2023 February - Pro Football Rumors

Month: November 2024

Eagles Hire Sean Desai As DC; Team Eyeing Mike Pettine For Assistant Role?

February 28th, 2023 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

2:36pm: The hire is now official. After two meetings, the Eagles are giving Desai a second chance at a coordinator job.

2:21pm: Sean Desai‘s two interviews with the Eagles look to have won over team brass. The Seahawks assistant is heading to Philadelphia, Pete Carroll confirmed Tuesday (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta).

While the Seattle HC did not entirely announce it was for the Philadelphia DC post, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com noted Tuesday morning (via Twitter) the former Chicago DC had emerged as a strong candidate for the position. This stands to be Desai’s second chance at a coordinator gig; his first one ended following Matt Nagy‘s firing last year.

The Bears promoted Desai to DC in 2021, but the team’s regime change naturally led to coordinator switches. Desai, 39, trekked to Seattle and worked under Carroll this past season. He drew interest from many teams this offseason. The Browns, Dolphins, Vikings, Broncos and Eagles interviewed Desai for their DC posts. Desai dropped out of Minnesota’s search to pursue the Denver gig, after former mentor Vic Fangio recommended the Broncos to the young assistant. But Vance Joseph ended up with that gig. The Eagles, however, had shown interest during Desai’s time as a Broncos candidate.

Desai will replace Jonathan Gannon as DC. While the Bears ranked 22nd in scoring defense in 2021, they finished sixth in yards allowed. A struggling offense hamstrung Chicago that year, and it led to a full-scale overhaul. Seattle did not make much improvement defensively last season, dropping from 11th to 25th in total defense from 2021-22. Nevertheless, the Eagles look set to bet on Desai.

The Eagles have also been connected to adding Mike Pettine to their staff, Geoff Mosher of InsidetheBirds.com tweets. Brought on as a Vikings assistant during Ed Donatell‘s one-and-done stay, Pettine was a Bears senior defensive aide during the 2021 season. The former Browns HC and veteran DC could be set to reprise his role on a Desai-led staff. With Brian Flores now in charge of Minnesota’s defense, it would make sense for Pettine — a former Packers, Bills and Jets DC — to land elsewhere.

Eagles DBs coach Dennard Wilson served as a strong candidate for the DC job, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports confirms. The Eagles will promote from within to fill their OC post, elevating QBs coach Brian Johnson, but it certainly looks like they are going with an outside hire on defense. Wilson has been with the team for the past two years; it will be interesting to see if he sticks around under Desai.

Broncos To Prioritize Re-Signing Dre’Mont Jones, Want To Keep Alex Singleton

February 28th, 2023 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 28: Paton confirmed he has both spoken with Jones and his agent, indicating he has had a number of talks with the free agent-to-be. But the Broncos are unlikely to tag Jones, Klis adds. This is unsurprising, given the team’s cap space and the lofty tag prices for D-linemen. Paton called Jones one of the team’s core players, but with a tag now highly unlikely, the deadline will be March 13 to keep him off the market. Paton also confirmed the Broncos want to bring back Singleton.

FEBRUARY 27: If the Broncos do not use their franchise tag on Dre’Mont Jones and are unable to reach a long-term agreement with the fifth-year defensive lineman by March 13, he would stand to be one of the top free agents available. But the Broncos will try to prevent him from hitting the market.

Long on the Broncos’ extension radar, Jones remains in that position now that Sean Payton and Vance Joseph are in place. GM George Paton will meet with Jones’ agent at the Combine this week, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes, adding the organization is prioritizing a second Jones contract.

Jones did not sound particularly enthused about a second Denver contract when asked back in November, but he changed his tune this offseason. The Ohio State product said he wants to come back. Although the Broncos drafted Jones months after firing Joseph as head coach, their new defensive coordinator runs a 3-4 scheme. Jones has lined up as a 3-4 defensive end starter over the past three seasons and has been one of the league’s steadier interior pass rushers.

A week away from the deadline to apply tags, Renck adds Broncos-Jones talks have not generated much progress (Twitter link). Jones, 26, stacks up as a fringe tag candidate but more likely can be classified as a player the Broncos want to keep but not tag. That said, the Broncos will consider it with Jones, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.

The D-end tag checks in at $19.73MM; the D-tackle tag is $18.94MM. While Jones was on pace for a career-best season in 2022, he finished with 6.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits. Jones did have the fifth-most pressures among interior D-linemen before his hip injury, per Pro Football Focus. He would be a key player for Joseph to build around up front, alongside D.J. Jones, whose $10MM-per-year contract runs through 2024.

The Broncos have Justin Simmons signed to a top-five safety deal, but their talented defense does not have another player among his position’s top-10 highest-paid players. Patrick Surtain II will qualify for a mega-extension, but the team will likely look to table that until 2025 — ahead of the star cornerback’s fifth-year option season. Denver will need to find a sweet spot with Jones, who would qualify for an upper-echelon interior D-line contract but likely not a top-five accord at the position. A tag represents a last-resort measure, but it would hamstring the Broncos’ free agency budget ahead of a draft in which they lack first- or second-round picks. The Broncos will likely be active in creating cap space in the coming weeks, sitting on just more than $9MM in available funds.

Denver’s other top free agent, Dalton Risner, has long been viewed as behind Jones in the team’s pecking order. The four-year guard starter is likelier to test free agency, Renck writes, but Alex Singleton could be a candidate to stay. Signed to a one-year, $1.15MM deal after the Eagles non-tendered him as a restricted free agent, Singleton broke through for a staggeringly productive season — given his low rate. The former UDFA finished with 163 tackles — including two 20-plus-tackle performances — and slotted 10th among off-ball linebackers, per PFF.

Singleton will be in line for a raise this year, but with a crowded class of off-ball ‘backers set for free agency, it will be a buyer’s market. This and Singleton going into his age-30 season will work against him and potentially make the Montana State alum a reasonable option to stay in Denver.

Bills DC Leslie Frazier To Step Away

February 28th, 2023 at 1:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Yet another team will make a coordinator change this offseason. The Bills will need a new defensive coordinator; Leslie Frazier is planning to step away from the team.

Frazier informed GM Brandon Beane last week he wanted to take a step back from football, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com tweets. The Bills announced their six-year DC’s departure but noted the 63-year-old assistant plans to return in 2024. This could create an unusual situation regarding Sean McDermott‘s right-hand man, but that role will indeed involve new personnel next season.

The former Vikings HC had become the Bills’ play-caller on defense, and the team had consistently produced top-tier units. The Bills have ranked first or second in scoring defense in three of the past four years, finishing second in that category this past season. That placement came despite the team losing Micah Hyde in September and seeing Von Miller‘s Thanksgiving Day ACL tear shut him down. Several other key Buffalo starters missed time during an ultimately disappointing season for the AFC East champs, who struggled in a one-sided playoff loss to Cincinnati.

McDermott may well step in as the Bills’ play-caller on defense, Beane adds. That would make for a simple transition, and the team will have former McDermott Panthers coworker and recent Carolina interim DC Al Holcomb on staff as a senior defensive assistant. Defensive backs coach John Butler is also well-regarded, and KPRC’s Aaron Wilson notes the former Penn State DC coming in and replacing Frazier in what could amount to an interim DC role would be logical (Twitter link).

A former Bears defensive back in the early 1980s, Frazier has been on NFL coaching staffs since 1999. He quickly rose to the DC level, being part of Marvin Lewis‘ Bengals rebuild before serving in that same position with the Vikings in the late 2000s. Minnesota tabbed Frazier to replace Brad Childress in 2011, and Tampa Bay employed him as its DC from 2014-15. This Bills role has brought HC interest, though no interviews came this year. Frazier hesitancy regarding his coaching future may have contributed to no such meetings taking place, and it will be interesting to see if he steps back in as Buffalo’s DC in 2024.

Buccaneers To Cut RB Leonard Fournette

February 28th, 2023 at 1:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the league’s worst cap shape, the Buccaneers will need to make a number of moves to comply with the NFL’s new salary ceiling by March 15. One of them looks to be parting ways with their starting running back.

The Bucs plan to release Leonard Fournette, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This will create nearly $4MM in cap space while also carrying some dead money, with Tampa Bay having just re-signed Fournette last year. Fournette would have received an additional $2MM in guarantees on Day 5 of the 2023 league year (March 19), Pelissero tweets, leading to this transaction.

This was a mutual decision. Fournette said he wanted out due to the team likely shifting into a rebuilding phase, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The six-year veteran said he asked the team for the release, confirming Tom Brady‘s retirement would signal his own Tampa exit.

“Winning is everything,” Fournette said, via Stroud (on Twitter). “That’s all. And my last three years here, that’s all we’ve done. But since my guy [Brady] left, that’s why I came so my time here was up. I asked after the season to be [released], and they respected my wishes. So, no bad blood.”

Fournette, 28, played a major role in the Bucs securing their second Super Bowl title and resurrected his career in Tampa, following an unceremonious end to his Jacksonville run. But the Bucs featured the NFL’s worst rushing attack last season. Fournette averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and did not surpass 700 yards on the ground despite playing 16 games.

The Bucs agreed to three contracts with Fournette. The team signed him after the Jaguars shed his first-round contract back in 2020, gave him a one-year deal in 2021 and authorized a three-year pact in 2022. The most recent contract was for three years and $21MM — matching 2017 draft classmate James Conner‘s 2022 Cardinals pact — that included $9MM guaranteed at signing. The Bucs will pick up $3.4MM in cap savings but eat $5MM in dead money.

A former top-five pick, Fournette totaled 300 rushing yards and three touchdowns during Tampa Bay’s four-game playoff run in 2020. Earning “Playoff Lenny” and “Lombardi Lenny” aliases, the LSU product morphed from a Ronald Jones backup to the centerpiece of Tampa Bay’s ground attack. He totaled 1,266 scrimmage yards in 14 games in 2021, taking over as the team’s full-time starter. That baton may well be passed to Rachaad White, whom the Bucs draft in the third round last year.

While White did not fare too much better on a per-carry basis last year (3.7), his rookie contract runs through 2025. The Bucs will almost definitely be saying goodbye to more Brady-era starters, thanks to their former quarterback’s $35.1MM void-years bill coming due. Fournette will be hitting free agency at a bad time, with numerous starter-caliber backs set to flood the market. But he made it clear he will try to catch on with a contender — almost certainly at a reduced rate from his 2022 Bucs pact.

Browns To Part Ways With S John Johnson; Team Eyeing Jessie Bates?

February 28th, 2023 at 12:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns made a significant addition to their secondary when they signed safety John Johnson as a free agent in 2021. His time in Cleveland is coming to an end, however. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that Cleveland will release him at the onset of free agency in March unless a trade partner can be found before then (Twitter link).

Johnson, 27, inked a three-year, $33.75MM contract in 2021 after a productive start to his career with the Rams. He was arguably the top safety on the market that offseason, but reportedly took less money to come to Cleveland. That reflected the optimism surrounding the team at that time, but still led to high expectations given the Browns’ investment in Johnson to solidify their backend.

Johnson had a strong 2021 campaign, recording three interceptions and five pass deflections. He also posted career-best numbers in terms of coverage statistics, allowing an opposing passer rating of 70.1. Things went differently this past season, one in which the former third-rounder moved closer to the line of scrimmage while remaining a full-time starter. He eclipsed the 100-tackle mark for the third time in his career, but totaled just one interception.

Johnson is due to carry a cap hit of $13.5MM this season, making him a logical candidate for a cost-cutting trade or release. The only way the Browns would see any savings by moving on from him, though, is they designated him a post-June 1 release. Assuming that takes place, Cleveland will save $9.75MM while incurring a dead cap charge of $3.75MM. Those savings could help them re-stock with a notable name.

Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports that the Browns “are expected to pursue” Bengals safety Jessie Bates in free agency. The 26-year-old has been with Cincinnati for all five years of his career, but the contentious negotiations which took place between he and the Bengals last offseason resulted in the franchise tag being used. That move, along with the team’s decision to draft Daxton Hill in the first round, point to Bates heading elsewhere this year. He will no doubt command a lucrative deal, but freeing up funds from Johnson’s deal will allow the Browns to at least be a contender to add more playmaking on defense.

Given his age and production, Johnson will himself likely have suitors on the open market, albeit at a reduced rate compared to his Browns deal. Cleveland, meanwhile, will be a team to watch if they become serious in their pursuit of Bates, one of the top defenders set to hit free agency.

Derek Carr To Meet With Teams At Combine

February 28th, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 28: Providing more detail on Carr’s schedule, Rapoport tweets that at least three teams will speak with him at the Combine. That list includes the Jets and Saints (for what will be a second sit-down with Carr), but also the Panthers. Carolina is set to be in the market for a QB addition of some kind this offseason, with only Matt Corral and Jacob Eason currently under contract for 2023. It was reported last week, however, that the Panthers would not be willing to commit to Carr at the $35MM-per-season rate he is thought to be seeking. The success of his visit could change things, of course, though Carr will have several other suitors even if Carolina elects for less expensive QB options.

FEBRUARY 27: Derek Carr looks to be planning to check off more visits without logging extensive travel mileage. The free agent quarterback is headed to the Combine to meet with teams this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link).

The 31-year-old passer has met with the Saints and Jets already, and while those teams look like the frontrunners thus far, others have checked in on where he stands presently. The Buccaneers, Commanders, Panthers and Titans have been connected to Carr thus far, though none of these teams have been tied as closely to the nine-year veteran compared to the two he has visited.

A deal that averages more than $35MM per year has come up in the Carr sweepstakes, but Rapoport adds lengthy talks about money have not entered the equation just yet. Carr is prioritizing fit for now. While money will undoubtedly be a key component in where he lands, the former MVP candidate will be unlikely to choose a team with poor competitive prospects. Mostly through the $25MM-per-year extension he inked with the Raiders in 2017, Carr has already banked more than $130MM in his career.

During Carr’s New York visit, Jets brass told the available arm they were monitoring other QBs — including Aaron Rodgers — and let him know where he stood related to the Green Bay icon, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. With the Jets informing Carr they want to see how the latest Packers-Rodgers offseason saga plays out, this points to the team confirming a previous report of Carr being its second choice.

The Commanders hold a substantial lead in cap space, in terms of Carr suitors, sitting on more than $35MM after cutting Carson Wentz and Bobby McCain. A Daron Payne franchise tag will cut into this figure, and Washington is not believed to be seeking to dive deep into the QB salary pool this year. They certainly were last year, and it is interesting in a year in which Ron Rivera will be on the hot seat he could be willing to go with Sam Howell and/or a lower-priced veteran. The Bucs and Panthers are believed to be in the same boat, and the Saints, despite their restructure-happy ways, still have a long ways to go on this front.

If this lot of teams is unwilling to pay franchise-level money for Carr, it would stand to reason the Jets might be able to land the longtime Raider at a lower-than-expected cost. A clearer picture of where Carr’s market stands will emerge in Indianapolis.

Commanders Place Franchise Tag On Daron Payne

February 28th, 2023 at 11:05am CST by Adam La Rose

Monday saw the Commanders make a pair of cost-cutting moves which gave them considerable financial flexibility. Today, they have taken an expected step using some of those funds.

Washington has placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne, per a team announcement. That comes as little surprise with the tag deadline one week away, and a considerable market awaiting him had he been allowed to test free agency. This move allows the team to continue contract talks through mid-July on what would be a very lucrative long-term deal.

Payne, 25, played himself into a sizeable pay raise this season. He put up career-highs across the board, including 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. He racked up 64 total stops, 20 QB hits and five pass deflections, demonstrating his value both against the run and as a disruptive presence in the passing game. The Commanders had been expected to use the tag on Payne.

Doing so will lock him into a $18.94MM salary for 2023 in the absence of a new deal. That would add further financial commitment to a Commanders defensive front which already features former first-rounders Chase Young and Montez Sweat on the edges and Jonathan Allen along the interior. Keeping Payne is a logical priority, one which head coach Ron Rivera confirmed earlier this offseason. With more than $17MM in cap space even after this move, the team still has the flexibility to make others in advance of free agency, regardless of Payne’s status.

With the Alabama product officially off the market, the top pending free agent along the defensive interior will not be able to test free agency. Attention will instead turn to the likes of Javon Hargrave, Dalvin Tomlinson and Larry Ogunjobi in terms of high-end DTs whose contracts are set to expire. Negotiations between Payne and the Commanders, meanwhile, will continue without as much urgency as would have been necessary if they had elected not to use the tag.

Falcons Release Marcus Mariota

February 28th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Adam La Rose

After a brief stint as a starter in the NFL once again, Marcus Mariota is set to move on to his next team. The Falcons announced on Tuesday that they have released the veteran quarterback.

The 29-year-old found himself in Atlanta last offseason after the Falcons moved on from franchise icon Matt Ryan. The former signed a two-year, $18.75MM deal to operate as a stop-gap option under center and attempt to rebuild his value. It marked his first opportunity to take on a No. 1 role since his time with the Titans came to an end in 2019.

The former second overall pick put up numbers roughly in line with his career averages in a number of categories across 13 starts this season. That came as little surprise given his age and previous shortcomings as a starter, along with the pieces around him on a rebuilding Falcons team. Atlanta remained committed to him through much of the campaign, one which contained the possibility of a postseason berth due to the weakness of the NFC South.

Things changed during the bye week, however, when the offense was turned over to rookie Desmond Ridder. That decision signaled the end of Mariota’s time as a No. 1 in Atlanta for 2022 and beyond, which itself suggested a release could be coming in the offseason. Ridder has drawn praise from the team for his play in the final four games of the season, though he has not been fully endorsed as the 2023 starter.

The other factor which pointed to Mariota being let go, of course, was the knee injury which led him to leave the team and ultimately undergo season-ending surgery. In a span of a few days, confusion reigned as it came out that he would step away from the team to have the chronic issue evaluated, then be shut down for the year. The decision to install Ridder as the new starter was said to be separate from Mariota’s injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his market.

The latter now joins Derek Carr and Carson Wentz as veteran signal-callers free to sign anywhere before free agency begins next week. While Carr has drawn considerable interest from multiple teams, Mariota is likely headed for a similar situation to Wentz in terms of eyeing another opportunity to compete for a starting job in training camp, or a high-end No. 2 role behind an established starter. With Mariota off the books, the Falcons will save $12MM in cap space, leaving them comfortably in second place in the league with respect to spending power as free agency approaches.

Eagles To Promote Brian Johnson To OC

February 28th, 2023 at 8:45am CST by Adam La Rose

One of the Eagles’ coordinator vacancies has been filled, and in expected fashion. Philadelphia is promoting quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to offensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

The NFC champions lost OC Shane Steichen not long after the Super Bowl when he took the Colts’ head coaching position. That ended his two-year tenure with the Eagles, which saw quarterback Jalen Hurts evolve from a question mark entering the 2022 season to an MVP finalist. His absence will be felt, but a familiar face will now lead the team’s offense.

Johnson, 36, took his first NFL coaching opportunity with the Eagles in 2021 as part of head coach Nick Sirianni‘s first staff. That followed a decade in the college ranks, including stints as OC at Utah, Houston and Florida. His work with those programs, and with Hurts and the Eagles, had him squarely on the OC radar for other teams during this year’s hiring cycle. After the Eagles made it clear prospective new employers would not be well-served interviewing him, though, expectations grew that he would be on tap to succeed Steichen.

Sirianni indicated before this move that his intention was for the team’s next OC to call plays, continuing the setup in place with Steichen. Johnson will be hard-pressed to repeat the success of the team’s balanced attack, which ranked fifth in rushing yards and ninth in passing yards last season. A number of key contributors, including the extension-eligible Hurts, will be in place for 2023, though lead running back Miles Sanders is likely to depart as a free agent.

Passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo was the other internal option mentioned as a candidate to get the OC nod, confirming that that Eagles would not be looking outside the organization to fill the position. The 2023 offseason has seen a plethora of coordinator changes, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Losing Steichen and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon after the Super Bowl left the team playing catch-up relative to the rest of the NFL. Their DC search is ongoing, but now they have their top offensive assistant in place.

Johnson and Hurts have a longtime personal relationship, which will lead to significant expectations for the pair as they look to build off of their success in 2022. After the unit put the Eagles on the razor’s edge of winning a Super Bowl, another deep playoff run this season would come as little surprise.

Eagles Likely To Let Miles Sanders Walk In Free Agency

February 27th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Miles Sanders is a near-certainty not to be franchise-tagged, this year’s batch of tag decisions will likely affect the Eagles running back. Various teams’ tag decisions — two of them in the NFC East — stand to impact Sanders, who is likely to hit free agency.

The Eagles, who have most of their starting defense unsigned, are not expected to bring back Sanders on a second contract, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports notes. GM Howie Roseman is not believed to want to make a notable investment at the running back position, which would send Sanders to a crowded market. Sanders, 26, would like to stay in Philadelphia. He may not have that option, given how many other priorities the NFC champions will have in free agency.

How the Cowboys, Giants and Raiders proceed with their respective tags will determine how crowded that market will be. Tony Pollard, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs are on the tag radar. Barkley’s tag status will depend on if the Giants and Daniel Jones can reach an extension agreement in the next week. Jacobs’ place as a tag recipient is less certain, though that scenario has been on the radar for a while now. Pollard looks likeliest to be tagged. These three being off the market will move Sanders and others up on teams’ various boards, and the former second-round pick is coming off a big year.

Barkley’s successor at Penn State, Sanders smashed his career-high rushing total with 1,269 yards en route to Pro Bowl acclaim. He added 11 rushing TDs, nearly doubling his previous career-best mark, and resided as a central cog in the Eagles’ dominant ground attack. The Jalen Hurts-led offense, however, did not focus much on Sanders as an aerial threat. He totaled 78 receiving yards this season and did not surpass 200 in 2020 or 2021. In Carson Wentz‘s final full season as Philly’s starter, however, Sanders amassed 509 receiving yards. That season stands out from his next three and his lone year as the Nittany Lions’ starter (139). Sanders’ lack of steady receiving contributions will affect his value.

Even if the top three free agent backs are cuffed via the tag, Sanders is still on track to join several other starters on the market. Kareem Hunt, Devin Singletary, Jamaal Williams, David Montgomery, D’Onta Foreman, Damien Harris and both the Dolphins’ primary 2022 backs (Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson) are ticketed for free agency. There are also not too many teams in need at the position, which will likely depress the market ahead of a draft viewed as being full of promising (and cheap, save for Bijan Robinson) options at the oft-devalued job.

This array of options could give teams chances to retain their top backs at low costs. The Eagles have both Sanders and longtime backup Boston Scott headed for free agency (along with Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo and eight defensive starters). Absent low-cost reunions with one of those backs, Kenneth Gainwell poised to play a bigger role in 2023. The Eagles should also be expected to draft a back to team with Gainwell, Vacchiano adds.

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