2022 February - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

Latest On Packers, Aaron Rodgers

February 25th, 2022 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

FRIDAY: Rodgers has certainly made himself far more accessible since his 2021 holdout ended; his latest comments attempted to refute the report he wants $50MM per year. The four-time MVP called reports he wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid player by a wide margin “categorically false,” via Pat McAfee (video link).

While Rodgers has a case for such a salary, given his accomplishments since signing his current deal in 2018, a market-resetting pact would affect the Packers or another team’s ability to build a championship contender around him. In Rodgers’ defense, he insisted his 2021 holdout was not about money and stuck to his guns by playing last season on a deal that Mahomes and other younger passers have since surpassed. A contract adjustment will almost certainly be necessary for Rodgers to stay in Green Bay; his 2022 cap number surges to $46.7MM.

THURSDAY: The Packers hope they will have Aaron Rodgers back next season, and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes the sides have been communicating (video link). Rodgers and the team have discussed his contract, Demovsky adds, as they navigate a complex cap situation.

Similar to Rodgers’ 2018 negotiations, keeping the future first-ballot Hall of Famer around would mean making him the NFL’s highest-paid player. Rodgers is believed to be targeting a deal that makes him the league’s highest-paid player by a wide margin, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast (video link), mentioning $50MM per year as a relevant number here.

While this would be a monster number and represent a seismic increase in quarterback salaries over the past two years, Rodgers is now negotiating with back-to-back MVPs on his resume. The quarterback market was at $35MM (Russell Wilson) as of summer 2020, and Patrick Mahomes reached $45MM on average because he agreed to a 10-year extension. Rodgers’ age stands to limit the length of his next contract, so a deal worth $50MM or close to it on average would be a more player-friendly agreement than the one Mahomes landed.

Following Mahomes’ pact, Dak Prescott and Josh Allen each scored deals at or north of $40MM AAV. Allen got to $43MM but did so on a six-year deal. Although a Rodgers extension would be vital for the Packers’ 2022 cap situation, as they are still nearly $40MM over without factoring in a Davante Adams franchise tag, this would be a tremendous markup from the superstar QB’s current $33.5MM extension. When Rodgers agreed to that extension in August 2018, the NFL was barely a year removed from having its first $25MM-per-year player (Derek Carr).

The obvious wrinkle interfering with the Packers authorizing a record Rodgers extension remains. He has not informed the Packers he wants to stay in Green Bay, and Russini reports multiple teams have sent the Packers offers (Twitter link). Rodgers does intend to inform the Pack of his decision soon, Russini adds, but with the franchise tag window having opened this week, the situation has moved into crunch time for the team.

The Broncos have been the team most closely connected to a Rodgers pursuit. They were on Rodgers’ destination list last year. It would be surprising if the Packers sent Rodgers to an NFC team, but that does not stop NFC franchises from sending over proposals. The Panthers and Commanders have been linked to QB pursuits. Should Rodgers have a new employer soon, that team would need to authorize this record-setting extension. Of course, Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday he did not promise to trade Rodgers in the event of a request. That could be a rather notable hurdle here, should Rodgers inform the Packers he wants out.

49ers In Discussions With Raheem Mostert

February 25th, 2022 at 4:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Peaking with one of the signature rushing performances in NFL playoff history, Raheem Mostert‘s 49ers career moved from special teams duty to starter work during the team’s NFC championship season in 2019. However, injuries largely limited the elusive back over the past two years.

But the 49ers still have Mostert on their radar. The team remains interested in re-signing the veteran back, according to his agent, who adds (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan) he and the 49ers have held discussions. Mostert, 30 in April, is set for unrestricted free agency next month.

Mostert would be an interesting addition, given his rampant injury trouble since September 2020, but those setbacks would make the speedy back a low-cost signing. The 49ers used Mostert as their Week 1 starter in each of the past two years, but he missed 24 games in those seasons. Ankle and knee problems limited Mostert, who led the 2019 49ers with 772 rushing yards (5.6 per carry) and added 220 more in a four-touchdown showing against the Packers in that season’s NFC title game.

Following that season, Mostert and the 49ers went through some turbulence. The ex-special-teamer requested a trade after extension talks stalled. The sides ended up agreeing on a restructured deal in the summer of 2020, however.

Mostert’s latest knee issue led to him waiting for an organ donor before surgery could commence, Chan notes. The former UDFA went down in Week 1 in Detroit. Mostert’s return would almost certainly be contingent on a reduced role, if only to give him a better chance of making it through a season.

San Francisco shifted away from free agent backs this season, seeing Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman‘s contracts come off their books. The 49ers relied on sixth-round rookie Elijah Mitchell, despite drafting Trey Sermon in Round 3, but saw Mitchell run into injury trouble at multiple points. Mitchell backup Jeff Wilson joins Mostert in being ticketed for free agency.

Colts Considering Reggie Wayne For Assistant Job

February 25th, 2022 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts have been busy adding familiar faces to their coaching staff this week, bringing in ex-Indianapolis starters Cato June and Mike Mitchell as defensive assistants. They are moving toward hiring a bigger name.

Reggie Wayne is now on Frank Reich‘s radar. The decorated ex-Colts receiver is being strongly considered for the team’s receivers coach role, Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets. While such an addition is not expected to be finalized for a bit, CBS4’s Mike Chappell notes the parties have been in discussions for a few weeks (Twitter link).

One of the longest-tenured players in Colts history, Wayne was with the franchise for 14 seasons and made the Pro Bowl in six of those. Wayne, 43, played only for the Colts, though he did sign with the Patriots in 2015. Wayne ended up wrapping his career in early 2016, after not playing in 2015. Reich was with the Colts for six seasons during Wayne’s career and worked directly with the standout receiver in 2011, when the current Indianapolis HC was the team’s wideouts coach.

This would be Wayne’s first full-time coaching gig. The Colts are looking to replace Mike Groh, who is now the Giants’ wideouts coach. The former Eagles offensive coordinator spent the past two seasons with the Colts. Should Indianapolis hire Wayne, he will likely be set to coach some new additions to a receiving corps in need of complementary pieces around Michael Pittman. Zach Pascal and ex-Wayne teammate T.Y. Hilton are set for free agency.

Chiefs Hire Matt Nagy As QBs Coach

February 25th, 2022 at 1:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

One day after the Bears’ former general manager found a new home, their ex-head coach has landed his next NFL job. The Chiefs have hired Matt Nagy as their new quarterbacks coach, adding the title of senior offensive assistant, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The move marks a reunion for Nagy and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. The pair worked together with the Eagles, as Nagy began his coaching carer in Philadelphia immediately after his playing days were over. Reid brought Nagy onto his Chiefs staff as well, hiring him to be the team’s QBs coach in 2013, a position he held for three seasons.

Nagy then got promoted to OC, the role he had for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The latter campaign saw the Chiefs transition from Alex Smith to Patrick Mahomes as their starting QB, so there will be a degree of familiarity on that front for Nagy.

The 43-year-old’s success in Kansas City got him his first HC gig with the Bears. After winning Coach of the Year in his first season, though, things started to go south. A 12-4, division-winning campaign was followed up by consecutive 8-8 seasons, as it became clear that Mitch Trubisky would not be the franchise signal caller he was drafted to be. The 2021 campaign, which saw the team go 6-11 and featured an underwhelming rookie season for Justin Fields, led to an increasing amount of blame for the offense’s struggles being shouldered by Nagy, who was fired at the end of the year.

Interestingly, Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that Nagy “had several coaching opportunities with similar titles”. He adds that Nagy “was passionate about getting back into coaching” right away, leaving Kansas City as the most logical location for him to do so. He will replace Mike Kafka, who was hired to be the new OC for the Giants earlier this month.

NFC Coaching Notes: Vikings, 49ers, Rams, Falcons

February 25th, 2022 at 1:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings have already provided new head coach Kevin O’Connell with an experienced defensive coordinator in Ed Donatell. They are moving towards adding another veteran defensive mind, as Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that they are expected to hire Greg Manusky as their new linebackers coach.

Manusky, 55, was most recently a defensive quality control assistant at Kentucky, a post he’d held for two seasons. Before that, though, he had spent two decades on NFL sidelines. Two years after his playing days were over, he joined Washington’s staff in the same LBs coach role he is set to take on again. He held that same title in San Diego for five years, which set him up for his first defensive coordinator position.

Manusky took over as the 49ers’ DC in 2007, and remained there until he returned to the Chargers to call their defense for one season. His third DC post came with the Colts, spanning another four years. Not long after he returned to Washington as their OLBs coach, he was promoted to DC in 2017, staying there for three campaigns.

Here are some other coaching notes from the NFC:

Sticking with Kentucky, the Wildcats are hiring 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello to be their new offensive coordinator (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). That role opened up when Liam Coen took the Rams’ OC job earlier this week. The news continues a significant exodus of coaches from Kyle Shanahan’s staff this offseason, the most notable being former OC Mike McDaniel becoming the new HC of the Dolphins.
The Rams are keeping a key member of their defensive staff in place. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets that defensive line coach Eric Henderson has been extended. His contract was set to expire at the end of the 2022 season, but he will be staying put in L.A., keeping one of the league’s best at that position group in place.
Lastly, Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo reports that Shawn Flaherty is joining the Falcons’ staff (Twitter link). The son of Pat Flaherty, he had spent the first three years of his NFL coaching career as an assistant o-line coach in Miami.

Packers Want To Keep De’Vondre Campbell, Rasul Douglas

February 25th, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Two names are at the center of the Packers’ offseason: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. While it’s certainly understandable why that’s the case, there are several other big decisions the team needs to make regardless of what happens with that pair. Two such examples are pending free agents De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas.

When speaking with the media, general manager Brian Gutekunst made it clear he wants both players back in Green Bay. Campbell signed with the Packers last June, reuniting him with head coach Matt Lafleur, dating back to their time together in Atlanta. The 28-year-old was brought in to provide a veteran presence in the absence of Chrsitian Kirksey, paving the way for a career year.

Campbell made 146 tackles, to go along with two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions in 16 games this year. Those numbers earned him First-Team All-Pro honors for the first time in his six-year career. “The season he had, I’m so impressed with the person and the player, and he just made a world of difference for the defense”, Gutekunst said. He added that the team is “very optimistic and hopeful to get him back into the fold”.

As for Douglas, he may have found a home after five NFL stops in the past three years. Despite not joining the team until October (as a fill-in for the injured Jaire Alexander), he led the Packers in interceptions with five, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The 27-year-old also registered 57 total tackles, and put up career-best numbers in pass coverage, allowing only a 44.5 opposing passer rating.

Douglas has let it be known he is open to a new deal in Green Bay, something which the team is also amenable to. Gutekunst said, “to predict what he was able to do for us, I’d be lying to you if I thought he was going to come here… and impact our team the way he did”.

Both players have certainly earned raises over the figures they played on in 2021, which complicates Green Bay’s situation. Despite recent restructures with Kenny Clark and Aaron Jones, they are still well over the cap, and seemingly no closer to permanent deals with either Rodgers or Adams. If they are able to keep Campbell and Douglas, though, their defense would be well positioned to repeat its top-ten performance from 2021.

Texans Looking To Trade Out Of No. 3 Pick?

February 25th, 2022 at 10:54am CST by Adam La Rose

With a new head coach and, seemingly, a quarterback successor to Deshaun Watson in place, the Texans could be set up to begin moving forward in a new direction. Acquiring draft capital will be central to their offseason plans, which could include, as ESPN’s Sarah Barshop writes, trading out of the third-overall pick in this April’s draft.

At the start of the offseason, Barshop notes, Texans GM Nick Caserio “hinted” that the team could trade out of the No. 3 slot to add more picks. In a year without sure-fire prospects at the top of the board, not to mention the numerous holes on the roster of a team that has posted four wins in each of the last two seasons, a case could certainly be made in favor of moving down.

If things go according to plan, the Texans will have dealt Watson by the time the draft begins. New head coach Lovie Smith made it clear the team intends to move the 26-year-old before the start of the new league year. He has also publicly supported third-round rookie QB Davis Mills, who is likely to be the team’s starter heading into the 2022 campaign. The Watson situation is still centered around the civil suit against him, tough, delays in which could push any resolution deeper into the offseason.

Of course, any Watson trade would likely land the Texans significant draft capital. The same could hold true, as Barshop adds, if the team were to deal veterans such as left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wideout Brandin Cooks in the name of getting younger and less expensive as a team. If the organization wants to fully commit in that direction, one key element will be their decision with that top pick.

Bengals Eyeing C Bradley Bozeman In Free Agency?

February 25th, 2022 at 9:55am CST by Adam La Rose

It’s no secret that the Bengals will be aiming to upgrade their offensive line this offseason. It appears one of their targets could be Ravens center Bradley Bozeman, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network (Twitter link).

Wilson notes that Cincinnati is one of “multiple NFL teams” that could be in competition for Bozeman if he reaches the open market. The 27-year-old’s rookie deal is set to expire in March, which has him well positioned to cash in this offseason.

A two-time national champion with Alabama, Bozeman was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2018. He established himself as a full-time starter in 2019, the first of two straight campaigns occupying the left guard spot. He shifted to his natural center position this past year, and delivered the best play of his career to date. In 16 games, he committed one penalty and surrendered three sacks according to PFF, which assigned him an overall grade of 73.3.

The Bengals ranked third in the league with 55 sacks allowed; while the Ravens were actually one of the two teams above them on that list, Bozeman could still represent a consistent presence along the interior. Current Bengals starter Trey Hopkins is 30, and has one year remaining on his current contract with a scheduled cap hit of $7.1MM. Releasing him would save Cincinnati just under $6MM, clearing up room to go after Bozeman, or perhaps fellow center Ryan Jensen.

While Bozeman isn’t likely to command the type of contract that Jensen will, he is younger and should have plenty of free agent suitors. The Ravens, for their part, have expressed a desire to re-sign him, as part of their general aim to bolster the offensive front. They are facing a tight salary cap situation, tough, and also have fellow 2018 draftee DeShon Elliott to re-sign, not to mention a long-term deal to be worked out with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Panthers Re-Sign TE Ian Thomas

February 25th, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers have re-upped another one of their pending free agents. Per a team announcement, they have re-signed TE Ian Thomas to a three-year deal. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that the contract is worth a total of $16.95MM, with $8MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link).

Thomas’ rookie contract was set to expire, but he will now stay put in Carolina. A former fourth round pick, his rookie campaign was the most productive, as he totalled 36 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Since then, though, it has become clear that blocking is his forte.

In the the past three years, the 25-year-old hasn’t topped 20 receptions or 188 yards. His work as a blocker has made up for that, earning him a snap rate of over 60% for each of the past two seasons. Durability hasn’t been an issue, either, as he has yet to miss a game in his career. With new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, Thomas and 2021 rookie Tommy Tremble could be in line for an increased workload.

The new deal puts Thomas in the neighborhood of other highly-regarded blocking tight ends. Last season, for instance, the Ravens gave Nick Boyle a two-year, $13MM contract. The $5.65MM annual average makes Thomas’s deal the largest of the three taken care of by the Panthers so far, the other two being linebacker Frankie Luvu and long snapper J.J. Jansen.

Coaching Notes: Ravens, Colts, Bills, Browns

February 24th, 2022 at 10:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Ken Norton Jr. is heading to the NCAA. The long-time coach is expected to join UCLA as their new linebackers coach, reports Bruce Feldman of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Norton Jr. started his coaching career with USC, but he’s been in the NFL since 2010. After winning three Super Bowl rings as a player, Norton Jr. added another championship to his resume as the Seahawks linebackers coach. After five seasons in Seattle, Norton Jr. was defensive coordinator for three years with the Raiders and four years with the Seahawks (second stint).

Norton Jr. was let go by Seattle following the 2021 campaign. Now, he’ll be joining Chip Kelly’s staff in Los Angeles.

More coaching notes:

The Ravens announced that they’ve officially promoted Anthony Weaver to be their assistant head coach/defensive line coach. Weaver had a long coaching stint with the Texans, culminating in him serving as their defensive coordinator in 2020. The 41-year-old joined the Ravens last year as their defensive line coach/run game coordinator.
Former NFL safety Mike Mitchell is joining the Colts staff as an assistant secondary coach, according to Stephen Holder of The Athletic (on Twitter). Mitchell had a 10-year playing career, including a one-year stint with Indianapolis. The Colts are also hiring Nate Ollie as their defensive line coach, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). Following two seasons with the Eagles, Ollie spent last season as the Jets assistant defensive line coach.
Bills secondary coach John Butler got a promotion, adding the role of defensive passing game coordinator to his title, according to Wilson. The veteran has spent the past four seasons as the secondary coach in Buffalo. The Bills also confirmed a number of additional hires, including Kyle Shurmur (defensive quality control coach), Nick Lacy (strength and conditioning assistant coach), Marcus West (assistant defensive line coach), Jaylon Finner (defensive quality control coach), Cory Harkey (assistant special teams coach), and Austin Gund (fellowship coach).
The Browns are expected to promote offensive assistant T.C. McCartney to tight ends coach, according to Wilson (on Twitter). The 32-year-old has bounced around the NFL a bit during his coaching journey. After spending the 2019 campaign as the Broncos quarterbacks coach, McCartney spent the 2020 season as an offensive assistant on the Browns.

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