HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Derek Carr Will Veto Potential Trades; QB Expected To Be Released

February 12th, 2023 at 3:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

As Derek Carr moves another day closer to finding out his future with the Raiders, he has reportedly sent a clear message to his current employer. The quarterback will not accept a trade to the Saints or any other interested team, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

As a result, Rapoport notes, the Raiders will be left with no other option but to release him in the coming days. Carr has over $40MM in guaranteed money set to vest this week, and with Vegas having moved on from him, a trade represented their only way of receiving compensation while relieving themselves of that financial obligation. Carr has a no-trade clause, however, which gave him control of the situation at all times in this process, something which he has clearly used.

The Raiders prevented the 31-year-old from negotiating with potential new teams until trade compensation had been agreed upon. That made it noteworthy when they allowed him to visit the Saints this past week, with a subsequent report indicating the two teams had an agreement in place. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero tweets that it was Carr’s contract which stood in the way of a deal being finalized to send him to the NFC South.

A report emerged over the weekend that Vegas’ asking price was a third-round pick. The Saints could have easily met that request, given their current allotment of selections in this year’s draft, but they find themselves in dire straights from a financial standpoint. New Orleans is more than $60MM over the cap at the moment, so acquiring Carr via trade would have added considerably to the salary cap gymnastics general manager Mickey Loomis has become known for in recent years.

Carr has a scheduled cap hit of $34.9MM in 2023, and two more years on his existing contract with hits over $43MM. Given the absence of guarantees on the pact (at the moment), however, the Raiders would see more than $29MM in savings by releasing Carr in the immediate future. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut would see that figure grow to $33MM weighed against comparably small dead cap charges.

Of course, this news in no way precludes the Saints from still ultimately landing Carr as a free agent. The four-time Pro Bowler will be free to sign anywhere immediately following his release, as opposed to players who can only negotiate prior to the start of the new league year in mid-March. New Orleans should be in the market for a new signal-caller after the production seen in 2022 from veterans Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. Carr will certainly have other suitors as well, however.

The former second-rounder had a down year this past season, the first with head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler at the helm. Still, he will headline a QB market which may or may not see the likes of Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Daniel Jones and Geno Smith be on the move through trades or free agent deals. The Jets are widely understood to be all-in on Rodgers, but they are reportedly prepared to target Carr as a secondary option.

The value of a deal Carr is able to land on the open market will no doubt be linked to the perceived availability of those other passers. Still, with his release imminent, it likely won’t be long until he has found his next NFL home.

Ravens’ Calais Campbell To Return In 2023

February 12th, 2023 at 2:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the build-up to today’s Super Bowl has obviously been focused on the Eagles and Chiefs. However, an important piece of news emerged on another front today.

While taking part in NFL Network’s pre-game coverage, Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell confirmed that he will continue his career in 2023 (video link). The news sets Campbell up for his 16th season in the NFL, and his fourth in Baltimore. It also puts to rest another offseason’s worth of speculation regarding his playing future.

“I know I’ve got this year in me,” Campbell said this past August when asked about his career plans. “I don’t know if there’s anything left after that, but I’m going to leave it all on the field. Empty the tank. And when it’s all said and done, after this year, I’ll reconvene in the offseason to see where I’m at.”

The 36-year-old contemplated hanging up his cleats prior to signing a two-year deal last spring. As a result of that pact, Campbell is on the books for the 2023 campaign with a salary of $4.5MM but a cap hit of just over $9.4MM. The Ravens would save $7MM in cap space by releasing the six-time Pro Bowler, but his production would be difficult to replace in that event.

Campbell enjoyed a resurgent season in terms of pass rush in 2022. The former All-Pro notched 5.5 sacks, his highest figure during his time in Baltimore to date. He added 36 stops and a pair of forced fumbles while maintaining a starting role on the team’s defensive line. The Ravens’ front primarily consists of recent draftees such as Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington and Travis Jones, but Campbell has remained a key figure amongst that group.

As a result, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic predicts the Ravens will attempt to keep Campbell by re-working his existing contract (Twitter link). Baltimore is in better cap shape than most teams at the moment, but their financial situation will hinge almost entirely on the fate of quarterback Lamar Jackson. The latter’s future remains uncertain, but Campbell’s will entail at least one more NFL campaign.

Texans To Hire Bobby Slowik As Offensive Coordinator

February 12th, 2023 at 11:35am CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans will hire Bobby Slowik as their new offensive coordinator, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). Like DeMeco Ryans, Houston’s new head coach, Slowik joined the 49ers as a defensive quality control coach in 2017. He subsequently moved to the other side of the ball and spent the 2022 campaign as San Francisco’s offensive passing game coordinator. He will now follow Ryans from the Bay Area to Texas.

[RELATED: Texans Hire Matt Burke As DC]

Slowik, 35, represented a logical candidate to take on the OC job in Houston, one which was vacated by Pep Hamilton. The latter held that role last season for the first time with the Texans, overseeing one of the league’s lowest-scoring and least efficient offenses. Talent obviously played a large role on that front, of course, but it comes as no surprise that a new face is being brought in to help the team’s rebuild.

Today’s news comes just days after Kliff Kingsbury was brought in for an interview for the offensive coordinator posting. That, in turn, came as something of a surprise considering the belief the ex-Cardinals head coach would spend the 2023 season away from the sidelines. Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports that his sit-down with the Texans went well, but Slowik was thought by many to be the frontrunner once it became official that Ryans was the new head coach in Houston.

The son of former NFL DC Bob Slowik, Bobby began his NFL tenure in Washington in 2010. That time was followed by a brief stint as a defensive assistant in the nation’s capital, then a three-year period working as an analyst with Pro Football Focus. He turned his work with the analytics website into his first San Francisco position, allowing him plenty of time to gain experience on both sides of the ball and develop a working relationship with Ryans. Expectations will be raised for the pair heading into the 2023 season.

Slowik played a key role in the 49ers’ offense over the past several years, helping coach one of the more unique units in the league. San Francisco has ranked in the top four in the NFL in terms of total offense three times in the past four seasons, finishing top-six in scoring twice during that same span. Slowik will be dealing with a very different Texans group in his first coordinator posting, but the team does appear to have the foundation of a strong running game in place in tailback Dameon Pierce, and has a prime opportunity in the upcoming draft to land a franchise quarterback.

In other Texans news, Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo tweets that Jerrod Johnson is coming onboard as the team’s quarterbacks coach. Johnson, 34, is a Houston native who received OC interest during this year’s cycle. He interviewed for the Texans’ coordinator vacancy, along with that of the Chargers. Johnson spent last year as the assistant QBs coach in Minnesota, and will take on a larger role this season in Houston with, in all likelihood, a rookie signal-caller in place.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Lamar Jackson Tag-And-Trade Still Possible?

February 12th, 2023 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 12: In a live discussion of the below report, Rapoport suggests there is a very real possibility that the Ravens deploy the non-exclusive tag and allow another club to do their negotiating for them before ultimately matching an offer sheet (video link). Obviously, such a maneuver would create the risk of another team offering Jackson the fully-guaranteed deal he has been seeking but that Baltimore has been unwilling to authorize.

FEBRURARY 11: Much uncertainty still surrounds Lamar Jackson and the Ravens as the window for using franchise tags approaches. More specifically, the question of whether or not the former MVP remains in Baltimore for 2023 has yet to be answered, and little clarity currently exists.

In the latest breakdown of the situation, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network note that a franchise tag is still a certainty in the (likely) absence of a multi-year extension being agreed upon. They add, however, that there still exists a “possibility” that the Ravens end up trading Jackson for what would amount to a “windfall of draft picks.”

Jackson, 26, played out this past season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. Its $23MM value will be comfortably exceeded regardless of which franchise tag the Ravens choose to use. The non-exclusive one ($32.4MM) would leave Jackson the option of negotiating with another team and signing an offer sheet. In the event Baltimore declined to match it, they would receive two first-round picks as compensation.

On the other hand, the exclusive tag would eliminate the threat of an offer sheet. It would also carry a much larger burden on the Ravens’ books, with a projected value of over $45MM. It was reported recently that Baltimore was leaning towards the exclusive tag; the team must finalize a long-term contract in the very near future for a tag not come into play during the Feb 21-March 7 window.

Jackson’s likeliest location for the 2023 campaign remains Baltimore, even in the absence of a new deal, the NFL Network trio add. Still, the Louisville product would draw plenty of trade (or offer sheet) interest from any number of teams if they felt he would be available. A report from last month indicated just that, though the Ravens have been very public in their support of the former Heisman winner and their intention of retaining him for at least the short-term future.

On another note, the NFLN report adds that Jackson has yet to communicate with any of Baltimore’s offensive coordinator candidates. In the wake of Greg Roman‘s departure, the team indicated Jackson would have a say in the selection process, so that update speaks to how much longer Baltimore’s search could still take until after the Super Bowl. Regardless of the developments on that front, speculation will no doubt continue regarding Jackson’s future.

Eagles C Jason Kelce To Consider Retirement

February 12th, 2023 at 9:35am CST by Rory Parks

Eagles center Jason Kelce has mulled retirement in each of the last several offseasons. As such, it will not come as much of a surprise to learn that the 35-year-old will again consider hanging up the cleats in the coming weeks, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Of course, Kelce will assume his familiar role as Philadelphia’s starting center in Super Bowl LVII today. Kelce — whose brother, Travis Kelce, will suit up for the opposing Chiefs — will be seeking his second championship ring, though he does not believe the outcome of the game will influence his decision.

“From everything I’ve been told about when you know it’s time to retire or not, you just know when you know, and it’s going to be when you don’t want to play football anymore,” he said. “And I don’t think that winning this game is going to determine whether I want to continue playing football or not.”

Indeed, after today’s contest, Jason Kelce will have at least one championship on his resume, and he has enjoyed a long and remarkably durable career in which he has established himself as one of the best pivots of his generation. And despite his age and the fact that he has been contemplating retirement for some time, there is no question that the Eagles would want him back.

Kelce, who added his sixth Pro Bowl nod and fifth First Team All-Pro bid to his career accomplishments in 2022, continues to play at a high level. Pro Football Focus did not charge him with a single sack and assigned him a stellar 88.9 overall grade for his efforts this season, the second-best mark among all qualified centers and just one point behind his Super Bowl LVII counterpart, Creed Humphrey. He was also the anchor of a line that helped the Eagles to a tremendous season in which they finished third in the league in both total offense and points per game.

Obviously, Philadelphia wants to have some clarity on Kelce’s plans before the start of the league year on March 15, and Schefter says Kelce does plan to make a decision by then. He joins DT Fletcher Cox, DE Brandon Graham, and RT Lane Johnson as Eagles stalwarts facing uncertain futures with the team, though we recently heard that if any or all of those players want to return in 2023, the club will find a way to make it happen.

If Kelce chooses to walk away, 2022 second-rounder Cam Jurgens is in line to take his place.

Dan Pitcher To Remain With Bengals

February 12th, 2023 at 8:51am CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 12: Pitcher will remain in Cincinnati, per Garafolo (via Twitter). It appears that Pitcher’s second interview with the Bucs went well, and he was clearly considered a top candidate, but he will return to the Bengals and will presumably be a name to watch during next year’s OC searches.

FEBRUARY 6: When Dan Pitcher‘s new deal with the Bengals was reported, it seemed as though his name as a potential OC candidate (at least outside of the organization) would be scratched off the list of interested teams. Cincinnati’s quarterbacks coach could still be available for an outside hire, however.

Tampa Bay is set to hold a second interview with Pitcher for their offensive coordinator vacancy, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (video link). Unlike his first meeting, this one will be in person, and will take place this week, Garafolo adds. Having just been extended, many presumed Pitcher’s only opportunity to take on an OC role would be in Cincinnati, in the event Brian Callahan were to receive a head coaching gig.

The Buccaneers have cast a wide net in their search for their Byron Leftwich replacement. The team struggled on offense in general and on the ground in particular in 202, leading to internal strife between Leftwich, head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Tom Brady. With the latter now retired, Tampa Bay is looking for a new OC while dealing with plenty of uncertainty under center.

Picher, 36, interviewed for the first time with the Buccaneers last month. That preceded the news of his new deal with the Bengals, with whom he has worked since 2016. Picher has been the team’s top QBs coach for the past three seasons, and has played a key role in helping Joe Burrow become one of the top passers in the league. His work will likely lead to further OC interest in the near future, even if this second meeting with Tampa Bay does not yield what would be a surprising move to the NFC South.

With Pitcher set to interview for a second time, here is an updated look at the Bucs’ OC search:

Prospective Commanders Owners Approached Sean Payton

February 11th, 2023 at 8:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sean Payton is in place as the new head coach of the Broncos, after he was routinely named as the top candidate in this year’s coaching cycle. His move away from broadcasting was highly anticipated, but also involved an interesting element which he revealed recently.

When speaking to Adam Schein of SiriusXM, Payton revealed that he drew head coach consideration from certain prospective Commanders owners. A sale in Washington is not guaranteed to take place, but the process is currently being considered with owner Dan Snyder facing increased pressure to separate himself from the league.

“Everyone’s waiting to see what happens in Washington,” Payton said (video link via The Athletic’s Ben Standig). “And there was some interest from some potential ownership groups that are gonna be bidding on, currently had bid on that team, that were getting ahead of the game saying, ‘Hey, if we get awarded this team, would you?’ And so there were a lot of different things at play.”

Prior to his Super-Bowl winning stint in New Orleans, Payton spent time with each of the other three franchises in the NFC East, so he has a high degree of familiarity with Washington. The list of potential new Commanders owners has not been fully established, but is expected to include Jeff Bezos and several runners-up to buy the Broncos last offseason.

The Rob Walton-led group purchased Payton’s new employer, which will pay him at least $18MM per season to lead them from the sidelines. That price was driven by a number of factors, including his acclaim as a coach, the considerable interest shown from other HC-needy teams and Payton’s stated willingness to remain as a FOX broadcaster for the 2023 season.

Of note regarding Payton’s remarks, of course, is the fact that Washington is not one of the teams which recently hired a new head coach or is currently looking for one. Ron Rivera remains in place as the team’s bench boss, having coached in the nation’s capital since 2020. He could be a hot seat candidate heading into 2023, given his 22-27-1 record over three years, but he is currently moving ahead with the support of the front office. This offseason includes a number of key questions for the Commanders, including decisions at the quarterback position and with respect to a number of key free agents.

The Payton pursuit is a moot point regardless of who – if anyone – purchases the Commanders in the near future, given his Broncos hire. His comments are nevertheless a further example of the interest he generated and the desire certain potential new owners would have to make significant changes to the coaching staff upon arrival.

Tua Tagovailoa Addresses Concussion Recovery, Offseason Plans

February 11th, 2023 at 7:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tua Tagovailoa took a dramatic step forward in 2022 in terms of performance, but his season will be best remembered for the multiple concussions he suffered. The last one cost him the final two games of the regular season, as well as the Dolphins’ wild card loss.

The 24-year-old quarterback recently spoke about his path to recovery following the concussion he suffered on Christmas Day, which represented at least the second (if not third) which he dealt with this season. He didn’t clear the league’s protocol until last week, inviting questions about his and the team’s handling of the repeated head trauma.

While in conversation with Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today, Tagovailoa said, “for concussion protocol, I think the team did me the biggest service throughout that. They never allowed me to go through protocol normally until the season was done. So that’s why it might have seemed like it took forever, but they were just protecting me from myself. And me and my family are very thankful to the Dolphins” (video link).

The fact that Miami kept the former No. 5 overall pick from navigating the standard return procedure until after their season was over is striking. The Dolphins’ handling of Tagovailoa earlier in the year led to an NFLPA investigation and the implementation of new concussion protocols midway through the year. It comes as no surprise that an abundance of caution was used this winter, even with that approach leaving Miami without their top signal-caller in the postseason.

The Alabama product is taking steps this offseason aimed at preventing a repeat of his 2022 injury woes. One of them will involve taking up judo, as detailed by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Owens. Tagovailoa said the martial art will help “figure out understanding my body and how to fall,” something which could in turn prevent harder head contact after hits compared to this past season.

If successful, Tagovailoa could set himself up for a repeat of this year’s success (when healthy). Now eligible for an extension, the former Heisman finalist recently changed agents with the team’s fifth-year option decision due to be made soon. How much faith the Dolphins place in him from a financial and roster standpoint – in terms of acquiring a high-end backup QB as insurance – will be an interesting storyline as the offseason unfolds.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/11/23

February 11th, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves, including the final gameday elevations of the season:

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

The activation of Siposs comes as little surprise, since the Eagles designated him for return last week. The 30-year-old has been out since Week 14 due to an ankle injury. His return to the lineup means veteran Brett Kern (who had filled in during Siposs’ absence) will not be in uniform for tomorrow’s Super Bowl.

Latest On Potential Derek Carr Trade

February 11th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tomorrow’s Super Bowl has obviously been the league’s top storyline in recent days, but the future of Derek Carr has generated plenty of interest as well. The Raiders quarterback is close to having more than $40MM in guaranteed money vest, meaning clarity could emerge soon.

[RELATED: Saints Viewed As Carr Frontrunners]

Vegas allowed Carr, 31, to visit the Saints this week, having previously prevented him from meeting with teams which had yet to agree on trade compensation. The fact that New Orleans hosted Carr meant that at least the framework of a deal has been agreed upon. More details have emerged on that front.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Raiders are seeking a third-round pick in exchange for Carr. Such a selection has been seen in plenty of high-profile QB trades in recent years, but Fowler is likely accurate in calling the ask a “modest” one. Of course, Carr has significant leverage in this situation by holding a no-trade clause and thus having the ability to force the Raiders to release him in the coming days and sign with the Saints (or any other potential suitor, of which there would be several) as a free agent.

New Orleans once again holds a first-round pick via the Sean Payton trade, but also the 41st and 72nd overall selections in this year’s draft. The latter would be headed Vegas’ way if previous reporting on terms being agreed upon holds true. The other complicating factor in this situation, though, is of course Carr’s contract and the Saints’ current financial situation.

New Orleans is more than $60MM over the 2023 salary cap ceiling, leaving them with more cost-cutting to do than any other team around the NFL before the new league year begins in mid-March. Carr has a scheduled cap hit of $34.9MM in 2023, and $7MM of his 2024 salary will become guaranteed this week barring a restructure. As Fowler and colleague Dan Graziano note, unsurprisingly, the Saints would be keenly interested in lowering Carr’s financial cost upon acquisition, but that the four-time Pro Bowler has no need (at least at this point) to agree to do so.

Carr would likely provide an upgrade under center to the Saints compared to their 2022 setup of Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. The Raiders, meanwhile, have made it clear they are prepared to move on to a new era at the position, leaving attention squarely placed on Carr himself as he weighs his options.

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