HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

TE Dalton Schultz Wants To Remain With Texans

February 12th, 2024 at 3:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dalton Schultz joined a new team for the first time in his career last offseason, signing with the Texans after a five-year run with the Cowboys. If he has his way, he will remain in Houston for at least the 2024 campaign.

From 2020-22 in particular, Schultz established himself as one of Dak Prescott‘s top targets. He showed considerable potential with a career year in 2021, posting 808 yards and eight touchdowns on 78 receptions. Despite having relatively high stock heading into free agency last spring, though, he inked only a one-year deal with the Texans worth $6.25MM in guaranteed money.

In his debut Houston campaign, the 27-year-old delivered another strong campaign. Schultz finished with a 59-635-5 statline in 15 regular season games, adding a touchdown grab in the team’s surprise run to the divisional round of the playoffs. He could be in line for a contract keeping him in Houston for the time being, something he would welcome.

“I’d love to be in Houston,” Schultz said during a recent appearance on SportsRadio610. “There’s no doubt about that. I loved my time. Special organization, special quarterback. Love the scheme, love the coaches, I’ve loved everything about Houston. I’m confident that we can find some common ground.”

After quarterback C.J. Stroud won Offensive Rookie of the Year with a commendable performance and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans guided the team to a division title and wild-card win, the Texans certainly profile as an attractive free agent destination. Schultz would be counted on as a key option in the passing game alongside wideouts Nico Collins and Tank Dell if he were to be retained.

The Cowboys were unsuccessful in working out a long-term agreement with Schultz, however. That resulted in the former fourth-rounder playing on the franchise tag in 2022. He could aim for a raise from his previous pact, though a deal placing him amongst the 12 tight ends earning $10MM or more per season would likely come as a surprise. Schultz’s deal is set to void on February 19, which would trigger a $3.38MM cap charge for the 2024 season. The team would therefore be well-served to hammer out a new deal before that time if Schultz’s desire for an extended stay in Houston is reciprocated.

Saints GM Mickey Loomis Addresses Cap Strategy; Team Restructures Marshon Lattimore, Jameis Winston Contracts

February 12th, 2024 at 2:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

For years, the Saints have been at the forefront of the league with respect to maneuvering themselves into cap compliance. The 2024 offseason figures to be no different in that respect, with restructures expected to be a frequently-used tool.

New Orleans has a veteran-laden roster and has elected on several occasions to avoid a hard financial reset by instead creating immediate cap space at the expense of future years. That has left the team with a number of difficult decisions, but general manager Mickey Loomis has managed to keep the core intact while also being active in spots during free agency. When asked about this offseason, he confirmed a signficant shift in operations will not be coming.

“I don’t know that change is the right word,” Loomis said, via NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras. “We just have to be conscious of making up some ground in the next few years, and there are different ways to do that. I’ve said this [to the media] before, sometimes you have to look beyond the numbers and look at how many guys are under contract, what’s the roster, what are your core players… There’s just a lot of different variables.”

Currently projected to be well over the cap for the new league year, the Saints have begun the process of restructuring some of their most lucrative contracts. That includes cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who ESPN’s Field Yates notes had much of his 2024 base salary converted into an option bonus. The move created just over $11MM in cap space for this year. Lattimore’s re-worked pact also has a de-escalator for offseason workout participation, as detailed by Yates’ colleague Katherine Terrell and Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football.

As Underhill further notes, Lattimore’s option bonus does not take effect until one week before the start of the 2024 campaign (subscription required). That could create a window of opportunity for a trade, something which would come as a surprise given the four-time Pro Bowler’s importance to New Orleans’ defense. Lattimore is under contract through 2026; like many Saints, though, his pact includes multiple void years.

The same is true of quarterback Jameis Winston. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Winston agreed to add void years to his pact which will take effect shortly after the new league year begins in March. He is still on track to reach free agency, but the move will allow for his cap hit to be spread over multiple seasons. As Terrell notes, Winston was due to carry a cap charge of $10.6MM in the event he did not re-sign. The 30-year-old has been with New Orleans since 2020, and he could be retained this spring in a backup capacity.

Designating him a post-June 1 release would also be a viable option, however. The new Winston pact includes massive bonuses in the 2025 and ’28 void years, Terrell details, but a post-June 1 cut would create a modest dead cap charge of $3.87MM in each of the next two years.

Like Lattimore and Winston, several other Saints players will soon have significant adjustments made to their contracts as New Orleans strives to get under the 2024 cap ceiling. All teams must do so before March 13, but as usual the Saints will have one of the steepest challenges to achieve compliance.

Cowboys Remain In Contact With Rex Ryan Over DC Position

February 12th, 2024 at 1:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

A report from last week tapped Mike Zimmer as the next defensive coordinator of the Cowboys. An agreement has not yet been finalized, however, and at least one other candidate is still in the running for the position.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Dallas has remained in contact with Rex Ryan, ESPN’s Adam Schefter explained on a Monday Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Schefter himself stated during ESPN’s Super Bowl countdown show on Sunday that the Zimmer hire had been made, but Ryan echoed reports which have noted that a contract is not yet in place. Now, the latter can still be considered a finalist for the role.

Ryan interviewed with Dallas as part of the team’s search for a Dan Quinn replacement. That marked the second straight offseason in which he met over a DC posting, having done so with the Broncos in 2023. The 61-year-old last held a coordinator position during his four-year run at the helm of the Ravens’ defense from 2005-08. That was followed by head coaching opportunities with the Jets and Bills, but he has not coached since being fired by Buffalo in 2016.

While working as an ESPN analyst, Ryan has not been tangibly connected to many NFL openings (either as a head coach or a DC). The fact the Cowboys – who Schefter notes “loved” Ryan after his interview – are still in touch is certainly notable. The team enjoyed success in a number of categories under Quinn during the past three years, but a poor defensive showing in Dallas’ wild-card loss to the Packers played a signficant role in another early postseason exit. Ryan, Zimmer or another candidate will be tasked with maintaining a consistent level of performance on that side of the ball throughout the campaign.

Zimmer has been out of the NFL coaching ranks since he was fired by the Vikings at the end of the 2021 campaign. His tenure as Minnesota’s head coach was preceded in part by a 13-year tenure with the Cowboys, including seven seasons as defensive coordinator. Zimmer would thus represent an experienced option for Mike McCarthy‘s staff and a familiar face for owner Jerry Jones, but he appears to still have competition for a return to where his NFL coaching career began.

Saints Hire Klint Kubiak As OC

February 12th, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 12: With the Super Bowl now in the books, the agreement between Kubiak and the Saints has indeed been finalized, Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes. Kubiak’s second coordinator gig will take place in New Orleans in 2024 as part of a staff which has undergone a number of changes.

FEBRUARY 11: Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network confirms that Klint Kubiak’s deal with the Saints is expected to be finalized after today’s Super Bowl (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). Kubiak reportedly plans to add former Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko to his staff — Chicago dismissed Janocko at the end of the season — and longtime O-line coach John Benton is also likely to be hired, as previously reported.

FEBRUARY 2: Another Kyle Shanahan staffer is on track to move up the ladder. The Saints are working on a deal to hire Klint Kubiak as their next offensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

No agreement between Kubiak and the Saints can be announced until after Super Bowl LVIII, with the current 49ers pass-game coordinator preparing for the game. Following the Super Bowl, the deal can go through. But it appears the Saints have decided on a name to conclude their long-running OC search.

This will bring a second chance for Kubiak, who spent the 2021 season as the Vikings’ OC. Succeeding his father (Gary) as Minnesota’s play-caller, Kubiak needed to look elsewhere after Mike Zimmer‘s firing. He landed in Denver, and while that brought a Colorado return for the second-generation coach, the Nathaniel Hackett-guided season produced disastrous results. Kubiak, 36, has managed to land on his feet, working alongside QBs coach Brian Griese as Shanahan’s top assistants on offense.

The Saints’ OC search produced some twists and turns. Four interviewees bowed out early or accepted jobs with other teams. Shane Waldron (Bears), Dan Pitcher (Bengals) and Zac Robinson (Falcons) landed OC gigs; Jerrod Johnson agreed to stay with the Texans. This led to a search that will end up taking more than five weeks to complete, with the Kubiak agreement not becoming official until after the 49ers’ eighth Super Bowl.

Kubiak will follow Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur as Shanahan-tree coaches to have moved into HC or OC positions. The Saints also interviewed Griese, but they will go with the more experienced coach. Kubiak also barely qualifies as a Shanahan tree branch, though the younger Shanahan’s offense is derived from the attack Mike Shanahan and Kubiak’s father used with the Broncos in the 1990s and 2000s. The Shanahan-Sean McVay-based attack continues to succeed, and the Saints are the latest team to buy in.

With Zimmer a defense-based HC, the Kubiaks served as the Vikings’ play-callers in back-to-back seasons. Returning to the sideline in 2020 to replace Kevin Stefanski, Gary Kubiak spent one season as Minnesota’s OC. Klint took over a year later. The Vikings ranked 14th in scoring in 2021, an 8-9 campaign, and 12th in total offense. That year brought Justin Jefferson‘s first All-Pro nod, a 10-touchdown Adam Thielen slate and Dalvin Cook keeping his 1,100-yard rushing streak intact.

Nothing especially positive can be said about the 2022 Broncos’ offense, but Hackett did give Kubiak a play-calling shot — over OC Justin Outten — as that season went south. This season has obviously brought a Kubiak bounce-back effort. Brock Purdy has continued his stunning ascent from his Mr. Irrelevant status, becoming a Pro Bowler and helping the 49ers make up for their Trey Lance misstep. Purdy’s 9.6 yards per attempt is the best mark by a full-season starter since the 1950s, with Kurt Warner‘s 2000 number (9.9) coming in 11 games. The 49ers’ passing attack also nearly became the sixth team in NFL history to see three pass catchers eclipse 1,000 yards, seeing Deebo Samuel‘s October shoulder injury impede that path. Brandon Aiyuk reached a career-high 1,342 yards this season, while George Kittle surpassed 1,000 as well.

This offseason brought new territory for the Saints, who had not changed offensive coordinators since promoting Pete Carmichael in 2009. Carmichael served as one of the longest-tenured coordinators in NFL history, but after two seasons calling the plays post-Sean Payton, Carmichael received his walking papers (Payton has since hired Carmichael in Denver). The Saints did rank ninth in scoring and 14th in total offense this season, but the unit submitted inconsistent work during a 7-10 campaign. Kubiak will be charged with elevating the Derek Carr-led attack in 2024.

Here is how the Saints’ OC search wrapped:

Chiefs HC Andy Reid To Return In 2024

February 12th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Rory Parks

FEBRUARY 12: When speaking after Sunday’s victory, Reid confirmed he will indeed remain in place for 2024. As he foreshadowed last month, tight end Travis Kelce also stated he will play a 12th campaign in Kansas City, which comes as little surprise. Reid, Kelce and Co. are certainly well-positioned to contend for a third straight Super Bowl next season as they aim to continue building their respective legacies.

FEBRUARY 11: Andy Reid retirement rumors are becoming something of an annual tradition. Prior to Super Bowl LVII last February, the Chiefs’ head coach was non-committal about his future, and we heard just last month that the team had a potential Reid retirement on its radar.

However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano’s sources say they would be surprised if Reid walked away (subscription required). Now 65, Reid said in July 2020 that he would be open to coaching into his 70s, and at that time, quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Reid told him that he plans on remaining with KC for the duration of Mahomes’ thru-2031 contract.

In July 2020, Reid and Mahomes were coming off their first AFC championship and first Super Bowl victory. Since then, they have won three more AFC titles and one more Lombardi Trophy, and they will have the chance to secure their third Super Bowl ring today. Their run to Super Bowl LVIII has been perhaps their most impressive championship pursuit yet, as the offense rarely looked like its usual explosive self throughout the 2023 regular season. A top-flight defense, coupled with just enough flashes of brilliance from Mahomes — who muddled through the worst statistical season of his career — was ultimately enough to will the Chiefs to yet another title game.

Graziano does expect the Chiefs to address their HC’s contract this offseason. The belief is that Reid is presently earning $12MM per year, while AFC West rivals Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh earn (or will earn) salaries of $17MM and $16MM, respectively. Given Reid’s tremendous success during his Kansas City tenure — he has a 128-51 regular season record and a 15-7 playoff mark to go along with his two Super Bowl wins — it stands to reason that he should not be the third-highest-paid coach in his own division.

Of course, when Reid joined the Chiefs in 2013, he did so with a reputation as an offensive mastermind and a terrific head coach who was perhaps not quite good enough to win a championship. During his stint as the Eagles’ HC from 1999-2012, Reid guided Philadelphia to the NFC championship five times but advanced to the Super Bowl just once, and that appearance ended with a difficult loss to the Patriots. After his club failed to qualify for the playoffs at all in 2011 and 2012, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie had run out of patience, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer recalls.

Reid’s contract with Philadelphia was not renewed following the 2012 campaign, but if he had stayed, Reid likely would have been forced to cede his personnel authority to Howie Roseman, who had become the club’s general manager several years prior. Obviously, the change of scenery (along with the drafting of Mahomes) ultimately proved to be the right call for Reid, though the Eagles — who won their first Super Bowl at the end of the 2017 season and who nearly toppled Reid’s Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII last year — also found some success in their post-Reid era.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

February 12th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVIII in the books, the 2023 campaign has come to a close. Teams outside Kansas City and San Francisco had already turned their attention to the offseason well before Sunday’s game, of course.

Regular season standings determine the order for the top 18 picks, so they have been known since the conclusion of Week 18. For the second straight year, the Bears face the question of dealing away the top selection and starting over at quarterback or re-committing to Justin Fields. Expectations still point toward Caleb Williams heading to Chicago, although the Bears will not move the No. 1 pick at a discounted price.

With the Commanders also in position to add a signal-caller second overall, the Patriots and Cardinals will be worth watching closely. New England will be in the market for a QB, but it may not come via the team’s top selection. Arizona’s position could also be a trade-up target for teams seeking a quarterback addition. This year’s class is expected to be dominated by blue-chip prospects under center, as well as at wide receiver and offensive tackle.

The final 14 spots in the draft order are filled by postseason results. The Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory picking at or near the end of the first-round order for the fourth time in the past five years following another Super Bowl appearance. The team has a mixed track record with its selections in that regard, but another impact rookie would of course help its bid to sustain its impressive run.

While a number of selections will no doubt be swapped between now and draft day, here is the full 2024 first-round order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-13
  3. New England Patriots: 4-13
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
  6. New York Giants: 6-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Chicago Bears: 7-10
  10. New York Jets: 7-10
  11. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
  12. Denver Broncos: 8-9
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
  14. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  15. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
  16. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
  19. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
  21. Miami Dolphins: 11-6
  22. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
  23. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  24. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  25. Green Bay Packers: 9-8
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
  27. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  28. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  29. Detroit Lions: 12-5
  30. Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
  32. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6

Chiefs Win Super Bowl LVIII In OT Classic

February 11th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Ely Allen

The 2023 NFL season has officially come to a close. The Kansas City Chiefs are your Super Bowl LVIII champions. It took nearly every second of the NFL’s second-ever overtime period in a Super Bowl, but the Chiefs have established themselves as a dynasty under head coach Andy Reid and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In five quarters, Kansas City outdueled the NFC’s No. 1-seeded 49ers two weeks after dispatching the AFC’s top-seeded Ravens.

Defense featured heavily early in this year’s season finale, with two drives ending in fumbles in the first half and the second half opening with Mahomes’ first postseason interception since the team’s 2021 AFC championship game loss to the Bengals. Both teams were able to shrug off the slow start of a 13-point first half by turning it on for a back-and-forth 25-point second half.

In Super Bowl LVIII, we got to witness the league’s shiny new playoff overtime rules for the very first time. Following the efforts of Frank Reich and Jon Ferrari, among several others, the NFL changed its longstanding sudden-death overtime rules following a shootout playoff game between the Chiefs and Bills. After a back-and-forth divisional-round matchup in 2021, the Chiefs drove down the field on the first overtime possession, scoring a touchdown and ending the game to prevent the Bills from touching the ball. The new rules allow for each team to possess the ball once, regardless of whether or not the first team scores a touchdown. The Chiefs would not need the benefit of that rule tonight, though, stopping the 49ers on the 5-yard line and forcing a field goal before driving down the field for the game-winning touchdown.

Despite the seeming dominance of the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, this was a year of overcoming in Kansas City. Earning the AFC’s No. 3 seed after finishing with an 11-6 record, the Chiefs sputtered through an uneven regular season — one that started with star defensive tackle Chris Jones staging a holdout in search of a new contract. The veteran defender went as far as to sit out the team’s season opener, a loss to the Lions. Less than a week later, the Chiefs rewarded Jones with a reworked deal, keeping him in place for the 2023 season. The team also had to overcome what seemed to be a drop off in receiving talent as the Chiefs led the league with 44 total dropped passes.

Kansas City also saw a number of key contributors from their previous Super Bowl run depart in the offseason. Starting tackles Andrew Wylie and Orlando Brown Jr.. would depart in free agency, as would key wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman. New tackles Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith would hit some bumps early on in the road but would eventually become the anchors of a Super Bowl-winning offensive line that faced off against one of the NFL’s most talent-laden defensive lines. Key rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice filled some holes in the offense nicely en route to earning a few Offensive Rookie of the Year votes, and Hardman found his way back to Missouri via trade.

Hardman’s return to the Chiefs did not produce much of consequence during the regular season, but it proved crucial tonight. While star tight end Travis Kelce did his usual lion’s share of the work, catching nine of 10 targets for 93 yards, Hardman came up with two of the biggest catches of the game: a 52-yard bomb that would go for naught due to an Isiah Pacheco fumble and the game-winning 3-yard overtime grab in the end zone.

The 49ers played their game plan, utilizing quarterback Brock Purdy to spread the ball out to their best playmakers. Star running back Christian McCaffrey accounted for 160 yards and a touchdown while wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel drew a healthy share of targets, as well. Jauan Jennings, usually playing in the shadow of Aiyuk and Samuel, got to steal to spotlight for a stretch, catching Purdy’s only touchdown pass and throwing one of his own in a trick play to McCaffrey.

Special teams played a crucial role in the NFL’s biggest of game of the year, showcasing how important it is to be efficient in all three phases of the game. Tonight saw the same record broken twice as rookie 49ers kicker Jake Moody opened up the scoring with a 55-yard field goal, the longest ever in a Super Bowl. He would hold that claim for only a short time, though, as Harrison Butker broke Moody’s record with a 57-yarder with five minutes to go in the third quarter. In addition to those big legs, the 49ers saw former Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley make two big plays on punt coverage, pinning his former team on the two-yard line once and making a big tackle on another. The Chiefs would get their own big plays, recovering a punt that would hit the leg of a 49ers blocker for a turnover and blocking an extra point that would ultimately help them to tie the game and win in overtime.

In the end, we saw a game for the record books. By the game clock, Super LVIII was the longest in NFL history, using all but three seconds of the first overtime period. We saw Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo become the NFL’s first ever offensive or defensive coordinator to win four Super Bowls. We also saw the Chiefs become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots did it in the ’03 and ’04 seasons. And, we saw Kansas City appear in its fourth Super Bowl in five seasons and win its third of those four. Those accomplishments, paired with eight straight AFC West titles and six straight appearances in the AFC Championship Game, have solidified this era of Chiefs football as a dynasty.

Though little doubt existed, Mahomes earned Super Bowl LVIII MVP honors — his third such achivement. Despite a slow start and early struggles, Mahomes would complete 74 percent of his pass attempts for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He also led his team in rushing with 66 yards on nine dashes. After losing Tyreek Hill, Smith-Schuster and other trusty targets, Mahomes has continued to lead his team to the league’s greatest heights. Make no mistake, football is a team sport, and the Chiefs have many great players, but it almost always takes a top-tier quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Mahomes has made it clear: he is that man.

There’s plenty to look forward to as we turn the page to the 2024 NFL season. A number of key Chiefs players — cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, safety Mike Edwards, linebacker Willie Gay Jr., Smith, and Jones — will all be heading toward free agency. While the Chiefs want to re-sign both Jones and Sneed, GM Brett Veach acknowledged that will be difficult. Jones, one of the best defenders in Chiefs history, could command a $30MM-per-year contract on the open market; Kansas City was hesitant to authorize that last year. Many have questioned a potential Reid retirement, as well. Also, the Chiefs will have the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft coming up this April.

For now, though, NFL fans can take a breath and relax. The Chiefs will bask in the glory of the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl title and get to work on earning the elusive threepeat. The rest of the league will get back to work in trying to figure out how to topple the king of the mountain.

From everyone at Pro Football Rumors, thanks for a memorable 2023 NFL season, and we’ll see you tomorrow with all the latest on news and transactions throughout the NFL.

Patriots Reportedly Open To Trading No. 3 Pick; Team Expected To Seek Mac Jones Trade

February 11th, 2024 at 9:37pm CST by Rory Parks

After seeing Mac Jones regress from Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2021 to third-string quarterback by the end of the 2023 campaign, the Patriots, in the first year of the post-Bill Belichick era, are widely expected to select a signal-caller in the upcoming draft. With Caleb Williams likely to be the No. 1 overall pick, New England will have at least one of Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels to choose from when it is on the clock with the No. 3 overall selection. However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano hears that the Pats are open to trading that pick and acquiring more assets to restock a generally weak roster (subscription required).

In that scenario, New England would look to free agency for a quarterback. Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield presently top the free agent QB class, though both players could re-sign with their current clubs before the legal tampering period opens. If that happens, the Pats would be picking from a number of backup or bridge types like Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, and Drew Lock (it should be noted that Russell Wilson is also likely to hit the open market in short order).

A team like New England that is probably at least a year away from contention may be perfectly willing to roll with a stopgap option for one season if that strategy allows them to supplement other areas of need. On the other hand, the 2025 class of collegiate QBs is not shaping up to be an inspiring one, so selecting a player like Maye or Daniels now may prove to be the Patriots’ best course of action, even if the bottom-heavy 2025 crop increases the value of the No. 3 pick in 2024.

If new personnel chief Eliot Wolf and new head coach Jerod Mayo ultimately decide that a trade down makes more sense, then Graziano expects the Falcons, who presently hold the No. 8 overall pick, and the Vikings (No. 11 overall) to have interest. Atlanta, which came close to hiring Belichick as its new HC, has plenty of non-QB talent and could be a quarterback away from being a legitimate contender (though team brass is currently undecided on how it will go about upgrading the position). Minnesota, meanwhile, has already been mentioned as a trade-up candidate, and if the team is unable to agree to a new deal with Cousins by the start of the 2024 league year on March 13, it will be saddled with a $28.5MM dead money charge. Per Graziano, there are some within the Vikes organization that are particularly keen on pairing Daniels with fellow LSU product Justin Jefferson, so New England and Minnesota could line up on a trade if the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is not selected with one of the first two picks in the draft. The Vikings having their QB1 on a rookie deal would certainly help ease the sting of a Cousins departure and his dead money parting gift.

In a piece detailing the quarterback situations of a number of clubs, the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo believe that the Patriots will try to trade Jones in the coming weeks. The relationship between Belichick and Jones deteriorated over Jones’ first three years in the league, and although Belichick is gone, New England’s new power brokers are seemingly prepared for some sort of reset at the position. Indeed, a change of scenery may benefit both parties.

Mark Daniels of MassLive.com, in an article that is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular, notes that Jones was (understandably) frustrated with Belichick’s decision to hire Matt Patricia as a replacement for Josh McDaniels in 2022 and to shift to an offensive system different than the one in which Jones thrived in his rookie season. Jones’ resistance to those changes angered Belichick, and the HC-QB dynamic went downhill from there.

Hiring Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator in 2023 did not yield the results that the team hoped for, and Mark Daniels reports that New England staff did not view Jones as a strong enough leader, believing instead that the third-year passer simply “wanted to be one of the guys.” Plus, when the Pats’ offense sputtered, Jones began to freelance and play outside of O’Brien’s system, and as Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal observes, Jones simply lost the locker room.

After he was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe, Jones watched every NFL game he ever played in to see what went wrong, and he ultimately acknowledged that his improvisational tactics were a major reason for the offense’s struggles. Given his status as a 2021 first-rounder and the potential he showed that season, Jones may draw some trade interest, but as Mark Daniels unsurprisingly reports, the Patriots will not exercise Jones’ fifth-year option if he is still on the club by the May 2 deadline to pick up or decline those options.

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Falcons, Saints

February 11th, 2024 at 9:08pm CST by Ely Allen

With their offensive and defensive coordinators in place, the Panthers shored up their final coordinator position under new head coach Dave Canales by hiring Seahawks assistant special teams coach Tracy Smith as their new special teams coordinator, according to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt.

Like new offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who coached with Canales in Tampa Bay and Seattle, Smith was on a staff with Canales and Idzik when the three were all coaching for the Seahawks. In his time with Seattle, Smith has been a part of a special teams group that has been among the league’s best in each of the last three seasons.

With Idzik and Smith taking over units that will play with a top-four defense led by Ejiro Evero, the Panthers are hoping their new coaching staff under Canales will deliver the desired results in 2024.

Here are a few more staff updates coming out of the NFC South:

  • The Panthers were also able to add a new mentor for second-year quarterback Bryce Young today. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Will Harriger has been hired as Carolina’s new quarterbacks coach. Harriger, who comes out of Dallas as a quality control coach and offensive assistant, has experience with Canales from their time in Seattle.
  • Carolina wasn’t the only NFC South team to add a new quarterbacks coach recently as both the Saints and Falcons found new passing mentors, as well. Atlanta is bringing in Saints offensive assistant D.J. Williams to coach their passers as assistant quarterback coach, per Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune. Williams is the son of former NFL quarterback and current Commanders personnel senior advisor Doug Williams. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tells us that New Orleans will hire Andrew Janocko as quarterbacks coach. Janocko most recently served the same role in Chicago and has worked with the Vikings, as well.
  • Finally, the Panthers will part ways with senior director of football strategy and analytics Taylor Rajack, according to Seth Walder of ESPN. A former Eagles staffer, Rajack has been with Carolina since 2019.

Raiders Rumors: Adams, Robinson, Jones

February 11th, 2024 at 8:20pm CST by Ely Allen

The Raiders have new leadership in general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce. While that amount of change has a tendency to lead to a rebuild, all signs are pointing towards Las Vegas doing everything it can to compete moving forward. That includes retaining great players like wide receiver Davante Adams, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

We knew that Adams’ former teammate Aaron Rodgers was making efforts to recruit the three-time All-Pro wide receiver to New York. It appears, though, that the Raiders have no intention of allowing any of their best players to walk and have every desire to retain Adams in 2024.

In other news for Adams, the NFL has informed the star wideout that they will not be levying disciplinary action against him for the postgame incident in 2022 that saw him shove a photographer in Kansas City, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Originally, Adams faced an assault charge for his actions, but the charges would eventually be dropped. Now, having avoided any legal action, Adams is safe from league disciplinary action, as well.

Here are a couple other rumors coming out of Vegas:

  • Raiders practice squad defensive end Janarius Robinson may have seen the end of his tenure in Las Vegas. The third-year player out of Florida State was arrested on the Strip earlier this week under suspicion of DUI, per Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. After being drafted in the fourth round in 2021 by the Vikings, Robinson found himself on their practice squad before eventually joining the Eagles in his second year. After not seeing the field in his first two years due to injury, Robinson finally debuted in 2023 for the Raiders. He appeared in six games, making two starts, and earned his first NFL sack this year. After finally working his way on to the field, though, he faces an uphill battle to find his way back after this week’s arrest.
  • Hill’s associate at the Review-Journal, Vincent Bonsignore, delivered a report about a week ago that Raiders vice president of football operations and assistant to the head coach Tom Jones is no longer with the organization. Jones has been with the franchise for 25 years but is now expected to go to Tennessee to join the staff of new Titans head coach Brian Callahan.
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