HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Buccaneers To Interview Alex Van Pelt For OC Position

January 29th, 2024 at 8:47am CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers’ search for a new offensive coordinator will include a meeting with a familiar face for quarterback Baker Mayfield. Alex Van Pelt is set to interview with Tampa Bay today, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

[RELATED: Raiders Conduct OC Interview With Van Pelt]

Van Pelt worked alongside Mayfield during their time together with the Browns. The former’s time after Deshaun Watson was acquired was not sufficient for him to remain in place, however, and he was fired after the Browns’ season came to an end. A return to the Buccaneers’ coaching staff could now be in play.

From 2010-11, Van Pelt served as Tampa Bay’s quarterbacks coach. That tenure came after his stint as OC of the Bills, and preceded his time with the Packers and Bengals before he took on his next coordinator opportunity with the Browns. During Van Pelt’s first season in Cleveland, Mayfield posted a career-high passer rating of 95.9 while helping guide the team to an 11-5 record. A strong run game played a major part in that success, but Mayfield’s performances took a turn for the worse after that season.

The former No. 1 pick bounced around to the Panthers and Rams after the end to his Browns tenure, but he impressed during his debut Buccaneers campaign. Mayfield may have played his way into a new deal with Tampa Bay, but an extended tenure with the team would not come with Dave Canales at the helm. The latter parlayed his one-year OC run into the head coaching job with the Panthers.

The Buccaneers put up middling numbers in several categories this season, but the team’s struggles on the ground continued. Tampa Bay finished last in the league in rushing, and the team’s new OC will be tasked with guiding a turnaround in that department. A reunion with Van Pelt (who did not call plays during his overlapping time alongside head coach Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland) in Tampa Bay could help produce a better balance on offense while giving Mayfield a familiar face on the sidelines.

Here is an updated look at the Buccaneers’ ongoing search:

Browns Hire Ken Dorsey As OC

January 28th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Coordinator dominoes continue to fall around the league. The Browns are set to hire Ken Dorsey as their new OC, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Dorsey began his pro coaching career with the Panthers in 2013, but his first coordinator gig came about during his four-plus years on the Bills’ staff. From 2019-21, he served as Buffalo’s quarterbacks coach, taking over from Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator ahead of last season. Things did not go according to plan during the 2023 campaign, however.

Under Dorsey, the Bills finished second in the league in both total and scoring offense in 2022. Expectations were thus high for the unit heading into this season, but a regression marked by inconsistency was experienced. Despite the fact the team sat in the top 10 in points and yards at the time, Dorsey was fired in November and replaced internally by Joe Brady. The latter has since taken on the full-time gig in Buffalo.

In spite of his recent ouster, Dorsey drew immediate interest as a coordinator candidate. He met with the Browns one week ago; an interview with the Buccaneers was also on the books. Instead of speaking with Tampa Bay, Dorsey has elected to join a Cleveland staff which underwent notable changes on the offensive side of the ball following the team’s wild-card elimination.

OC Alex Van Pelt was among the personnel let go in a bid by head coach Kevin Stefanski to spark improvement in production. Van Pelt had been in place for four years (in a non-play-calling capacity), and Stefanski will likely continue to orchestrate the unit on gamedays. Cleveland finished 10th in scoring this season despite a rash of injuries across the board, but an uptick in passing efficiency will be a target moving forward.

Of course, much will depend on the health and play of quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2024 and beyond. Three more years remain on his fully-guaranteed, $230MM deal, and a restructure will be needed to avoid him carrying a cap hit of nearly $64MM next season. Dorsey’s ability to work with Watson and Co. along with Stefanski will be a key factor in Cleveland’s ability to return to the postseason in 2024.

Several offensive coordinator openings remain around the league, but to no surprise this weekend has seen a number of developments on that front. Dorsey marks another candidate off the market for prospective employers, and the Buccaneers (along with any other teams which had him on their radar) will now need to move in a different direction. The Browns, meanwhile, have filled a signficant vacancy on their staff.

Bills Make Joe Brady Full-Time OC

January 28th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Brady will have a chance to continue in his current position. As the Bills considered outside options as well, their interim OC was believed to be the favorite for the job. He now has it.

The Bills will remove Brady’s interim tag and make him their full-time play-caller, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This will be Brady’s second stint as a full-time NFL OC. The Panthers employed him as such from 2020-21. Known to hire an ex-Panther or two under current management, the Bills have announced the decision.

While the Bills have earned their Panthers North identity during Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott‘s stewardship, the Brady connection is more coincidental compared to the other Carolina importing calls Buffalo has made. Brady’s Panthers stay came well after McDermott and Beane had arrived in Buffalo. Still, Brady trekked to Buffalo after a two-season run in Charlotte. Although he came to the Bills as a quarterbacks coach, the ex-LSU pass-game coordinator is back in a high-profile job.

The Bills only lost twice with Brady in place as OC, though a production spike did not occur after he took over. The team did better incorporate emerging Pro Bowler James Cook into the offense and grow comfortable under Brady, doing so despite a concerning second-half production dip from Stefon Diggs. The Bills finished sixth in scoring and fourth in total offense — down from second in both categories in 2022 — and third in DVOA during its Dorsey-Brady season.

Important in the Brady OC equation, Diggs and Cook are auxiliary pieces. Josh Allen‘s performance will play the lead role in determining how long Brady stays in this job, with HC interest sure to follow — in a period that features built-in advantages for offense-oriented HC candidates — if Allen stays on course as one of the NFL’s best players. Brady, 34, conducted his first HC interview in three years this offseason, meeting virtually with the Falcons. Brady mentored Teddy Bridgewater to what remains the top Panthers QB showing post-Cam Newton, but Matt Rhule fired his OC late in a 2021 season primarily featuring Sam Darnold at the controls.

Allen vouched for Brady, joining others in that regard. The superstar passer sported his best completion rate (66.5%) since 2020 and displayed run-game dominance under Brady. Allen runs became an essential part of the Bills’ late-season blueprint, and all four his 50-plus-yard performances on the ground this season came after Brady replaced Ken Dorsey. McDermott expressed interest in limiting Allen runs this past offseason, as less punishment in that area will help extend his career. But Allen showed the historically rare skillset he provides in the Bills’ final three games, totaling 213 yards and three touchdowns against the Dolphins, Steelers and Chiefs.

While Brady will need to strike an appropriate balance regarding the team’s reliance on Allen’s rushing chops, Cook’s emergence will help. That said, the Bills will need to recapture the Allen-Diggs connection that transformed the 2018 first-rounder’s career. Not only did all five of Diggs’ 100-yard games this season occur on Dorsey’s watch, but the star wideout managed just one 80-yard performance with Brady at the controls. Although defenses undoubtedly key on Diggs, the Bills will need to see more from their $24MM-per-year receiver in 2024.

This will be a pivotal offseason for the Bills, who are only the third team since the NFL shifted to record-based playoff seeding in 1975 to lose home divisional-round games in back-to-back years. Just the 1986-87 Bears and 1976-77 Colts match this. As the highest-ranking offensive coach in the building, Brady will become central to the organization’s quest to win its long-elusive Super Bowl.

Lions, QB Jared Goff Expected To Finalize Extension In Offseason

January 28th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Rory Parks

Lions QB Jared Goff is under contract through 2024, but the team remains interested in a long-term arrangement. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link), the Lions and Goff are expected to come together this offseason to discuss an extension that will make Goff one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.

Goff was selected by the Rams with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft, and he struggled in his rookie season under then-HC Jeff Fisher. Of course, Sean McVay‘s hiring in 2017 proved to be one of the best decisions in team history, and for a time, McVay and Goff enjoyed a productive partnership.

Over the 2017-18 campaigns, Goff posted a 24-7 record while throwing for 60 touchdowns against just 19 interceptions. He earned Pro Bowl acclaim in both of those years and guided the the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2018 season, which prompted Los Angeles to hand him a four-year, $134MM extension a few months later.

Unfortunately, Goff regressed over the next two seasons, and after the Rams were bounced from the playoffs at the conclusion of the 2020 season, McVay was notably non-committal on Goff’s future with the club. Shortly thereafter, the Rams traded Goff to the Lions in a blockbuster deal that brought Matthew Stafford to LA and sent significant draft capital to the rebuilding Detroit outfit.

At the time of the trade, Goff’s contract looked like something of an albatross, and many believed that Lions GM Brad Holmes agreed to assume the deal merely to squeeze an extra first-round draft choice out of the Rams. But subsequent reports made it clear that Holmes — who had just joined Detroit after spending the previous eight years in the Rams’ front office — truly believed that Goff could recapture his Pro Bowl form and was not viewed as a mere bridge option.

It appears that Holmes’ assessment was correct, as Goff posted solid numbers on an otherwise poor Lions club in 2021 and has taken his game to a higher level as the talent around him has improved. Over the past two seasons, Goff has guided the team to top-five finishes in both points per game and total offense, and two weeks ago, Detroit won its first playoff game since 1991. Of course, the Lions also won last week’s divisonal round tilt with the Bucs and are one victory away from the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

In 2023, we heard rumblings that the Lions were targeting a Goff extension, though that was before the team experienced playoff success with him under center. Now, it appears there will be more urgency to that dialogue.

Sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that there is a little doubt a deal will get done in the coming months, though Jones believes the average annual value on Goff’s next contract will be “somwhere in the 40s.” There are now 12 quarterbacks with AAVs of at least $40MM, so while Jones indicates that Goff is not overly concerned with his ranking in the QB contract hierarchy, Rapoport’s report — to say nothing of Goff’s leverage and his importance to a formerly moribund franchise — suggest that the number could check in closer to $50MM.

Mike Caldwell Conducts Bills DC Interview

January 28th, 2024 at 9:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills have filled their OC vacancy, but the team still has to find a new defensive coordinator. That search has included a meeting with a familiar face for head coach Sean McDermott.

The Bills interviewed Mike Caldwell for their defensive coordinator vacancy, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Caldwell was one of many defensive staffers let go by the Jaguars at the end of the campaign, one in which Jacksonville fell short of expectations on both sides of the ball en route to missing the postseason. He has nevertheless received coordinator interest in this year’s hiring cycle.

Caldwell interviewed with the Eagles for their DC posting, which has since gone to Vic Fangio. He has also met with the team over the linebackers coach position, however, so a deal sending him to Philadelphia could still be in the cards. Caldwell will have at least one alternative if his Bills meeting produces an offer. In that scenario, he would reunite with McDermott.

The pair were together during Caldwell’s playing days with the Eagles, and again when the latter was a member of Philadelphia’s coaching staff. Taking on Buffalo’s DC position would thus allow for another shared tenure with McDermott and give Caldwell, 52, the opportunity to work with a unit featuring signficant expectations.

The Bills’ perceived Super Bowl window has been in place in part due to the team’s high-profile defenders in recent years, though the unit has underperformed at times. Buffalo put up strong numbers in several defensive categories this season, one in which McDermott took on play-calling duties in response to Leslie Frazier stepping away from coaching. Roster changes will no doubt take place in the near future, but Buffalo will again enter the campaign with visions of a deep playoff run, something its defense will be significantly responsible for.

Caldwell joins ex-Eagles DC Sean Desai in interviewing with the Bills for their opening. The latter was also dismissed at the end of the campaign (although by that point he had already been replaced as Philadelphia’s play-caller). Several coordinator postings have already been filled, but a number of other candidates are still available to meet with the Bills as their search continues.

Latest On Bengals, WR Tee Higgins

January 28th, 2024 at 8:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 free agent receiver class has a number of intriguing names, including Tee Higgins. The Bengals should not be expected to let him reach the open market, but his future is nevertheless currently in the air.

Higgins’ rookie contract will expire in March, and a long-term deal would come at a signficant cost given his age and production in Cincinnati. The Bengals are also in danger of losing veteran Tyler Boyd in free agency, and Ja’Marr Chase is now eligible for a second contract. The latter has lived up to expectations as one of the league’s top wideouts in his first three years, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes it is expected around the league that Chase will be a higher priority than Higgins from a financial perspective.

Chase is still under contract for 2024, and the Bengals will no doubt pick up his fifth-year option for the following season. Still, carrying both Chase and Higgins on lucrative second contracts (with quarterback Joe Burrow attached to his $55MM-per-year deal) for years to come would be a challenge. For that reason, many have pointed to Higgins as a franchise tag candidate; applying the one-year tender could open up a trade possibility allowing the Bengals to recoup at least some value for him.

At this time, however, a tag-and-trade does not appear likely. The Bengals received trade interest in the 2023 offseason and at the trade deadline, but they made it clear they were not looking to move Higgins. The 25-year-old has publicly stated an intention of remaining in Cincinnati, but outside interest remains strong. Fowler adds that multiple teams are prepared to pay Higgins as a No. 1 receiver.

The top of the WR market saw a substantial jump in value during the 2022 offseason, when Tyreek Hill became the position’s first member to reach $30MM in annual compensation. In all, 13 receivers are attached to deals averaging at least $20MM per season, and Higgins could likely do the same if he were to wind up on a team willing to pry him away from the Bengals. The Clemson product has averaged roughly 64 catches, 920 yards and six touchdowns per campaign in his career, figures brought down by his totals in an injury-marred 2023 campaign.

The stance the Bengals take with respect to their offseason priorities and where Higgins fits into them will be a key storyline to follow in the build-up to the franchise tag deadline (March 7) and the start of the new league year one week later. An outside market for his services still exists, but a mutual desire to keep him in Cincinnati could nevertheless produce a multi-year agreement. If talks on that front do not gain traction soon, though, questions about Higgins’ future for 2024 and beyond will remain.

49ers Eyeing Extension For WR Brandon Aiyuk

January 28th, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Wideout Brandon Aiyuk has established himself as a key member of the 49ers’ skill-position group over the past two years in particular. He will remain with the team for at least one more season, but an agreement keeping him in place over the long term could be on the horizon.

[RELATED: Aiyuk Extension Higher 49ers Priority Than Chase Young?]

San Francisco made the easy call to pick up Aiyuk’s fifth-year option last offseason, a move which locked him into a 2024 salary of $14.12MM. The 25-year-old proved that decision to be wise, setting a new career high with 1,342 yards and an average of 17.9 yards per reception this year. San Francisco is, to little surprise, interested in an extension; Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the team is making an Aiyuk second contract a priority for this offseason (video link).

Drafted 25th overall in 2020, Aiyuk entered the league with significant expectations. He endured a spell in head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s doghouse early in his career, but his production has increased with each passing season. 2023 marked the second straight year in which he received more than 100 targets, made over 70 catches and totaled at least 1,000 yards. The Arizona State product is thus a prime candidate for a multi-year contract, though reaching agreement on one will add to the 49ers’ expenses on offense.

Fellow wideout Deebo Samuel, tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey are each on the books through the 2025 season. That, coupled with the remaining years on quarterback Brock Purdy‘s rookie contract, will allow the 49ers to keep their current nucleus for the time being. The latter will be eligible for an extension next offseason, though, and his play to date has put him in line for a sizeable raise.

The 49ers will also need to manage increasing cap hits on Nick Bosa‘s record-breaking contract over the coming years, figures which are scheduled to jump over $20MM in 2025 and over $42MM for three years after that. Any long-term deal for Aiyuk would carve into the team’s available funds down the road and, of course, limit resources available for additions along the offensive line and in the secondary.

Still, the Arizona State alum has proven himself to be one the top up-and-coming receivers in the league, putting him in line to benefit from the position’s surging market. A sharp spike in value was seen during the 2022 offseason, and 13 receivers are now earning at least $20MM per year on their current deals. Aiyuk could become another member of that club if talks with the 49ers go smoothly this spring.

Panthers Block Giants, Dolphins Ejiro Evero DC Interview Requests

January 28th, 2024 at 6:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ejiro Evero remains connected to a number of moves sending him out of Carolina, but such an agreement may not be possible. The Panthers defensive coordinator has had another pair of interview requests denied.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Carolina has blocked DC interviews for Evero with the Giants and Dolphins, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes (video link). Teams are allowed to block coordinators from making lateral moves, as the Panthers have already demonstrated during this year’s hiring cycle. The team prevented the Jaguars from speaking with Evero for their DC vacancy.

As Pelissero adds, it is unknown at this point if Evero wishes to remain in Carolina if another DC position awaits him elsewhere. The 43-year-old interviewed with the Seahawks for their head coaching position for the second time on Saturday, meaning he remains in the running for that post. Evero has not served as a head coach before, and he has just a pair of seasons as a coordinator (one each with the Broncos and Panthers) to his name.

In spite of that, his success both in Denver and Carolina has landed him on the HC radar. Evero guided the Broncos to a seventh-place finish in total defense last year, and the Panthers ranked fourth in that category in 2023. The former Rams safeties coach has been linked to a potential L.A. return, and his name has also been floated with respect to the Packers’ DC vacancy.

Carolina’s staff was in a holding pattern to begin the hiring cycle, with it known a new head coach would be brought in. The Panthers have tapped Dave Canales as their hire, and his background as an offensive coordinator could give Evero a high degree of autonomy in charge of the team’s defense. With Canales in place, it will be interesting to see if the Panthers’ willingness to allow Evero to explore other options will change in the near future.

Miami saw Vic Fangio depart earlier this week after just one season in South Beach. The veteran staffer has moved quickly in taking on the DC role with the Eagles, leaving the Dolphins in search of not only better health on defense (compared to where things stood at the end of the campaign) but also another new voice to guide the unit. The Giants moved on from Don Martindale amidst reported tension with head coach Brian Daboll, putting an end to their two-year partnership. Both teams remain on the lookout for a new coordinator, but for now Evero will not be a part of that process.

Panthers Likely To Hire Buccaneers’ Brad Idzik As OC

January 28th, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers are almost definitely searching for a non-play-calling offensive coordinator, with new HC hire Dave Canales on track to call plays. It does not look like Carolina is preparing an expansive search to fill this position.

As of now, two OC candidates are in the mix for the Carolina job. The team put in a request to meet with Buccaneers wide receivers coach Brad Idzik, according to SI’s JC Allen. While the team has also requested a meeting with Eagles assistant Marcus Brady, Canales is expected to go with familiarity.

Idzik has emerged as the likely hire, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. The son of former Jets GM John Idzik, Brad just finished his first season as the Bucs’ wideouts coach. Brad Idzik has worked with Canales for much longer, however. He was in place as the Seahawks’ assistant wide receivers coach from 2019-20 and again in 2022. Prior to that stay, Idzik spent five years as a Stanford graduate assistant.

The Panthers cannot hire Idzik until they meet with Brady. The Rooney Rule requires teams to meet with at least one external minority candidate for coordinator positions. We have seen a few teams conduct quick OC searches during this period, however. The Falcons only met with two candidates, hiring Zac Robinson from the Rams. The Bengals and Bills also met with just two, hiring from within.

Mike Evans extended his record-setting streak of consecutive seasons to start a career to 10, but the 6-foot-5 standout was more productive with Baker Mayfield than he was with Tom Brady. Evans’ 1,255 yards were his most since 2018, and the 10th-year receiver’s 13 TD receptions led the NFL. Chris Godwin also produced a third straight 1,00-yard season.

Carolina went with experience during the 2023 cycle, bringing in Frank Reich — a five-year play-caller — to run the show. Canales has called plays for one season, while Idzik only moved up from the assistant WRs level in 2023. That said, Canales was on Pete Carroll‘s Seahawks staff for 13 years. Should this OC hire come to pass, the Panthers will bet big on this newly formed Canales tree.

Ron Rivera On Cowboys’ Radar

January 28th, 2024 at 4:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dan Quinn is still in the mix for the two remaining HC positions, putting the Cowboys — once again — in jeopardy of losing their defensive coordinator. The former Falcons head coach has been selective about his destinations, but the Cowboys have identified at least one contingency plan in the event their defensive play-caller bolts.

The team has interest in Ron Rivera as a Quinn backup plan, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Rivera interviewed for the Eagles’ DC job, but the team quickly pivoted to Vic Fangio once the Dolphins let him out of his contract. This marks Rivera’s first non-Philly connection during this year’s hiring period.

[RELATED: 2024 Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Rivera, however, said he had spoken with multiple teams following his Black Monday firing. The Commanders canned Rivera after four seasons. With Josh Harris buying the team (and playing a central role in it trading both Montez Sweat and Chase Young on deadline day), Rivera’s firing — which came after an eight-game losing streak — was one of the most anticipated ousters in recent NFL history. The expected ouster assuredly allowed Rivera to chart potential options for the 2024 season.

Rivera, 62, has not been a coordinator since a stay as the Chargers’ DC vaulted him onto the HC radar. The former Super Bowl HC spent nine seasons leading the Panthers and the past four in Washington. The 2010 Bolts’ defense ranked first in yards allowed, leading Rivera to Charlotte. Rivera also served as a Super Bowl DC, residing in that post for the 2006 Bears — a team whose defense became rather important, as Rex Grossman was at quarterback. The Bears ranked first and third in scoring defense, respectively, in 2005 and ’06.

Jack Del Rio‘s firing led to Rivera calling plays to close out the 2023 season. Washington’s defense struggled throughout, bottoming out following the Sweat and Young trades. The end result: last-place rankings in scoring and yardage. But the Cowboys have enjoyed steady success after giving Quinn a rebound opportunity.

If Quinn is to replace Rivera in Washington or succeed ex-boss Pete Carroll in Seattle, Rivera should be expected to become a candidate for the Dallas DC post. Quinn will go through a second interview for the Washington job Tuesday. The Seahawks probably represent Quinn’s best chance, however; Lions OC Ben Johnson still looks like the favorite to land the Commanders’ HC gig.

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