations with the NFL management council from 1999 through 2006. In this role, he assured that all teams were in compliance with the CBA and the salary cap, and he served as a liaison to the NFLPA regarding contract disputes.

Jaguars Director Of Sports Performance Chris Doyle Resigns

February 13th, 2021 at 8:39am CST by Ben Levine

A day after joining the Jaguars staff, Chris Doyle has announced his resignation. The Jaguars announced last night that the embattled coach has resigned as their director of sports performance.

“Chris Doyle came to us this evening to submit his resignation and we have accepted,” said a statement from Jaguars coach Urban Meyer and GM Trent Baalke. “Chris did not want to be a distraction to what we are building in Jacksonville. We are responsible for all aspects of our program and, in retrospect, should have given greater consideration to how his appointment may have affected all involved. We wish him the best as he moves forward in his career.”

The hiring led to immediate backlash after it was announced on Thursday. During his time as the strength coach at the University of Iowa, Doyle was accused of making racist remarks and belittling players, and he left the school with a $1.1MM separation agreement last summer. Doyle has continued to deny any “unethical behavior,” while Meyer indicated that Doyle’s presence of his staff wouldn’t be an issue.

On Friday evening, the Fritz Pollard Alliance denounced the Jaguars and Meyer for the hiring, noting that Doyle’s “conduct should be as disqualifying for the NFL as it was for University of Iowa.”

“Urban Meyer’s statement, ‘I’ve known Chris for close to 20 years’ reflects the good ol’ boy network that is precisely the reason there is such a disparity in employment opportunities for Black coaches,” their statement said (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco).

Doyle had been with Iowa since 1999, and he established himself as one of the highest-paid strength coaches in the country. Following his ouster, he received 15 months salary and benefits from the school.

Steelers Likely To Move On From Alejandro Villanueva?

February 12th, 2021 at 9:30pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Steelers lost long-time center Maurkice Pouncey to retirement today, and that might not be the only major change coming to their offensive line. Ed Bouchette of The Athletic writes that he believes the Steelers “are ready to move on from” left tackle Alejandro Villanueva.

Villanueva is set to become a free agent in March, and Bouchette doesn’t think Pittsburgh will want to pay him. If they do let him walk, it’ll end a seven-year run with the franchise for Villanueva. He’s had an unlikely path to the NFL, graduating from Army in 2010 and then serving in Afghanistan before signing with the Eagles in 2014. He didn’t make the team but was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad shortly after, and ended up starting ten games in 2015.

After that he was a full-time and durable starter, starting all 16 games in each of the past five seasons. He’s never been elite at protecting Ben Roethlisberger‘s blindside, but has always been solid and respectable nonetheless. Already 32 because of his time overseas, it’ll be very interesting to see what the free agent market for him looks like.

There will be plenty of teams looking for tackle help, and he’ll almost certainly be starting for somebody next year. The offensive line was for many years a huge strength of these Steelers teams, but it had started to decline the past couple years as they got older and after highly regarded offensive line coach Mike Munchak left for Denver.

Things got even worse in 2020, and it looks like the unit could be headed for a complete revamp this offseason. Roethlisberger will be back for one more year, but change is on the way in Pittsburgh.