HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/19/22

January 19th, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of Wednesday’s reserve/futures deals here:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

  • CB Lamar Jackson

Cleveland Browns

  • RB John Kelly Jr.

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Seahawks Request To Interview Bears DC Sean Desai

January 19th, 2022 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have requested an interview with Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic (Twitter link). If the request is granted, Desai will have a chance to take over for Ken Norton, who will be let go this week.

[RELATED: Seahawks To Part Ways With DC Ken Norton]

Desai, 38, has been with Chicago since 2013. The Bears promoted Desai to DC last February, handing him the keys to a talented, yet underperforming, unit.

“I’m not a big car guy, so my analogies may not be great, but this is like a tune up,” Desai said at the time. “We’re going to refine some things and we’re going to make sure our players are playing to their strengths on a consistent basis and they’re going to buy into the system and the whys and the hows of why we’re doing certain things. But we’ve got a good defense. We’ve got really good players here.”

Unfortunately, Desai got something of a lemon. Injuries to standouts like Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks left the Bears with a severely weakened pass rush, though Desai is credited with keeping things afloat throughout the year.

In addition to Desai, the Seahawks are also considering Ed Donatell, another product of the Vic Fangio coaching tree.

Raiders To Interview Champ Kelly

January 19th, 2022 at 8:41am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are set to interview Champ Kelly for their GM vacancy on Thursday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Bears’ assistant director of player personnel joins Bengals scout Trey Brown, Colts vice president of player personnel Ed Dodds, and Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler on Las Vegas’ interview list.

[RELATED: Raiders Request GM Interview With Bengals’ Trey Brown]

Kelly began his career with the Broncos and has been with the Bears since 2015, the start of Ryan Pace‘s tenure as GM. The Bears have since parted ways with Pace, but they still held Kelly in high regard, interviewing him for their own vacancy last week. The Broncos and Panthers also looked at Kelly last year, before before hiring George Paton and Scott Fitterer, respectively. And, in 2019, the Jets met with Kelly before going with Joe Douglas.

Ziegler, meanwhile, is set to interview on Friday. His CV includes nine years with the Pats plus time with the Broncos.

Pep Hamilton Expected To Pass On Panthers OC Interview, In Play For Texans’ OC Role

January 18th, 2022 at 10:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Expanding their search to include some former head coaches, the Panthers are not expected to meet with one of their preferred candidates. Texans quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton is expected to pass on an interview with the Matt Rhule-led team, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 tweets.

The former Colts OC might have another option. Despite the Texans axing David Culley and OC Tim Kelly, Hamilton remains on the radar to rise to the offensive coordinator role under the next Houston head coach, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets.

This would certainly be an interesting move, as head coaches frequently bring in their own OCs. It is not known if the Texans would insist their next coach keep Hamilton on staff, but Wilson adds that the veteran NFL assistant looms as a “strong” in-house replacement option. Hamilton has no history with the Patriots, making 2021 his first season under GM Nick Caserio.

It would make sense to keep a familiar voice on staff for Davis Mills, who showed considerable progress once named the team’s full-time starter in December. Although the Texans’ offense ranked 30th this season — featuring evolving skill-position personnel and Laremy Tunsil missing most of the year — Mills rebounded after a difficult start, steering the team to an upset win over the Chargers and finishing the season with a three-touchdown, no-interception game in a narrow loss to the Titans.

The Texans are looking for an offensive coordinator for the first time in three years. They promoted from within previously, elevating Kelly to the role in 2019. Kelly, however, had an extensive history under then-HC Bill O’Brien. Hamilton, 47, has been with five teams — the Browns, Michigan, the XFL’s D.C. Defenders, the Chargers and Texans — since his three-year Colts OC run ended after the 2015 season. Hamilton mentored Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert in 2020. The Panthers have interviewed seven candidates, including former HCs Jay Gruden and Ben McAdoo, for their OC position.

Nick Caserio: Deshaun Watson Likely Done With Texans

January 18th, 2022 at 9:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans may well have Brian Flores positioned as the favorite to succeed David Culley, and some buzz about Deshaun Watson‘s interest in playing for Flores reopened the door to the Pro Bowl quarterback suiting up for the Texans again.

Nick Caserio did his best to shoot that down Tuesday. The second-year Texans GM said, during an appearance on SportsRadio 610 (via the Houston Chronicle), Watson playing for Houston again “more than likely” will not happen.

Watson made a trade request nearly a year ago, after reports indicated the Texans did not include the quarterback in their GM and head coach searches. While the Texans resisted trade overtures for a while, they did engage in talks ahead of the deadline. Watson remains a Texan, but that is unlikely to be the case for too much longer.

Not much has transpired with Watson’s criminal investigation and civil suits in connection with the 22 women who have accused him of sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct. That still puts the 26-year-old passer’s future in question. A suspension remains expected. The uncertainty regarding Watson’s availability has clouded his trade market for several months, though it figures to heat up again soon. Watson’s deposition in the civil case is set for next month.

Despite Stephen Ross being the power broker most closely connected to Watson interest ahead of last year’s deadline, the Dolphins have attempted to distance themselves from the embattled quarterback post-Flores. They are believed to be committed to Tua Tagovailoa for next season. Flores and Watson have been connected to teaming up with the Giants, but many changes would need to ensue to make that a realistic possibility.

Watson was not believed to have waived his no-trade clause for anyone but the Dolphins, but now that the landscape has shifted, it will be interesting to see if he would open the door to more destinations. The Panthers certainly come to mind as a prospective suitor, given their interest (before the off-field turmoil) last year. The Eagles were on the radar at the deadline as well.

The Texans saw Davis Mills show improvement down the stretch. The third-round pick ended his season ranking behind only Mac Jones in QBR among rookies. The rebuilding Texans will likely give Mills more time.

NFL Reserve/COVID-19 List Updates: 1/18/22

January 18th, 2022 at 9:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s reserve/COVID-19 list additions and subtractions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Eli Ankou

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

  • Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: FB Josh Hokit

 

Bengals Cut G Xavier Su’a-Filo

January 18th, 2022 at 8:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Xavier Su’a-Filo began the season as a Bengals starting guard but spent most of the year on IR. A day after activating him from their injured list, the Bengals cut the veteran offensive lineman.

Though the Bengals could end up bringing Su’a-Filo back, perhaps via a practice squad agreement, the former second-round pick is off the roster after being signed in 2020 to start.

The former Texans second-round pick signed a two-year, $9MM deal with the Bengals. Injuries, however, have plagued the UCLA alum. Su’a-Filo missed the Bengals’ final 15 regular-season games due to a knee injury, one that also kept him out of the team’s wild-card game. In 2020, Su’a-Filo missed 10 games after opening the year as a starter. A career 41-game starter, the 31-year-old lineman has started seven games over the past two seasons in Cincy.

The Bengals have moved to 2020 sixth-round pick Hakeem Adeniji as their guard starter opposite Quinton Spain. Adeniji has started over second-round rookie Jackson Carman, who was given the first crack at replacing Su’a-Filo this season.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/18/22

January 18th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures deals:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Matt Eberflus Set For Second Jags Interview

January 18th, 2022 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two teams have Matt Eberflus in their respective coaching searches, at present, though that list could expand. The Jaguars are strongly considering the Colts’ defensive coordinator, however.

Eberflus will receive a second interview with the Jaguars on Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The four-year Indianapolis DC is the first candidate Jacksonville will interview a second time.

The Jags are plenty familiar with Eberflus, having played his defenses eight times since he took over the Colts’ unit. Brought to Indy during Josh McDaniels‘ brief time assembling a staff for a Colts job the Patriots staffer ended up declining at the 11th hour, Eberflus has overseen top-10 scoring defenses in three of his four years. Eberflus, 51, skipped the in-season virtual interview with the Jags but has moved forward in this process since the season ended.

The former Cowboys assistant has seen his name surface in a few HC searches in recent years. The Bears interviewed him for their vacancy Monday, and the Texans, Jets and Chargers met with him last year. As for where the Jags stand, here is how their interview process is shaping up as of Tuesday night:

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