HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Dolphins To Waive Shaq Barrett From Reserve/Retired List

December 26th, 2024 at 9:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Shaq Barrett‘s 2024 has been rather complicated. He has been involved in a few transactions despite not playing this season. After Barrett unretired, he did not factor into the Dolphins’ plans due an NFL deadline.

The Dolphins did not activate Barrett from the reserve/retired list by a late-November deadline that would have allowed him to play this season. Barrett informed the team he wished to come back, after initially retiring, but the Dolphins did not greenlight that opportunity. They are now waiving Barrett from their reserve/retired list, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

[RELATED: Dolphins Will Not Activate Bradley Chubb From PUP List]

Since we are well past the trade deadline, all vested veterans released hit waivers. Barrett can play in 2024 if he clears waivers, but Schefter adds his contract being claimed would keep him on the reserve/retired list for the rest of the season. A team could make a play to effectively block a rival from adding the veteran edge rusher, but Barrett has a path to free agency and a potential role soon.

The former NFL sack leader informed the Dolphins in November he wished to play this season, doing so after telling the team he was done just before training camp. Miami had signed Barrett in March, stepping in after the former Super Bowl starter became a Tampa Bay cap casualty. Barrett, 32, would have been on track to help the Dolphins fill their Bradley Chubb void. But his retirement changed those plans. Despite applying for reinstatement, Barrett did not end up being activated by the Dolphins in time to help them this season.

Barrett signed a one-year, $7MM deal with the Dolphins. The terms of that contract would make it a slight surprise if he is claimed. The Dolphins have effectively done right by Barrett, who retired after 10 NFL seasons in July. He could soon catch on with a contender that is attempting to make a Super Bowl push. A team like the Lions, who have dealt with numerous defensive injuries since Aidan Hutchinson went down, would come to mind as a possible suitor. They probably would not be the only team to consider the ex-Bucs starter if he clears waivers.

A rotational role would likely be Barrett’s best-case scenario if he hits free agency and signs with a team soon after. The regular season is coming to a close, and the former Broncos UDFA has not shown top form since an Achilles tear ended his 2022 season. Barrett came back from the injury last season but finished with just 4.5 sacks — his lowest full-season total during his Tampa Bay tenure — and nine QB hits. The Bucs designated him a post-June 1 cut soon after. That said, Barrett is now more than two years removed from that Achilles setback, potentially helping his sales pitch to teams.

Barrett played the lead role for a Bucs defense that dominated the high-scoring Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, keying a second-half onslaught. Tampa Bay then signed off on a four-year, $72MM deal to retain him. Barrett, who led the league with 19.5 sacks in 2019 en route to a 2020 franchise tag, registered 10 sacks in 2021 and made the Pro Bowl. He will become a free agent if unclaimed by 3pm CT Friday.

Buccaneers Place DB Christian Izien On IR

December 26th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Sam Robinson

Christian Izien has provided good value for the Buccaneers, who have used the former UDFA in various capacities in their secondary. More Izien plans may well need to wait until next season, however.

The pectoral injury Izien sustained during Tampa Bay’s Week 16 loss in Dallas will lead the second-year defender to IR. The Bucs moved Izien off their 53-man roster Thursday, and the move will sideline him for at least four games. Only a run to the NFC championship game would allow Izien to play again this season, and it is also unclear if he would be ready to return by that point.

Even a partial pec tear would presumably rule out Izien for a return by that point; a full tear would stand to impact the young DB’s offseason program. The Bucs have used Izien in the slot, on the boundary and at safety this season. The versatile piece had most recently been tasked with helping Tampa Bay navigate injuries to safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead.

Added out of Rutgers last year, Izien earned a season-opening role as Tampa Bay’s primary slot corner. The Bucs used him on 719 defensive snaps. He was on pace to eclipse that this season, logging 697 defensive plays in 14 games. The Bucs drafted Tykee Smith in Round 3 this year, changing their plans in the secondary. Izien has still played on 75% of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps this year.

As Smith has played in the slot, Izien has shifted around the formation. He has logged more snaps at safety than corner this season, being used to help the team cover for the injuries to Winfield and Whitehead. Pro Football Focus has not viewed Izien as a productive safety, ranking him outside the top 70 at the position, but he has also seen slot time due to Smith health issues and would stand to be in the Bucs’ plans for 2025. Tampa Bay has Izien under contract for one more season.

The Bucs designated Whitehead for return from IR on Tuesday, opening the door to a Week 17 activation. Winfield has missed the past two Bucs games, with this being his second injury-driven hiatus this season. The high-priced DB is not on IR, however.

Latest On Potential Russell Wilson Steelers Extension

December 25th, 2024 at 10:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ push for the AFC North title will continue with today’s matchup against the Chiefs. A large part of Pittsburgh’s success this season has been improved play under center, and as a result Russell Wilson could turn out to be much more than a one-year rental.

Since the former Super Bowl winner took over from Justin Fields as the Steelers’ starter, Wilson has provided stability at the quarterback spot, something which had been lacking since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Given the nature of his Broncos release, Wilson has been a cost-effective starter this year, and signs have pointed since November to a new pact being worked out. For now, the 36-year-old is on track for free agency, and he would be one of the more intriguing names on the market if no deal was to take place.

A mutual interest exists in continuing this relationship, however, with Wilson recently issuing a public desire to remain in Pittsburgh beyond 2024. It would thus come as no surprise if a multi-year pact were to be worked out this offseason (even with Fields potentially still in the picture). In that event, Wilson would be in line for a notable raise compared to the veteran minimum he is playing for – in terms of Pittsburgh’s financial obligation – this year. With age as a complicating factor, however, the length of any potential contract could be a sticking point in addition to compensation.

On that note, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports there is a “very good chance” the Steelers work out a new pact with Wilson similar to other recent veteran QB deals (video link). Specifically, he names Baker Mayfield‘s Buccaneers pact as a comparable situation. Mayfield impressed in 2023, his debut Tampa Bay season. That landed him a three-year, $100MM contract – a major raise relative to his prior deal, but an AAV nowhere near the top of the position’s market.

Wilson securing a similar deal this winter would provide him with the opportunity to continue his Steelers tenure, while the structure of such a pact could give the team flexibility from a cap perspective. Keeping the nine-time Pro Bowler in the fold could prove to be beneficial on a medium-term commitment in particular, but Pittsburgh also has to sort out Fields’ future since he is a pending free agent. The same is true of left tackle Dan Moore Jr., cornerback Donte Jackson as well as both members of the Najee Harris–Jaylen Warren running back tandem.

Wideout George Pickens will also be eligible for an extension once this season ends, and keeping him in place long term will require a notable commitment. Plenty of key decisions will need to be made with respect to keeping the Steelers’ core in place on offense in particular, and Wilson’s situation will be central to that effort. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the campaign plays out, and whether or not his chances of working out a new Steelers accord will be affected down the stretch.

Poll: How Will Giants Proceed With HC Brian Daboll, GM Joe Schoen?

December 25th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 100th season in Giants history will not produce a playoff appearance, something which owner John Mara did not require for the 2024 campaign to be considered a success. Still, this year has not gone according to plan on a number of fronts.

New York sits at 2-13 on the year, and losing the final two games of the season would ensure the No. 1 pick in April’s draft. While that would represent a notable consolation for this year’s struggles, major organizational decisions will need to be made before that point. The job security of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen will be a talking point once the campaign comes to an end.

Hired together after their shared time with the Bills, the pair has been in place since 2022. That year produced a surprise playoff run, with Daboll earning Coach of the Year honors as a result. Since then, the rebuilding effort Schoen has overseen has not produced the desired results. The Giants have gone 8-25 since the start of last season, including a record of 0-8 at home this year. A loss on Sunday would ensure a winless campaign at MetLife Stadium and add further to the speculation regarding changes taking place on the sidelines and/or in the front office.

The Daboll-Schoen regime inherited quarterback Daniel Jones, but by virtue of committing to a four-year, $160MM extension last offseason the former No. 6 selection was confirmed as having a central role in the team’s short-term future. That decision was matched by using the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley, who departed this past March and has put himself in contention to break the single-season rushing record during his debut Eagles campaign. Jones and the Giants parted ways earlier this year, although by that point it was clear a reset at the QB spot would be required this spring.

Indications with respect to whether or not Daboll or Schoen would be let go have been tracked throughout the campaign. Mara offered a vote of confidence for both in October, but the Giants have not won since that point. Given the owner’s track record of changing coaches quickly, many have pointed to Daboll being on thin ice. Indeed, a report from last month stated the 49-year-old’s future in New York would be tied to the team’s performance the rest of the way. Amidst a slew of injuries and several underwhelming individual performances, the Giants have not come close to engineering a turnaround in the second half of the season.

While that would suggest Daboll could be among the coaches let go on ‘Black Monday’ following the end of the regular season, that report was quickly followed by one suggesting he could join Schoen in being relatively safe. The latter has seen several players find success upon leaving New York; Barkley has drawn considerable attention for obvious reasons but safety Xavier McKinney is another free agent departure who has delivered a strong showing in 2024. The Packers safety leads the NFL with seven interceptions, more than double the Giants’ collective total in 2024.

Schoen’s draft classes have drawn criticism at times as well, with Evan Neal serving as a key example in that respect. The seventh overall pick in 2022 has fallen well short of expectations during his career, and finding a replacement at right tackle (along with improvements along the interior of the offensive line) will be key objectives moving forward. The secondary is also a sore spot in spite of recent draft investments, and making moves there will be important for improvement to take place.

Presuming the Giants wind up with the top pick in the draft, though, the defining storyline of the coming offseason will be the team’s addition of a new franchise passer. If Daboll and/or Schoen are kept in place, they will be counted on to oversee the quarterback’s development and by doing so move past the Jones era. If Mara prefers to clean house at a critical organizational juncture, though, new faces could be added to take the franchise in a different direction. Of course, the possibility remains that one member of the pair (likely Schoen) receives a longer leash and is kept in the fold for at least one more season.

How do you see things playing out this offseason? Will the Giants elect to keep both Daboll and Schoen around, move on from both or keep only one in place for 2025? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.

Pete Carroll Interested In Bears’ HC Job

December 25th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Ely Allen

After a year away from the NFL, former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is ready to get back on an NFL sideline, and he has his eye on a specific sideline. There are currently three jobs that will be interviewing candidates for next season: the Bears, Jets, and Saints. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s the job in Chicago that Carroll has his eyes on.

Carroll has taken breaks from NFL coaching jobs in the past to much success. After his first stint as a head for the Jets, as a result of promotion from defensive coordinator, ended unceremoniously after one year, Carroll rebounded as a defensive coordinator for the 49ers before earning his second head coaching job with the Patriots, whom he took twice to the playoffs and with whom he never had a losing record. Despite the surface-level success in New England, team owner Robert Kraft fired Carroll after a late-season slide cost them a playoff spot in 1999.

Carroll then chose to become a head coach at the collegiate level, as opposed to returning to the NFL as a defensive coordinator again. After a rough 6-6 inaugural year as a college head coach with USC, Carroll quickly turned the Trojans into a powerhouse program, winning the conference seven straight years and winning back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004, not to mention just missing out on a three-peat after falling to Vince Young and the Longhorns in 2005.

Carroll turned his college success into another opportunity to coach in the NFL, landing the job in Seattle that he held for 14 years. In all that time, Carroll only had three losing seasons (twice going 7-9 and once going 7-10), amassing a career-record in Seattle of 137-89-1. He made the playoffs 10 times and twice made it to the sport’s season finale, winning the franchise’s only Super Bowl title. When the Seahawks narrowly missed the postseason last year due to a tiebreaker, Carroll and Seattle mutually agreed that he would step down from his post as head coach.

Nearly a year later, Carroll is ready to put his hat back in the ring. The question is: where could he go? This year’s crop of head coaching candidates has been deemed as a weaker class, especially after one of the stronger candidates, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, made the decision to take a head coaching at the collegiate level with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Schefter’s report claims that Carroll is interested in the Chicago job, but is he a good fit?

The Bears have made it known in preliminary conversations about who will replace Matt Eberflus that they are hoping to bring someone in who can develop and mold rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. While Williams shares a USC connection with Carroll, the two were never there at the same time. Additionally, Carroll’s defensive-minded background would require him to come in with a plan on which assistants he could bring in to develop Williams. The Bears’ supposed preference leads many to believe that an offensive-minded coordinator like Kliff Kingsbury or Ben Johnson would be a better fit, especially since Kingsbury was a mentor of Williams at USC just last year.

So, if not Chicago, what city seems to make more sense as Carroll’s next destination? The Jets have a history of hiring defensive-minded head coaches, as well as a history of hiring guys named “Pete Carroll.” They just fired a former defensive coordinator in Robert Saleh, but their foray with Adam Gase, a former offensive coordinator, was brief and unsuccessful. Before that, was a defensive coordinator in Todd Bowles and, before him, Rex Ryan, who led the team to their last playoff appearance and back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010. There may be a bit of bad blood over his firing the first time around, but over the last 30 years, he may have let bygones be bygones.

The Saints are the other option, though a few more pop up at the end of the season. Regardless, Carroll is ready to take a stab at another NFL job, and though he seems to favor Chicago early on, he may have to keep his options open and explore the other positions available to him.

Austin Ekeler Could Return This Season

December 25th, 2024 at 9:38pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Commanders running back Austin Ekeler has been on injured reserve since the end of November, but he has a chance to play again before the end of the season.

Head coach Dan Quinn said on Tuesday that Ekeler’s return is “absolutely possible,” per ESPN’s John Keim.

Ekeler suffered a scary concussion in Week 12 that was at least the fourth of his NFL career. He couldn’t make it through the league’s concussion protocol in Week 13, forcing him on injured reserve for at least four weeks.

Ekeler is eligible to be activated for this week’s game, but he hasn’t yet been designated to return, making it unlikely he plays against the Falcons on Sunday night. A return in Week 18 or the playoffs – which the Commanders could clinch this weekend – seems more likely, especially considering the delicate nature of head injuries.

The ex-Chargers running back has been a solid complement to Brian Robinson in the Commanders’ backfield this season. Robinson is the team’s leading rusher, while Ekeler has been the primary receiving back with 33 catches on 39 targets. The two running backs have combined with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to form the third-ranked rushing offense in the NFL.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25/24

December 25th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the NFL’s minor moves from Christmas Day:

Tennessee Titans

San Francisco 49ers

Murray started 14 games for the Titans this year before suffering a season-ending wrist injury on Sunday. His 95 tackles currently lead the team, and safety Amani Hooker would have to make 14 stops in the next two games to catch up. To replace Murray, Tennessee reunited with Long, who was originally a Titans sixth-round pick in 2019.

The 49ers were already dealing with an injury to All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, and now his backup will be sidelined for the last two games of the regular season. Moore started the last five games in Williams’ stead, but will now close out the season on IR as he approaches free agency this offseason.

Raiders Expected To Target 1st-Round QB

December 25th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Raiders’ 2024 season has made one thing very clear: one way or another, Las Vegas needs a new quarterback next year.

Their quest to find a new signal-caller may have taken a hit in Week 16, as the Raiders’ victory over the Jaguars dropped them from second to sixth in the projected order for the 2025 NFL Draft.

While Las Vegas will take a hard look at any quarterback available in free agency, the team is expected to draft a quarterback in the first round at the direction of owner Mark Davis, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. But with up to three other teams in the first five picks targeting quarterbacks – including the Giants, the Titans, and even the Browns – the Raiders’ front office may have to get aggressive to fulfill Davis’ mandate.

Only Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedur Sanders are currently viewed as surefire first-round quarterback prospects, but that view may not be shared by new Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. He is expected to play a major role in the team’s personnel decisions and will surely have strong opinions about the available quarterback talent. That could expand Las Vegas’ search beyond Ward and Sanders or narrow it down to just one of the two. If it’s the former, staying at the sixth overall pick could still net the Raiders their desired prospect. If it’s the latter, trading up in the draft becomes an expensive necessity.

The Raiders will also have to decide on the futures of head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco, which will impact their quarterback plans. Even if one or both are retained, they’ll be on the hot seat next season. Waiting until the 2026 draft won’t be an option if they want to keep their jobs, further incentivizing a first-round quarterback selection next April.

The Raiders play the Saints in Week 17 before hosting the Chargers in Week 18. Pierce insisted on Monday that the Raiders don’t play “for anybody’s draft projections,” per Breer, but Davis, Telesco, and Brady could see it differently.

Franchise trajectories have been altered by late-season wins and losses, including a memorable Week 18 win by the Texans in 2022. That gave the Bears the No. 1 overall pick, kicking off a chain of events that resulted in Bryce Young going to Carolina in 2023 and Caleb Williams landing in Chicago a year later.

Geno Smith Dealing With Knee Injury; Mike Macdonald On QB’s 2024 Performance

December 25th, 2024 at 3:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks are still in contention for a postseason berth, but their chances of winning the NFC West are slim at this point. Quarterback Geno Smith will need to deliver a pair of strong performances if Seattle is to finish the campaign at 9-8, something which will also be key in determining his candidacy for an extension.

[RELATED: Smith Aiming For 20-Year NFL Career]

Doing so will require continuing to play through the knee injury he suffered in Week 15. Smith exited that contest with Sam Howell taking over at quarterback, but the veteran managed to play on Sunday without missing time. The issue is lingering, though, and that will remain the case moving forward.

“Nah, it’s not,” Smith confirmed when asked whether the injury is behind him at this point (via Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic). “It’s going to be there for a while. But gotta keep pushing.”

Smith had another uneven performance in the Seahawks’ loss to the Vikings on Sunday, adding to his middle-of-the-road showing on the whole this year. The 34-year-old has thrown 17 touchdowns in 2024, but his 15 interceptions are the second most in the NFL this year. Seattle’s offense has had issues up front, though, and the team’s ground game has left plenty to be desired. As a result, head coach Mike Macdonald has remained complimentary when speaking about Smith over the course of the year.

“He makes it go,” the first-time head coach said about Smith, via Dugar (subscription required). “It’s really simple. We put a lot on his plate, and rightfully so. He’s earned the right to have a lot on his plate operationally.”

Smith has been in Seattle since 2020, and this season is his third in a row operating as the team’s starting quarterback. The former second-rounder impressed during his first campaign atop the depth chart, and it landed him an extension and accompanying raise last spring. One year remains on that deal, but none of Smith’s base salary for 2025 ($14.8MM) is guaranteed and his projected cap hit ($38.5MM) could prove to be cumbersome. The Seahawks will have time to move on before a $10MM roster bonus comes due this March, if the team elects to reset at the position.

Seattle’s 2025 QB outlook has been unclear since the attempts made by Smith’s camp to negotiate a new contract this summer came up short. Indications from earlier this month pointed to a long-term commitment on the part of the Seahawks being unlikely, although that could of course change depending on how the rest of the season plays out. As the team appears set to miss the postseason again, however, it would not come as a surprise if other options at the position were to be explored.

Howell, like Smith, is on the books through 2026 thanks to the term remaining on his rookie contract. The former Commanders draftee could be seen as a backup option moving forward, but replacing Smith with a new starter would be a central offseason objective if the team were to take that route. Given Macdonald’s public stance on the matter, maintaining the status quo through next season could nevertheless be on the table.

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