HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Saints Facing COVID-19 Discipline

February 6th, 2021 at 9:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are facing discipline from the league office for violating COVID-19 safety policies, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport. This marks the third such violation for Sean Payton & Co., so the punishment is likely to be even larger. 

Between the two previous penalties, the Saints have already been docked $750K plus the forfeiture of a seventh-round pick. First, there was the lack of mask-wearing in Week 2. Then, the Saints were seen celebrating sans face coverings again in Week 9. The latest flag stems from a late-season incident in which running back Alvin Kamara came in contact with a COVID-19 positive person at the team facility. That person was not employed by the Saints, even though non-team personnel have been barred from entering this season.

When Kamara contracted the coronavirus, the timing couldn’t have been worse. In Week 16 against the Vikings, he registered six touchdowns on the ground, matching a 91-year-old record. Forced out of the season finale, Kamara still finished the year with an NFL-high 21 TDs. Meanwhile, several other Saints RBs were forced out of Week 17, putting increased attention on the Saints and their protocols.

Interestingly, Kamara himself was not an innocent party in this. According to Jeff Duncan of The Athletic, Kamara’s refusal to wear a contract-tracing device was a problem all season, so the club had no way to trace his close contacts after he tested positive (Twitter link). The league’s investigation into the latest alleged violation could presumably lead to discipline for Kamara as well as the Saints.

The Saints project to have four, or possibly five, selections in the 2021 draft. Currently, they have only their first-, second-, and fourth-round picks. However, they are slated receive a pair of third-round compensatory picks for hiring Terry Fontenot and losing Teddy Bridgewater. In the coming days, the Saints could wind up losing more from their stockpile, though as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets, they are confident that Kamara did not contract COVID-19 from contact with anyone inside the team facility (though that might not really matter, as the mere presence of non-team personnel is a protocol violation).

Triplett goes on to say that New Orleans has not yet been notified of any further discipline, and that the club would appeal any such discipline if the NFL imposes it (Twitter link).

Packers To Hire Joe Barry As DC

February 6th, 2021 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers have identified Mike Pettine‘s defensive coordinator successor. They intend to hire Joe Barry, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

This will continue a busy offseason for Barry, who made a previous move in going from the Rams to the Chargers. Barry spent four seasons with the Rams, coaching with Matt LaFleur in 2017, but agreed to follow Brandon Staley to the Chargers last month. Those plans will change.

After Jim Leonhard indicated he will stay on as Wisconsin’s DC, the Packers job came down to Barry and Rams safeties coach Ejiro Evero, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. It appears Leonhard was the favorite for the position, Silverstein adds (on Twitter), with Barry and Evero being the top backup options. Both were Rams staffers from 2017-20, with Evero still on Sean McVay‘s staff. Barry previously agreed to bolt with Staley and become the Chargers’ defensive passing-game coordinator.

Barry brings defensive coordinator experience to Green Bay, but his previous units mostly struggled. Barry worked as the Lions’ DC from 2007-08. Both seasons ended with Detroit’s defense ranking last in points and yards allowed, with the second ignominiously concluding with an 0-16 record. Barry resurfaced as a coordinator in Washington from 2015-16. While both those defenses landed just inside the top 20 in points allowed, each ranked 28th in total defense. Washington fired Barry after the 2016 season.

The Rams interviewed Barry for their DC post last year, but Staley wound up landing the job. Barry will be tasked with elevating a Packers defense that has come up short in big spots in the past two postseasons. The Packers ranked first in offensive DVOA but 17th on defense. Each of Green Bay’s coordinators is now a LaFleur hire, with Pettine being held over from Mike McCarthy‘s final Packers season.

AFC Staff Notes: Steelers, Ravens, Raiders

February 6th, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

In contention for the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach position, Mike Sullivan will instead land in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are hiring the former Giants and Buccaneers offensive coordinator, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Sullivan, 53, will replace Matt Canada, who is now the Steelers’ OC. Pittsburgh’s QB coaching role grew in importance recently, with the Steelers giving Dwayne Haskins an opportunity to reboot his career. While Ben Roethlisberger is planning to return for an 18th season, Sullivan will have multiple developmental QBs — Haskins and Mason Rudolph — to mentor. Sullivan has not coached since the 2018 season, when he served as the Broncos’ QBs coach.

Here is the latest from the AFC’s coaching carousel:

  • The Ravens are adding a few staffers, including former USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin as wide receivers coach, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets. A former Heisman-winning quarterback at Tennessee, Martin has coached at the college level for the past 12 years. The former NFL quarterback has not coached at the pro level, but as wideouts coach with the Trojans and Kentucky Wildcats, Martin oversaw the development of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Michael Pittman and Randall Cobb. Baltimore will also add Jay Peterson as assistant linebackers coach, Jason Brooks as assistant D-line coach and Keith Williams as a passing-game assistant, Hensley adds. Jason Brooks is the son of ex-Ravens D-line coach Clarence Brooks.
  • Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald again passed on an NFL path, but he will poach a Raiders staffer. Las Vegas senior defensive assistant Jim O’Neil left to become Northwestern’s defensive coordinator. A defensive coordinator with the Browns and 49ers from 2014-16, O’Neil coached on Jon Gruden‘s past three Raiders staffs.
  • The Broncos will fill their defensive backs coach position by hiring former Packers assistant Christian Parker, according to the Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran (on Twitter). This will mark a big jump for Parker, who spent the 2020 season as a quality control staffer in Green Bay. Parker was DBs coach at Texas A&M previously, however. Previous Denver DBs coach Renaldo Hill left to become the Chargers’ DC.
  • New Texans DC Lovie Smith will hire his son, Miles Smith, as linebackers coach, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Miles Smith previously served under his father as the University of Illinois’ linebackers coach. The Texans will retain previous LBs coach Bobby King but move him to D-line coach.
  • The Steelers will add Chris Morgan as their assistant offensive line coach, per Dan Duggan and Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (Twitter link). Morgan, who also interviewed with the Giants this offseason, spent the past six years as the Falcons’ O-line coach.

Shane Ray Signs With Toronto Argonauts

February 6th, 2021 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former Broncos first-round pick Shane Ray will resurface in Canada. The CFL’s Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran pass rusher Saturday.

Ray has not played in a regular-season NFL game since his Broncos rookie contract expired in 2018. The Ravens signed Ray after the 2019 draft but ended up releasing him prior to the regular season, leading the Mizzou product to the in-season workout circuit. None of those auditions produced a contract.

The Broncos traded up for Ray in 2015, and he saw action for Denver’s dominant defense that season. Ray and Shaquil Barrett served as rotational rushers for the Broncos’ Super Bowl champion team, and the duo remained key Von Miller sidekicks through the 2018 season.

Ray notched eight sacks and 21 QB hits in 2016, a season in which DeMarcus Ware missed extensive time, and registered 14 sacks in four NFL slates. Barrett, however, has substantially improved his NFL standing since becoming a free agent in 2019. Ray, 27, could not find a similar launching pad but will attempt to do so in Toronto.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the CFL to cancel its 2020 season. The league is scheduled to resume play in June.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/6/21

February 6th, 2021 at 3:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest NFL minor moves:

Houston Texans

  • Signed to reserve/futures contract: OL Jordan Steckler

Kansas City Chiefs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bears, Colts Pursuing Carson Wentz; Trade Expected Soon

February 6th, 2021 at 2:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Carson Wentz is expected to have a new team soon. The disgruntled Eagles quarterback is on track to be traded within the next few days, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com report.

The Eagles are looking for a Matthew Stafford-type trade package, per the ESPN.com duo, who add the Bears and Colts have expressed interest in the five-year veteran. Other teams have inquired about Wentz as well; a trade has been brewing for a few days now.

It is not known what other teams have inquired here. Despite heading into his 13th season, Stafford brought a host of teams to the table. The Bears, Broncos, Colts, Panthers, Patriots, 49ers and Washington were in the mix for the new Rams starter. Of these teams, the Panthers and Broncos have been connected to Deshaun Watson. Wentz could prompt offers from some of these teams, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets this market may not be as fierce.

The Stafford deal did well to accelerate Wentz dialogue around the league, per Schefter and Mortensen, who add that some around the league believe a Wentz trade could lay the foundation for more QB swaps — such as a Sam Darnold deal. Several passers have been loosely linked to trades in what has become one of the hottest QB trade markets in many years.

Wentz’s 2020 performance and injury history will certainly dissuade teams from putting together a Stafford-type package, though Fowler notes the Eagles are expected to collect a first-round pick for Wentz. The North Dakota State product was dominant in 2017 (first in Total QBR prior to a December 2017 knee injury) and played well despite a decimated receiving corps in 2019.

The Colts certainly add up as a logical destination, having seen Philip Rivers retire. Frank Reich served as Wentz’s OC in Philly for two seasons, and Wentz ally Press Taylor is expected to join Indianapolis’ staff. The Bears, however, have ex-Eagles QBs coach John DeFilippo on staff. The Colts are projected to hold the second-most cap space, while the Bears are much lower on this list. Chicago will need to make moves to get under the cap, though the franchise has been in need at quarterback for far longer than Indianapolis.

The Eagles continue to insist they would be happy to keep Wentz, per ESPN, but he has not backed down from his desire to leave Philadelphia. The 28-year-old passer’s contract runs through 2024, though an acquiring team could get out of the contract after the 2022 season. Wentz is owed $47.2MM guaranteed through the ’22 season. However, none of his cap hits through 2024 would exceed $27MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

It would be the Eagles eating a sizable chunk of the former MVP candidate’s money. Philly would take on an NFL-record (by a considerable margin) $33.8MM in dead cap charges by trading Wentz. Any deal will certainly occur before the third day of the 2021 league year, when Wentz is due a $10MM roster bonus.

The Eagles have the No. 6 overall pick and appear set to have at least one other Round 1 selection and/or a Day 2 pick in this year’s draft, were they to seek an immediate upgrade on Jalen Hurts. The Eagles’ HC interviews centered around a coach who could revitalize Wentz, and a recent coaching staff meeting produced a consensus that Wentz could regain his Pro Bowl form in Philly, per Schefter and Mortensen. But it appears the Nick Sirianni hire will still precede a major quarterback change in Philadelphia.

RB Frank Gore Would Welcome 49ers Reunion

February 6th, 2021 at 12:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore seems to be keeping his options open as he considers whether to return for his 17th NFL season. However, the veteran running back made is abundantly clear that he’d delay his potential retirement if it meant he could return to the 49ers.

[RELATED: Frank Gore May Continue Playing]

“Oh, oh, I’d come back fast,” Gore said during an appearance on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “Man, I’d love to wear that No. 21 jersey one more time. If that was to happen, that would definitely be my last year, if I could come back and sign with the 49ers. I respect Jed, I respect the York family, I respect Kyle, I feel like one of the best play callers in the game right now . . . You gotta tell Jed and Kyle, just bring me back.”

Gore, a third-round pick in the 2005 draft, spent the first 10 seasons of his career in San Francisco, earning five Pro Bowl appearance and a second-team All-Pro nod. Gore has a considerable lead on the team’s all-time rushing record (11,073), but he’s four touchdowns behind Joe Perry for the 49ers all-time rushing touchdown record.

Following a three-year stint with the Colts, Gore has spent the past three years touring the AFC East, spending time with the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets. The 37-year-old started 14 of his 15 games for New York in 2020, collecting 742 yards from scrimmage and a pair of offensive touchdowns.

Gore’s iron-man approach and veteran savviness would be welcomed by many squads, but the 49ers could theoretically have an open spot on their depth chart. Both Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon are set to hit free agency, meaning the front office could be looking for depth behind leftovers Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.

Kirk Cousins, Mike Zimmer Discuss QB’s Future

February 6th, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Ben Levine

The quarterbacks carousel is already spinning, but it sounds like one name may not be involved in the trade chatter. During an appearance on NFL Network, Vikings head coach offered some rare praise for quarterback Kirk Cousins.

“Kirk’s our guy,” Zimmer said (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “You know, he had a terrific year this year. We were fourth in the league on offense. We have to get better on defense — we had a lot of injuries and young guys — that’s my job to get it fixed.”

As Patra notes, Zimmer has traditionally been “vague and cantankerous” when discussing his franchise signal-caller, so this is an interesting pivot. While Cousins hasn’t been roped into trade rumors by any reputable sources, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com threw some fuel on the fire when he examined the intricacies of a hypothetical Cousins trade earlier this week.

As Florio writes, if the Vikings were to move on from Cousins, they’d presumably be eyeing one of the few potential upgrades at the position. Alternatively, the organization could look to move on from the $56MM remaining on his deal, including a $35MM base salary for 2022 that becomes fully guaranteed in mid-March. After signing a two-year extension last offseason, the two sides could work on a new deal to save the organization same cash. For what it’s worth, Cousins recently told Florio that he’d be open to sticking around Minnesota beyond 2022.

“Honestly, I just signed the extension last offseason and it really doesn’t kick in ’til this coming year,” Cousins said. “It’s a two-year deal. Those two years begin with 2021. . . . I think it’s more about going out there next season and the year after that and playing at a high enough level that would justify being able to do another deal beyond that. That’s really where my focus is. As I said earlier, would like to be a Viking for the remainder of my career. I’ve got to play well enough to make that happen.”

While Minnesota struggled a bit in 2020, it wasn’t because of a lack of production from their quarterback position, as Cousins tossed a career-high 35 touchdowns.

Chiefs C Daniel Kilgore Cleared To Play In Super Bowl

February 6th, 2021 at 11:02am CST by Ben Levine

Daniel Kilgore is back on track to appear in Super Bowl LV. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs center has been cleared to play on Sunday. The player will presumably be activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list this afternoon.

Kilgore, along with wideout Demarcus Robinson, received haircuts last weekend from a barber who tested positive. The veteran offensive lineman spent the past week sitting on the reserve list, but he consistently tested negative throughout the week. After completing his five-day clearance period, Kilgore will be able to travel with his team to Tampa Bay today.

Kilgore, 33, caught on with the Chiefs late in the preseason. He started three games for Kansas City between Week 6 and Week 8, but he only appeared in three more regular season games the rest of the way, with two of those outings seeing him collect a total of only five offensive snaps. Kilgore appeared in the Chiefs’ win over the Bills in the AFC Championship, playing on six special teams snaps.

With Robinson and Kilgore off the reserve list, it’s looking like no players will have to miss the Super Bowl due to COVID-19 concerns. Rapoport tweets that both the Chiefs and Buccaneers have exclusively returned negative tests this week.

Wisconsin’s Jim Leonhard Won’t Accept Packers DC Job

February 6th, 2021 at 9:50am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Jim Leonhard was offered the Packers defensive coordinator gig, but the veteran coach decided to stick with Wisconsin. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic tweets that Leonhard informed the Packers last night that he won’t accept their defensive coordinator job.

Wisconsin State Journal reporter Tom Oates tweets that Leonhard met with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur via Zoom on Tuesday and in-person on Thursday. After careful consideration, Leonhard determined that “his heart was at UW and in college coaching at this time,” and he ended up rejecting Green Bay’s apparent offer (via Oates).

“It was me choosing UW,” Leonhard told Oates (Twitter link). “I want to stay at UW. I want to be at this level right now. Extremely flattered. Awesome opportunity. But it was not the right time for me to go back to the NFL.”

Following a 10-year playing career, Leonhard joined the Wisconsin coaching staff in 2016. After initially serving as a defensive backs coach, the Wisconsin alumni was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. During his first season in his new role, Leonhard was nominated for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the top assistants in the country. Under Leonhard’s watch, Wisconsin has deployed a top-10 scoring defense in three of the past four seasons.

With the 38-year-old Leonhard out of the picture, the Packers will shift focus to one of their many other candidates. We learned this week that LaFleur was set to interview a long list of names as potential replacements for Mike Pettine, including Dolphins DC Matt Burke, Browns defensive line coach Chris Kiffin, Saints D-line coach Ryan Nielsen and Packers secondary coach Jerry Gray. The team has also interviewed Chargers passing-game coordinator Joe Barry, Washington secondary coach Chris Harris and Rams safeties coach Ejiro Evero, along with Bob Sutton and Kris Richard (who have since found gigs elsewhere).

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