HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Bears To Release DE Al-Quadin Muhammad

February 17th, 2023 at 7:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears enter the 2023 offseason with by far the most spending power in the league, but they have made a move which frees up even more cap space. Chicago is releasing edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

The 27-year-old was a draft pick of the Saints in 2017, but only spent one season there. His most productive campaigns came in Indianapolis, where he took on a larger role in the team’s defense over the course of four straight years. His improvement was reflected by five combined sacks in 2019 and 2020. That made him a logical candidate for a new deal at the expiration of his rookie contract.

Muhammad did ink a one-year pact to stay with the Colts in March 2021. That deal had a $3.4MM value, and allowed him to take on a full-time starting role for the first time in his career. He responded by setting new personal marks in sacks (six) and tackles (48), positioning him for another notable contract on the open market. With ex-Colts DC Matt Eberflus taking the head coaching position in Chicago, it came as little surprise that Muhammad followed him to the Windy City.

The former sixth-rounder signed a two-year, $8MM deal with the Bears last offseason. That came with significant expectations, but he fell short of them. Muhammad registered just one sack this year, totaling 19 QB pressures (compared to 37 the season before). That opened the door to the Bears cutting ties with him despite being on the books for 2023 at a cap hit of only $4.4MM.

This release will save Chicago just under $4MM in cap space. The Bears already had over $90MM in available funds heading into free agency, in no small part due to the cost-shedding moves made by general manager Ryan Poles. Those include the trade sending Khalil Mack to the Chargers last March, and the one which saw Robert Quinn dealt to the Eagles midseason. Now, another veteran on the edge will need replacing in the coming months as the Bears look to re-tool their pass rush.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/17/23

February 17th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints 

Anderson has signed a two-year deal, per the Bills’ announcement of the move. The 26-year-old joined the Chiefs in 2021, and made a total of seven appearances across the past two seasons, only seeing action on special teams.

The fact that the Vikings re-signed pending ERFAs Brandel and Tonga this early speaks to how highly they are valued by the organization. Brandel filled in for Christian Darrisaw at left tackle when the latter was concussed, while Tonga logged two starts and a 36% snap share in 2022. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that each signed a one-year deal at $940K, which would have been their tender amounts.

Kirkwood, 28, was set to hit the open market in March but the Saints will have him place for the 2023 season. Originally signed by New Orleans as a UDFA in 2018, he returned to the Saints this past season after a pair of campaigns with the Panthers. He recorded only two catches, but saw an offensive snap share of 46%.

Commanders Hire Eric Bieniemy As OC

February 17th, 2023 at 4:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:10pm: Schefter tweets that the deal is now official. He adds, unsurprisingly, that Bieniemy’s new job title will be accompanied by a raise in terms of annual compensation compared to what he had been earning during his time in Kansas City.

4:12pm: A deal between the Commanders and Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy appears to be in place. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that the parties have agreed on a multi-year pact which will see him become the new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in Washington.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that the Commanders are aiming to have a deal formally in place by tomorrow (Twitter link). Assuming that happens, it will officially mark the end of a courtship which increasingly pointed to a move from Kansas City to the nation’s capital in recent days. Pelissero notes that the Super Bowl champions preferred to keep Bieniemy in place, but they will now look elsewhere to fill a major vacancy.

Bieniemy, 53, has been connected to several head coaching positions in recent years, as his role in shaping the Chiefs’ elite offense has been noted. His lack of opportunities has led to widespread criticism, but now he will take on an OC role featuring complete control of an offense for the first time. Much will therefore be learned about his abilities in what is an increased capacity, though the Commanders represent a far different situation to the one in Kansas City.

Washington led the NFL in time of possession last season, but put up below-average numbers in several other offensive categories. That was caused in no small part by their poor QB play, a mark of their continued inability to find a long-term solution under center. Their latest attempt was the trade acquisition of Carson Wentz, but he was relegated to backup duty by the end of the season, one in which the team went 8-8-1. Rookie Sam Howell has since been named the starter heading into 2023.

The fifth-rounder attempted just 19 regular season passes, so to call him a stark contrast from two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in terms of pedigree would be a massive understatement. Bieniemy will still have a veteran head coach alongside him on the sidelines in Ron Rivera, though whispers have picked up that he could be on the hot seat next year.

With a Bieniemy move seemingly likely, it came out earlier today that QBs coach Matt Nagy is the name to watch for a promotion to the OC role. Nagy flamed out as head coach of the Bears, but a second OC posting in Kansas City for 2023 could help him rebuild his stock. Head coach Andy Reid has been a play-caller with the Chiefs during Bieniemy’s tenure, clouding the latter’s importance to the unit. It will be worth watching how much that dynamic changes if Nagy is tapped as Bieniemy’s replacement.

With Bieniemy set to head to the nation’s capital, here is the final breakdown of the Commanders’ OC search:

Panthers Hire Thomas Brown As OC

February 17th, 2023 at 3:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Frank Reich‘s Panthers staff continues to see notable additions being made. Carolina is set to hire Rams assistant head coach Thomas Brown as their new offensive coordinator, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). A team announcement has confirmed the news.

The two parties are currently working out the final details of an agreement for the position, Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets. This comes not long after Brown conducted a second interview with the Panthers, and will put him in place for a jump in role but also a move to a different NFL team for the first time in his coaching career at the pro level.

Brown, 36, first joined Sean McVay‘s staff in 2020. He served as the team’s running backs coach that year, but had assistant head coach added to his title the following season. This past campaign saw him work with Los Angeles’ tight ends as the Rams have endured a number of departures on their staff in recent years. Brown had established himself as a key McVay staffer, though, and his loss will certainly be felt.

The Rams lost Liam Coen to Kentucky at the end of the 2022 season, and quickly pivoted to Mike LaFleur as his replacement for the role of offensive coordinator. Brown was mentioned as a potential in-house candidate for the position, but did not take part in a known interview. He also received interest from Arizona State for their head coaching vacancy, but will now take on a coordinator position for the first time since he worked at the college level.

The only other candidate connected to Carolina’s OC gig was Jim Bob Cooter, so it comes as little surprise that Reich has landed Brown just after their second sit-down. The latter’s hire marks another highly-acclaimed staffer who is headed to Charlotte. Reich has made a slew of moves not long after coming aboard as the team’s head coach, including new additions for both the offensive and defensive coordinator spots.

Ejiro Evero is in place as the Panthers’ DC, a move which came after he enjoyed a successful first season in Denver at the helm of the Broncos’ defense. That will make he and Brown a relatively inexperienced coordinator tandem, but Reich has added plenty of veteran staffers as well recently. That includes Dom Capers coming aboard as a senior assistant, something which represents a full-circle transaction of sorts given his and Reich’s shared history during the early days of the franchise.

Brown will inherit an offense which will also have former Colts OC Parks Frazier on hand. The Panthers struggled outside of the running game last season, and their QB situation very much remains up in the air. It has also not been confirmed whether or not Reich will call plays, though Brown’s status as a rookie coordinator certainly points to that setup being likely. In any event, Brown will have a key role in helping a celebrated staff craft a step forward in Carolina in 2023.

Eagles Request DC Interview With Sean Desai

February 17th, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the most sought-after defensive minds in this year’s coaching cycle is receiving interest from the latest team to find itself in need of a new defensive coordinator. The Eagles have requested a DC interview with Seahawks defensive assistant Sean Desai, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Brian Johnson On Track To Become Eagles OC]

The Eagles enjoyed plenty of success on defense in 2022 under Jonathan Gannon, but he emerged as a serious contender for the Cardinals’ head coaching vacancy just before the Super Bowl. Hours after Philadelphia lost OC Shane Steichen, Gannon took the HC position in Arizona, leaving the NFC champions in need of a new DC. Their search on the latter front has been expected to involve outside candidates to a greater degree than their one on the offensive side of the ball.

That will include Desai, 39, who worked this past season under the title of associate head coach in Seattle. His Seahawks posting came after a nine-year stint in Chicago, where he began his coaching career at the pro level. That included a one-and-done campaign as the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2021, which helped elevate his stock in league circles. His interview schedule this offseason confirms his ascent in that regard.

Desai met with the Broncos, Dolphins and Vikings last month, taking himself out of consideration for the latter DC vacancy. Miami and Minnesota have landed their new coordinators, but Denver joins Arizona and Philadelphia as teams still needing to fill the position. The Eagles have defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson as an in-house option, but they also have interest in ex-Cardinals DC Vance Joseph.

Of course, Desai would be welcomed back for another season in Seattle should he not land one of the remaining DC positions. The 2022 season saw him help guide the Seahawks’ secondary to a surprising performance, highlighted by rookie corner Tariq Woolen earning a Pro Bowl nod and being named a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Desai would face a tall order in replicating Gannon’s success in Philadelphia if he were to land the job, but his work in Seattle suggests he could be up to it.

Broncos To Hire Ben Kotwica As ST Coordinator; Mike Westhoff To Join Staff

February 17th, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Broncos are still searching for their new offensive and defensive coordinators, they are making a coordinator hire Friday. The team is set to add Ben Kotwica as its special teams boss, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington tweets.

Kotwica has been a special teams coach in the NFL since 2007. He most recently worked as the Vikings’ assistant special teams coach, moving to Minnesota after Kevin O’Connell took over. Kotwica has not worked for Sean Payton previously, but he will head up a staff with a familiar name.

Payton’s Mike Westhoff meeting is expected to produce a hire. The Broncos and Westhoff have agreed to terms, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets. Westhoff has been on Denver’s radar for a bit, having resided on Payton’s New Orleans staff from 2017-18. He has been retired since, however.

Kotwica, 48, and Westhoff, 75, were on Rex Ryan‘s Jets staff together. The latter worked as Gang Green’s ST coordinator during that period, overlapping with Kotwica from 2007-12. Kotwica took over as the Jets’ ST boss in 2013, after Westhoff’s exit, and headed up Washington and Atlanta’s ST staffs from 2014-20. Despite being out of coaching since the Bills fired him during the 2016 sea son, Ryan has become a frontrunner for the Broncos’ DC job. He would have some familiar coworkers on staff.

Westhoff, who has been in coaching since 1974. He has been an NFL special teams coordinator since 1986, enjoying lengthy tenures with the Dolphins and Jets. A Don Shula hire in Miami back in 1986, Westhoff coached the Dolphins’ special teams for 15 seasons. He then headed up the Jets’ for 12 years. He will be the second former ST coordinator the Broncos have brought out of retirement in two years. Denver hired Jerry Rosburg in September to oversee game management, after concerning issues early in the season. Rosburg ended up finishing the season as the Broncos’ interim HC.

On his first day in charge, Rosburg fired Broncos ST coordinator Dwayne Stukes. Veteran NFL reporter Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings slotted the Broncos 25th. While the Eagles and Chiefs ranked 31st and 32nd this past season, respectively, those squads had considerably more to fall back on compared to the Broncos.

Coaching Notes: Pleasant, Curry, Broncos

February 17th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Sam Robinson

A defensive coordinator interviewee earlier this decade, Aubrey Pleasant was without a job midway through last season. The Lions fired the veteran assistant, leading to a Packers move. But the former Rams assistant is coming back to Los Angeles. The Rams are rehiring Pleasant to be their defensive backs coach and defensive pass-game coordinator, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The sides have been talking about the job for about a month, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets.

Both the Saints and Vikings interviewed Pleasant for their DC positions in 2021, shortly after he had taken a job as the Lions’ secondary coach. But the Lions fired him in October. The Packers, who have ex-Rams staffer Joe Barry in place as DC, hired him as a consultant to close out the season. Pleasant, who has been in the NFL for 10 seasons, will return to a Rams organization that previously had him in place as its cornerbacks coach from 2017-20. In addition to Pleasant, the Rams are adding Mike Harris as their assistant DBs coach, Rodrigue adds (on Twitter). Harris spent the past two years as a Bears offensive assistant.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Broncos’ lone known offensive coordinator candidate thus far, Ronald Curry will not be moving. The Saints will retain their quarterbacks coach, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets. Curry, a former Sean Payton hire, interviewed for both the Buccaneers and Broncos’ OC positions. As Denver will continue its search, Tampa Bay hired Dave Canales earlier this week. A former NFL wideout, Curry has been with the Saints since 2016.
  • While multiple former Payton assistants connected to a reunion will not be heading to Denver, former Saints special teams coach Mike Westhoff will meet with his former boss tweeted about his upcoming Broncos meeting. Westhoff, 75, has been retired since 2019 but was rumored to be a candidate to join Payton in Denver. He worked for the Saints from 2017-18 but enjoyed long tenures (with the Dolphins and Jets) previously. In addition to former Saints coaches, Payton has been connected to coaches out of the league. Rex Ryan is favored to be the next Broncos DC, though interviews are ongoing, and Mike Zimmer has surfaced as a possible Broncos assistant option.
  • Canales will bring a Seahawks assistant to Tampa. The Bucs are hiring Brad Idzik to be their wide receivers coach, John Schneider said during a radio interview (via Seahawks.com’s John Boyle, on Twitter). Idzik previously worked as the Seahawks’ assistant wideouts coach. This marks a return trip for Idzik, who is the son of former Bucs front office bastion (and ex-Jets GM) John Idzik. The younger Idzik had been with the Seahawks since 2019.
  • The Raiders will greenlight a reunion as well, hiring Matt Lombardi to be their assistant wide receivers coach, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Matt Lombardi is the younger brother of Raiders OC Mick Lombardi and the son of former Raiders exec (and Browns GM) Michael Lombardi. Matt Lombardi spent the past three years with the Panthers, being one of Matt Rhule‘s hires.
  • Staying with the family theme, the Giants have added Brian Daboll‘s son to their staff. Christian Daboll will work as an offensive assistant in New York, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets. Christian Daboll had previously worked as a student assistant at Penn State. Although the Giants have the younger Daboll listed as a staff member, they have not announced the hire.

Brian Johnson In Lead To Become Next Eagles OC

February 17th, 2023 at 11:03am CST by Sam Robinson

Depending on Eric Bieniemy‘s decision, either 16 or 17 teams will have changed offensive coordinators this offseason. That whopping number could include both Super Bowl entrants, and both the Eagles and Chiefs look to be eyeing continuity-based approaches.

Signs continue to point to Brian Johnson succeeding Shane Steichen in Philadelphia. Teams pursued the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach during this year’s hiring period, but InsidetheBirds.com’s Adam Caplan notes teams were basically told not to bother. This lends further credence to the rumored plan of promoting Johnson to replace Steichen.

The Eagles could not block a Johnson interview, but the former Florida assistant may well be onboard with this plan. Despite Jets and Rams interest, a late-January report noted the position coach did not interview for those jobs. Contradictory reports emerged on Johnson’s interest in those positions, and the Panthers also had Johnson on their OC radar. The fact he remains in Philly now points to a promotion. Both Johnson and pass-game coordinator Kevin Patullo have loomed as Steichen replacement candidates, but Jalen Hurts‘ position coach appears to have a leg up here.

Although Johnson is Black, the NFC champions must interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule for coordinators. Johnson has been with the Eagles since Nick Sirianni took over, moving from Florida’s OC to Eagles QBs coach. Considerably more responsibility could soon come his way.

Sirianni said he wants his next offensive coordinator to call plays, as Steichen did, to keep allowing him to work in a CEO-type role. Johnson called plays at Florida during the shortened 2020 season, and the Gators rode the Kyle Trask–Kyle Pitts connection to 39.8 points per game — 13th in Division I-FBS that year. Johnson, 35, also served as Dak Prescott‘s position coach at Mississippi State in the mid-2010s. Hurts’ ascent did plenty to land Steichen the Colts’ HC job, and Johnson could soon be rewarded for his role in the quarterback’s rise.

On defense, the team views DBs coach Dennard Wilson highly, Geoff Mosher of InsidetheBirds.com adds. We heard earlier this week Wilson was a candidate to take over for Jonathan Gannon, and although the Eagles at least made some effort to keep their previous DC, the Cardinals hired him as their head coach Tuesday. The Eagles are the first team since the Bengals nine years ago to see both their OC and DC become head coaches in the same offseason. Wilson, 40, interviewed for the Browns’ DC job this year. He has been with the Eagles since Sirianni’s hire as well.

The Eagles will maintain continuity on special teams as well. They are retaining ST coordinator Michael Clay, Sirianni said. Clay served as the 49ers’ assistant special teams coach prior to joining the Eagles in 2021.

Packers, Aaron Jones Agree To Restructure

February 17th, 2023 at 9:34am CST by Sam Robinson

The four-year, $48MM contract Aaron Jones agreed to in 2021 pointed to a 2023 restructure, and the Packers indeed showed interest in keeping their veteran running back in the fold. They completed that restructure Friday morning to avoid a separation.

Jones took a $5MM cut in salary in exchange for an $8.52MM signing bonus, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The talented back’s $20MM cap number will be reduced — as GM Brian Gutekunst hinted it would be last month — and the sides will stay together for a seventh season.

In addition to ensuring Jones stays in Green Bay for his age-29 season, this agreement will end with the UTEP product earning $11MM in salary in 2023. Jones’ previous cap hit was set to lead all running backs in 2023 by nearly $4MM, making it a seemingly untenable number for the Packers, who will keep their Jones-AJ Dillon tandem intact for a fourth season. Jones confirmed the news (via Twitter). Dillon’s rookie contract expires after the 2023 season.

This marks the second straight offseason the Packers have restructured Jones’ deal. The team tacked on two void years to the starter’s deal to create 2022 cap space. The contract still runs through 2024.

Due to this bonus conversion, Jones’ 2021-23 earnings ($31MM) as of now trail only Christian McCaffrey among running backs, Schefter adds (on Twitter). This comes despite Jones receiving only $13MM guaranteed at signing — 11th at the position. The $8.52MM signing bonus will replace the $7MM roster bonus that was due next month, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com adds. In doing so, the Packers reduced Jones’ cap hit.

The Packers let Jamaal Williams walk in 2021, leading to a Lions accord, and prioritized Jones. This has continued a fruitful partnership between the NFC North franchise and a former fifth-round pick. Jones led the NFL in touchdowns in 2019, with 19, and made the Pro Bowl in 2020. Despite the Packers’ offensive regression this past season, Jones totaled 1,516 yards from scrimmage — the second-most of his career.

A Packers team that had not enjoyed too much continuity at running back over the past decade and change has seen Jones provide it. Jones’ seventh Packers season will match Ahman Green‘s tenure (2000-06). If Jones can match his 17 starts from 2022, he would tie Green for 91 during his career. Green is the only modern-era Packers back to outflank Jones for starts presently. The latter could pass Paul Hornung in franchise history this season as well; Jim Taylor‘s 104 lead all Packers ball-carriers.

Cardinals Request DC Interviews With Dave Borgonzi, DeMarcus Covington

February 17th, 2023 at 9:04am CST by Sam Robinson

After Jonathan Gannon informed Vance Joseph he was free to explore other opportunities, the Cardinals are moving on their defensive coordinator search. Two interview requests went out Friday morning.

The NFC West team requested DC meetings with Bears linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi and Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter links). Borgonzi is scheduled to interview for the job Saturday.

[RELATED: Cardinals Send Out OC Interview Requests]

Borgonzi followed Matt Eberflus to Chicago, having spent four seasons as Indianapolis’ linebackers coach. Gannon was on that Frank Reich-led Indy staff from 2018-20. Covington, who is just 33, has been the Patriots’ D-line coach since 2020 and has worked in New England since 2017. That tenure overlapped with new Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort, and Rapoport adds the two have been friends for a bit. These are the first two interview requests the Cards have sent out regarding their DC position.

Covington has steadily climbed the ladder in New England, moving from an assistant position to outside linebackers coach to D-line coach since 2017. The Pats hired the young assistant out of the college ranks; he spent the 2016 season as Eastern Illinois’ co-defensive coordinator. This is Covington’s first DC interview opportunity, and Ossenfort’s presence stands to give the six-year Pats staffer a decent chance of receiving another title bump.

Borgonzi oversaw the first four seasons of Shaquille Leonard‘s career. Three of those produced first-team All-Pro honors for the star linebacker, and Bobby Okereke‘s production also reflects well on Borgonzi. The Bears traded Roquan Smith midway through Borgonzi’s first Chicago season, continuing a teardown that gave its defensive staffers less talent to manage. The Bears ranked last in scoring defense in 2022, but Borgonzi will receive an opportunity to state his case for an elevation. Borgonzi has been in the NFL since joining the Cowboys’ staff in 2011.

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