HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Browns Notes: Stefanski, Watson, Smith, Winfrey

June 26th, 2023 at 9:27pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns’ record has gotten worse in each of Kevin Stefanski‘s three seasons at the helm. However, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com doesn’t believe the head coach is on the hot seat heading into the 2023 campaign.

Stefanski’s apparent job security is partly due to the Browns not “thinking negatively,” as Cabot notes. The organization has high hopes for the 2023 campaign, and they believe their head coach can get the most out of a roster that should feature a full season from QB Deshaun Watson. With other stars like Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, and Amari Cooper, Cabot opines that this is the most talented roster the coach has had during his Cleveland tenure.

It sounds like the front office is willing to write off the head coach’s 2022 campaign thanks to an uncertain QB depth chart, and Stefanski was always going to be afforded a longer leash thanks to a 2020 campaign where Cleveland won 11 regular season games and another playoff contest. As a result, there isn’t any clear ultimatum heading into next year.

Of course, if the Browns fall short of expectations, then “all things will be taken into account.” So, while Stefanski isn’t on the hot seat entering the season, he’ll surely be facing some calls for his job if the Browns don’t take a step forward in 2023.

More notes out of Cleveland…

  • Speaking of Watson, the player has been a “low-maintenance QB,” according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. Watson has reportedly been building a strong relationship with Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, with the trio exchanging ideas on how the offense will operate. Pluto believes the grouping wasn’t able to establish the same rapport last year with Watson’s impending suspension and the coaching staff’s need to temporarily cater the offense to the pocket-passing Jacoby Brissett.
  • Defensive end Za’Darius Smith was acquired from the Vikings last month, and he may see a different role in Cleveland. Cabot writes that the veteran defensive lineman could play some defensive tackle opposite Dalvin Tomlinson. This formation would allow the Browns to play their best four defensive linemen in Smith, Tomlinson, Garrett, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. Of course, Smith will also be used on the edge, in which case 2020 third-round pick Jordan Elliott could step up as the third DT on the depth chart.
  • Perrion Winfrey’s case for misdemeanor assault was dismissed earlier this month following completion of a pretrial conversion program, per Cabot. The 2022 fourth-round pick will be competing for one of those aforementioned interior DL roles. Winfrey got into 13 games as a rookie, compiling 22 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
  • We heard earlier today that the Browns are happy with their current grouping of wide receivers, including newcomer Elijah Moore. As a result, the organization isn’t expected to pursue DeAndre Hopkins and reunite the receiver with his former quarterback.

Latest On 49ers’ Quarterback Situation

June 26th, 2023 at 5:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

A year after spending the summer trying to trade Jimmy Garoppolo and then pivoting to a compromise that allowed the longtime starter to stay, the 49ers are late in another offseason headlined by an unusual quarterback situation.

Brock Purdy has resumed throwing, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes (via Twitter) the Mr. Irrelevant-turned-starter remains on track to be ready for Week 1. Following his throwing program during the 49ers’ offseason sessions, Purdy will spend two weeks throwing in front of independent QB coach Will Hewlett and an orthopedic surgeon.

The 49ers’ party line continues to center around Purdy reprising his role as the team’s starter. The 2022 rookie revelation securing the job as expected would mark one of the more interesting conquests in modern NFL history, seeing as Purdy was chosen 262nd overall and will soon be participating in a training camp alongside two former No. 3 overall picks. Trey Lance and Sam Darnold spent OTAs and minicamp splitting the first-team reps in Purdy’s absence, but each obviously came into the NFL — Darnold in 2018, Lance in 2021 — in different realms as far as prospect pedigrees.

Going into camp, Darnold is believed to have the edge on Lance for San Francisco’s backup job, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com said during a recent Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). The 49ers signed Darnold to a one-year, $4.5MM deal that came with $3.5MM guaranteed. The word of Darnold being ahead of Lance, who is tied to a $34.1MM fully guaranteed rookie contract, follows a report from earlier this offseason in which this was expectation.

In between the time Darnold signed and began his QB2 competition with Lance, the younger ex-No. 3 overall choice came up in trade rumors. The 49ers shot them down, and John Lynch spoke to Lance about the rumblings. It is worth wondering where the pre-draft rumors came from. While the 49ers have said they were not aiming to trade Lance, Schefter adds the QB did not produce a real trade market. It is not known what the 49ers would have considered an acceptable return for a player who has one season (2019) with extensive game work since high school, but Darnold staying ahead of Lance during camp would represent another setback for the ex-North Dakota State superstar.

The 49ers are planning to keep three quarterbacks, though only two figure to dress. Because of the Purdy and Josh Johnson injuries draining the drama from the NFC championship game, the NFL reintroduced the emergency QB rule. Teams can designate an emergency QB that is not part of an initial 48-man gameday unit. Plenty of reps remain, but as of now, Lance would project as San Francisco’s emergency passer.

Considering the 49ers tried to trade Garoppolo and give Lance the job without challenge last year, the latter being a real threat to enter a season as a third-stringer is a stunning development based on where his value stood as recently as last September. Eighth-year veteran Brandon Allen is also on San Francisco’s roster, signing shortly after the draft.

How a post-UCL surgery Purdy looks alongside Darnold and Lance once cleared will be another important component in the latest complex 49ers QB plot. For now, Purdy’s job is not believed to be under threat. That could conceivably change in camp, where Darnold might be the top competitor. Pressure will also be on Lance — who said he did not consider seeking an offseason trade — to stay afloat in a battle for the backup gig.

PFR Originals: Jacobs, Cook, Bills, Ravens

June 26th, 2023 at 4:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the recent originals produced by the PFR staff:

  • Josh Jacobs resides as one of this year’s three franchise-tagged running backs. Ben Levine took a look at how the fifth-year Raider’s extension process might play out. Jacobs not signing a long-term extension by July 17 would force him to play the season on the $10.9MM tag — or make an unexpected move to follow Le’Veon Bell‘s rarely traversed path by skipping a season (and passing on an eight-figure guarantee) in protest.
  • The running back position looks to be in one of its most important offseasons. Dalvin Cook‘s Vikings release and ensuing free agency represents one of the job’s many storylines. I asked readers where the high-profile back will end up signing. Thus far, the Cook-Dolphins rumblings have led to Miami leading the pack. But other AFC East teams have received a number of votes as well.
  • The Bills’ Leonard Floyd addition crowds their defensive end corps. Von Miller anticipates being ready for Week 1, and the team also brought back Shaq Lawson. The latter will join three homegrown defensive ends alongside Miller and Floyd. With Gregory Rousseau‘s roster spot not in question, one of the recent Buffalo second-round D-ends is far from a lock to make the roster. As such, Adam La Rose looked into a potential trade involving 2021 second-rounder Boogie Basham.
  • A number of NFL extensions have come to pass during the period between minicamp and training camp. The Cowboys have a few candidates for re-ups this year. CeeDee Lamb is primed to collect an upper-crust receiver payday, and Ely Allen explored the Pro Bowler’s situation in detail. The Cowboys picking up Lamb’s fifth-year option keeps him signed through 2024, giving the team time on this front.
  • Lamb, however, may need to wait. Since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts, no team has extended a first-round receiver with two years of control remaining. I looked into the first-rounders who bucked this trend by signing extensions during their fourth NFL offseasons. Many of them have been quarterbacks, but teams also made some early moves at other spots. Receiver has not been one of them, which could affect the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson talks.
  • The Ravens also boast a pair of extension candidates on their defensive line. Both Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington are going into contract years. While Baltimore is known to covet compensatory picks and has let a number of ascending starters walk in free agency, Ely examined the extension cases for the two 2020 draftees.
  • It has now been six years since the Chiefs broke up their Andy Reid–John Dorsey power structure. Kansas City employed Dorsey as GM from January 2013 until June 2017. While current GM Brett Veach has guided the team to three Super Bowls and two wins, Dorsey draftees Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones remain the Chiefs’ pillars. Ben took a look at how this situation unfolded and assessed the fallout.

Chargers Sign Round 2 OLB Tuli Tuipulotu, Wrap Draft Class Deals

June 26th, 2023 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Playing at a Los Angeles-area high school and then at USC, Tuli Tuipulotu will make a smooth transition to the NFL. The Chargers chose the pass rusher at No. 54 overall. He is now set to start training camp on time.

The AFC’s Los Angeles franchise signed its second-round pick Monday. This completes the Bolts’ latest round of draft class deals. First-rounder Quentin Johnston signed last month. Like Johnston, Tuipulotu joins a position group housing two entrenched veterans.

Joey Bosa is entering his seventh NFL season, and his big-ticket contract remains a top-five pact among edge rushers. The Bolts still have Khalil Mack, a 2022 trade acquisition, as well. But the team played much of last season without Bosa, who has battled a number of injuries as a pro. Tuipulotu brings a proven track record as a college pass rusher. Barring another major injury to one of their starters, the Chargers figure to work in the young player as a rotational option behind Bosa and Mack.

Tuipulotu recorded 13.5 sacks with the Trojans last season, soaring to Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year acclaim and All-American honors. That sack count led the Pac-12 and ranked third in Division I-FBS; the accomplished edge defender added 22 tackles for loss. Tuipulotu worked as a 28-game starter in college. Given Mack’s status, it is not out of the question the rookie will begin a lengthy NFL first-string run in the not-too-distant future.

Mack is still tied to the contract the Bears gave him upon acquiring him from the Raiders in 2018’s late-summer blockbuster. That six-year extension runs through the 2024 season, but Mack’s cap number — thanks to yet another restructure this offseason — shoots to $38.5MM next year. With no guarantees left on the deal, it is not hard to see the Chargers evaluating Tulipulotu’s rookie year with Mack’s future in mind. For this year, however, the Bolts boast an intriguing setup that should allow for the rookie to develop behind two standouts. The team has not re-signed 2022 cog Kyle Van Noy.

Here is the Chargers’ 2023 draft class:

Round 1, No. 21: Quentin Johnston, WR (TCU) (signed)
Round 2, No. 54: Tuli Tuipulotu, OLB (USC) (signed)
Round 3, No. 85: Daiyan Henley, LB (Washington State) (signed)
Round 4, No. 125: Derius Davis, WR (TCU) (signed)
Round 5, No. 156: Jordan McFadden, G (Clemson) (signed)
Round 6, No. 200: Scott Matlock, DT (Boise State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 239: Max Duggan, QB (TCU) (signed)

30 Unsigned Draft Picks Remain

June 26th, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

With training camps less than a month away, 30 members of the 2023 draft class remain unsigned. Several teams have agreed to terms with their entire draft classes, but a handful of teams have multiple players still unsigned. Draft slots largely explain this. First- and second-rounders comprise the bulk of the unsigned lot, with guarantees the core issue for the latter group. Here are the unsigned draftees:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 6:

The second-round slowdown continues a trend. Last year, more Round 2 choices received three fully guaranteed years compared to prior drafts. This year’s No. 39 overall pick — Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (Ole Miss) — broke through with three locked-in years and a partial 2026 guarantee. This would explain the next nine players drafted being unsigned, with the agents for the players chosen immediately after Mingo angling for the same terms or guarantees in the same ballpark.

No. 31 overall choice Felix Anudike-Uzomah‘s four-year Chiefs deal is fully guaranteed, while No. 34 pick Sam LaPorta (Lions) has a partial 2026 guarantee. This would explain the Nos. 32 and 33 choices remaining unsigned. Other issues — like offset language and signing bonus payouts — annually arise in rookie-deal negotiations, but most of these players will be signed by the time teams head to training camp. A few stragglers report late due to their contracts each year, but the 2011 CBA’s slot system — which the 2020 CBA kept in place — largely addressed the issues that once emerged frequently regarding rookie pacts.

Latest On Seahawks’ RB Room

June 26th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Seattle is in line to have a strong backfield in 2023 after supplementing starter Kenneth Walker with rookies Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. That trio is likely to be joined by DeeJay Dallas, giving the team a number of decisions to make with respect to how each back is used.

All four players, to varying degrees, have shown an ability to produce in the passing game at either the NFL or college levels. That could lead to a notable increase in passing plays out of the backfield this season, ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes. Charbonnet (a second-round selection) and McIntosh (seventh round) in particular helped their draft stock with notable pass-catching seasons in 2022.

Walker stands to serve as the undisputed starter after he finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. His success made it little surprise when Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer departed in free agency, creating the vacancies filled by Charbonnet and McIntosh. Their roles will likely involve signficant pass-catching duties, especially if the Seahawks elect to use a committee approach.

“Yeah, they’re catchers, for sure,” head coach Pete Carroll said of Seattle’s RB room as a whole. “Kenny is a really natural athlete, you can just see it in everything that he does. Zach does everything well… He’s already shown his understanding and his instincts about blocking in the passing game – not the physical side of it, but his assignments and his footwork and stuff like that. We’ve just got to throw them out there and start handing the ball to them, see what happens and see who produces and all.”

As his last remark confirms, little is known at this point with respect to the pecking order behind Walker on the depth chart. Heavy involvement in the passing game out of the backfield could help Seattle’s rookies see the field right away, though the team’s receiver trio of D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba figures to limit the amount of targets available at the RB position.

As Henderson notes, Carroll has not traditionally favored using Seattle’s backs prominently in the passing game. Given the skillsets available to him now, however, it would come as little surprise if that philosophy shifted in 2023 and the years immediately following this season.

Saints CBs Alontae Taylor, Paulson Adebo Competing For Starting Role

June 26th, 2023 at 11:30am CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints already have one starting cornerback spot spoken for with four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore. The competition to determine who will line up opposite him will take place during training camp.

Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo are vying for a first-team role, as detailed by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. The pair split reps with the starting defense during OTAs, allowing each to state their case as a full-time outside corner (although the former has also spent time practicing in the slot). Their performances in the summer will determine the pecking order behind Lattimore for New Orleans.

When addressing the situation, head coach Dennis Allen said, “the great thing about it, those two particular players… both of them are fully capable of being starters and playing at a high level for us, but we’re going to let that competition play out.”

Both Adebo and Taylor have already seen signficant playing time early in their respective careers. Adebo, a 2021 third-rounder, has started all but one of his 30 career appearances and logged a snap share of 94% last season, one in which Lattimore was limited to just seven contests. The latter’s injury allowed Taylor, a second-round pick, to start nine games in his rookie season.

Taylor registered 11 pass breakups and posted much better coverage statistics than Adebo during his first-team audition in 2022. Given the potential for growth both players have (each will be 24 at the start of the regular season), though, plenty remains to be determined heading into the 2023 campaign. Regardless of how the competition for the outside corner spot shakes out, each could see a notable workload since the Saints’ lone free agent CB addition was Lonnie Johnson and the team elected not to add further to the position during the draft.

Falcons Promote Kyle Smith To Assistant GM, Ryan Pace To Pro Personnel Director

June 26th, 2023 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons have made a pair of internal moves in their front office. Both Kyle Smith and Ryan Pace have received promotions, reports Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports (Twitter link).

Smith’s position is now assistant general manager, a step up from the role he had upon his arrival in Atlanta in 2021. He worked as the Falcons’ VP of player personnel for the past two years, the same position he held at the time of his Washington departure. Now, he will have a larger voice in Atlanta’s front office, which has been led by GM Terry Fontenot since 2021.

Smith drew interest from other teams before joining Atlanta, so his lateral move in terms of title was seen as a potential stepping stone toward a promotion in short order. The 38-year-old has been viewed as a serious future GM candidate, and this move will bring him closer to that possibility down the road. He will continue supporting Fontenot’s efforts to move the Falcons back into contender status after the team’s recent financial reset.

Pace, meanwhile, will hold the title of director of player personnel moving forward. The ex-Chicago general manager quickly found his next gig by joining the Falcons last winter after being fired by the Bears. Heading to Atlanta allowed Pace, 46, to reunite with Fontenot after the pair worked together in New Orleans before their respective GM hires. The former worked as a senior personnel executive last season.

Smith and Pace will look to use their new, advanced roles to help guide the Falcons to a postseason berth in what should be a wide-open NFC South in 2023. Their success in that endeavor could be a key part of the evaluation of Fontenot moving forward.

Broncos To Conduct Training Camp K Competition

June 26th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos will have a kicker not named Brandon McManus in place at the start of the 2023 season, but it remains to be seen who his successor will be. Only one kicker is on Denver’s roster at the moment, but that is likely to change in the near future.

Elliot Fry took part in spring practices for Denver after signing with the team last month. His lone competition at that point was veteran Randy Bullock, who was brought in on a tryout basis without joining the team’s 90-man roster. The former will be a participant in the Broncos’ kicking competition during training camp, but it remains to be seen who will be challenging him.

Mike Klis of 9News notes that at least one addition at the position will be coming in time for next month, which could include Bullock or another experienced option on the lookout for a new opportunity. The likes of Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, Ryan Succop and Brett Maher remain unsigned, and it will be interesting to monitor their markets as teams look for upgrades or participants in their own competitions. Klis adds that roster cuts could be another source of Denver’s eventual Week 1 kicker.

Fry, 28, has made just three regular season appearances during his career (the most recent of which came in 2021), so his spot is certainly far from assured heading into training camp. Bullock, by contrast, has 138 games of experience but was let go by the Titans as part of a widespread cost-cutting effort on the team’s part. Either of those two, or another addition to be made later, will face the challenge of effectively replacing McManus after his nine-year run in the Mile High City which included generally consistent performances along with a dip in accuracy last season.

“Making that transaction was a tough call,” special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica said on the decision to release McManus. “I think there was a lot of thought going into that… He’s done a lot of great things, but that’s part of the business. Transactions occur, and there will be more transactions. We wish him nothing but the best.

“Going to Jacksonville, I think that’s a great spot for him,” Kotwica added. “We’re excited about the guys we have in Elliott and Randy. We’ll see how this takes fold as we move forward to the season.”

“Real Competition” Expected For Bears’ RB1 Role

June 25th, 2023 at 10:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bears made an effort to retain longtime starting running back David Montgomery this offseason, but Montgomery eschewed the club’s offer and elected to join the division-rival Lions. Chicago then added D’Onta Foreman to the RB room in free agency and selected Roschon Johnson in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes that there will be a “real competition” for the RB1 role, with incumbent Khalil Herbert, Foreman, and Johnson all having a legitimate shot to land the gig.

Herbert, a 2021 sixth-round choice, has flashed plenty of promise during his first two professional seasons, mostly working as a complement to Montgomery. Over 30 games (three starts), Herbert has accumulated 1,164 rushing yards on 232 totes, which represents a sparkling 5.0 yards-per-carry average. He has added 23 catches for 153 yards and has scored seven total touchdowns.

Foreman, meanwhile, has taken a little longer to realize his potential. A third-round pick of the Texans in 2017, Foreman had a decent showing in his first year in the NFL (78 carries for 327 yards and two TDs), but a torn Achilles cut his rookie season short and forced him to miss most of 2018. He was waived in advance of the 2019 season, with poor work habits reportedly accelerating his departure from Houston.

After sitting out all of 2019, Foreman caught on with the Titans’ practice squad in September 2020 and ultimately appeared in six games for Tennessee that year. In 2021, he got his first extended opportunity to shine since he was a rookie, as he carried the ball 133 times for 566 yards (4.3 YPC) as an injury replacement for Derrick Henry.

Foreman signed with the Panthers last March, and following the Christian McCaffrey trade in October, Foreman became Carolina’s feature back. He ended the 2022 season with 203 carries for 914 yards (4.5 YPC) and five touchdowns and was rumored to be a hot commodity should he and the Panthers fail to agree to a new contract before free agency opened this year.

Of course, Foreman and Carolina did not come to terms on a new deal, so the Texas product became a free agent once again. While the suppressed running back market and his lack of receiving prowess limited him to a one-year, $2MM contract with the Bears, he is well-positioned to have a sizable role in Chicago’s offense, even if he is not the official starter.

Johnson, another Texas alumnus, enjoyed a 5.6 YPC average over his four years with the Longhorns. It stands to reason that he would start his career behind Herbert and Foreman on the depth chart, though Biggs believes Johnson’s draft status puts him firmly in the mix to receive the lion’s share of the carries right out of the gate.

The Bears’ heavy investment into their running attack this offseason did not stop at Foreman and Johnson. Chicago also added Travis Homer in free agency, and the club is still rostering 2022 sixth-rounder Trestan Ebner. While Ebner, who carried the ball 24 times for 54 yards last year, would be hard-pressed to earn many rushing attempts if the Herbert/Foreman/Johnson/Homer quartet remains healthy, Biggs believes the second-year pro could nonetheless retain a roster spot due to his receiving and special teams abilities.

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