HEADLINES

Philadelphia Eagles News & Rumors

Kyler Murray Influenced Jonathan Gannon’s Decision To Accept Arizona HC Position

February 20th, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Ely Allen

In an interesting excerpt from a conversation with new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, we learned that quarterback Kyler Murray played a huge factor in bringing the first-time head coach to Arizona, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. There was also a bit of information detailing just how badly the Eagles wanted to hang on to their former defensive coordinator.

When asked about how the “polarizing figure” of Murray factored into Gannon’s decision, Gannon frankly replied, “If Kyler Murray isn’t here, I don’t take this job.”

Gannon went on to laud the young quarterback, praising the ability he has to put defenses in a bind. He then elaborated on where he thinks he can improve on Murray’s usage. Gannon believes that Murray was utilized out of the shotgun offense far too often and that incorporating more play from under center will “take him to another level and unleash his full skill set.” Gannon claims that running more plays from under center will force defenses to have to be ready to defend plays they don’t worry about in shotgun formations, taking pressure off of the offensive line and Murray.

In light of Gannon’s plans for the 25-year-old quarterback under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, it’s clear that Gannon is on the positive end of the polarizing opinions of Murray. It sounds like Cardinals fans should expect Murray to remain the long-term plan at quarterback moving forward under Gannon.

King’s next question asked Gannon to expand on his exit from Philadelphia. It appears that the Eagles’ brass had some idea that Gannon would be a hot commodity and prepared a counteroffer to keep him in place. According to Gannon, the team offered him a new contract that would pay him more than he would make as a head coach.

As much as Gannon claims to have loved Philadelphia, head coach Nick Sirianni, general manager Howie Roseman, and owner Jeffrey Lurie, the prospect of becoming a head coach was too enticing. Gannon credits Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, general manager Monti Ossenfort, and Murray with making the job so alluring, so much so that he was willing to turn down a rich new deal to retain a position in which he knew he could succeed.

Cardinals Hire Nick Rallis As DC

February 19th, 2023 at 7:12am CST by Rory Parks

New Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has made his first coordinator hire. Arizona is bringing Nick Rallis aboard as its DC, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Coral Smith of NFL.com).

Rallis, 29, becomes the youngest coordinator in the league after spending each of the past two seasons working closely with Gannon as the Eagles’ linebackers coach. Just as Philadelphia’s defensive performance in 2022 reflected well on Gannon, the club’s two-year defensive coordinator, Rallis has also received attention for his work with the likes of T.J. Edwards, Kyzir White, and Haason Reddick. Zach Berman of The Athletic says (via Twitter) that Rallis was well-regarded in the Eagles’ locker room, and according to Pelissero, multiple teams tried to lure Rallis away after the Cardinals made their offer.

As opposed to the lengthy search process that culminated in Gannon’s hire, the Cardinals’ search for a defensive coordinator lasted less than a week and included just three external candidates: Bears linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, and Rallis. Gannon initially left open the possibility of retaining Vance Joseph, who worked as Arizona’s DC for the past four seasons and who also interviewed for the team’s head coaching position, but it appears that the two men were not aligned in their vision for the Cards’ defense. Joseph will now explore other opportunities, which, interestingly enough, include Philadelphia’s now-vacant defensive coordinator post.

Rallis played collegiately at the University of Minnesota, and his first job in the professional ranks came as a defensive quality control coach for the Vikings under then-HC Mike Zimmer in 2018 (Zimmer, who was also rumored to be a candidate for the Cardinals’ DC position, had Gannon on his staff from 2014-17). Rallis finished his tenure with the Vikes in 2020 before moving on to Philadelphia in 2021.

In Arizona, Rallis will be tasked with improving a unit that finished the 2022 season 21st in total defense and 31st in points allowed. The team presently has major needs at cornerback and along the defensive line.

Eagles CB James Bradberry Seeking “Right” Price On New Deal

February 18th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Unfortunately for the veteran cornerback, James Bradberry‘s 2022 season will likely be defined by one play, during which he was called for a defensive holding penalty that set the Chiefs up with a new set of downs, allowing them to run down the clock and eventually beat the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Despite that, Bradberry, who is set to hit free agency this offseason, had a phenomenal season that resulted in a second-team All-Pro selection and should be set up well in the open market, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic.

Bradberry has cashed in on free agency in the past. After an impressive rookie campaign in Carolina, Bradberry signed a three-year, $43.5MM deal with the Giants. He rewarded them initially with a Pro Bowl year, but after his second season with the team, New York couldn’t cope with his cap hit and cut him. Unable to find a new deal that fit his demands, Bradberry opted for a one-year opportunity with the Eagles to reset his market value. The bet on himself was a successful one, as Bradberry heads into free agency as one of the top available corners on the market.

Bradberry is reportedly open to returning to Philadelphia, where he enjoyed playing, but hasn’t discussed anything with the team and has joked that he “won’t play for cheap,” according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com. Berman provided a quote that elaborates a bit more on Bradberry’s thoughts, with Bradberry saying, “I would probably say I want to go to a team that has a good roster. And, of course, I want the number to be right. What that number is in my head, I haven’t figured it out. I got more time to think about it. But I know I want to be on a good roster.”

Perhaps already the best available cornerback in free agency, Bradberry will compete with Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters and Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones for the top contracts this offseason. All are around the same age, and while Jones and Bradberry had better seasons, Peters has much more accolades to his name.

Bradberry has made his desires known. He would love to stay with the Eagles (or any team capable of winning), but above that, Bradberry is absolutely looking to get paid what he’s worth. He may not fetch the $20MM per year that top cornerbacks like Denzel Ward, Jalen Ramsey, and Jaire Alexander are making, but he should surpass the $14.5MM annual average he made with the Giants en route to around $16-18MM per year.

Eagles Want To Extend QB Jalen Hurts

February 18th, 2023 at 9:23am CST by Ely Allen

While they weren’t able to win it all this year, the Eagles were able to convincingly establish themselves as the NFC’s best team. Though a top-10 defense and strong offensive position groups certainly helped Philadelphia dominate this year, the development of third-year quarterback Jalen Hurts was perhaps one of the biggest reasons they were able to find success in 2022. The team has no intentions of allowing their second-team All-Pro quarterback to leave anytime soon, according to Bo Wulf of The Athletic.

Hurts was the team’s second-round selection in 2020, meaning that, unlike many starting quarterbacks around the league, there is no fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Hurts’s upcoming fourth season will be a contract year, barring an extension. While avoiding any guarantees, general manager Howie Roseman made it clear that extending “one of (their) best players” was a leading priority for the Eagles in the coming year, as reported in a tweet from Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

While likely still fresh on the minds of Eagles fans, Roseman ensured that the team’s recent experience with former quarterback Carson Wentz won’t “affect its thought process with Hurts.” The situation in question deteriorated so quickly following Wentz’s long-term agreement that he was traded before he even got the chance to play under it. Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports quoted Roseman saying, “We have a good sense of what we need to do here. We have a little bit of time to figure it out.”

So, what does a long-term deal for Hurts look like? That is an interesting question with lots of different factors. Firstly, looking at his fellow quarterbacks throughout the league, his Super Bowl opponent, Patrick Mahomes, currently leads the league in overall contract value. The year Hurts was drafted, Mahomes signed a ridiculous 10-year, $450MM contract. Both Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Bills quarterback Josh Allen received new deals the following year with annual average values that failed to reach Mahomes’s $45MM per year or 10-year length.

Last year, though, saw four quarterbacks receive contracts that surpassed Mahomes’s deal in AAV and guaranteed money at signing. In fact, two of the deals nearly doubled what Mahomes received in guaranteed money at signing. Now, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who had the entirety of his five-year, $230MM contract guaranteed at signing, has since proven to be an anomaly. None of the other three contracts even came close to that number or percentage of guaranteed money, even in Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘s relatively short-term three-year, $150.82MM contract.

Also, aside from Mahomes and Rodgers, who are extremes on opposite ends of the spectrum for term of a new contract, the other three contracts with an AAV higher than $45MM are all five-year deals. That gives an idea of what length we should expect for a Hurts-extension. In terms of value, Hurts’s statistics are entirely far off from what Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray did in the season before he was extended. That’s really the only comparison we can look at. We’ve already established that Watson’s deal was an anomaly (he didn’t even play the year before his new deal was signed) and, though Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson‘s numbers were also similar in the year prior to his new deal, Wilson and Rodgers both have long careers of prior regular and postseason success on which to base their deals.

Murray’s stats are extremely similar to Hurts. Both have shown the ability to produce with their legs while not overly relying on them. In each of their full seasons as starters, both quarterbacks have surpassed 3,000 yards passing, a feat fellow rushing quarterback Lamar Jackson has only accomplished once.

Murray showed more historic consistency with higher passing numbers averaging over 3,700 passing yards per year over his first three seasons, while Hurts’s 3,701 passing yards this season were his highest by far. Hurts, though, has shown more consistency with his legs and more consistency protecting the ball. In each of the past two seasons, Hurts has rushed for over 700 yards and reached double-digit rushing touchdowns while throwing single-digit interceptions.

The last big factor that leans in Hurts’s favor is regular and postseason success. In Murray’s first three seasons as a starter, he made the postseason once and exited in the first round. Hurts has started two full seasons and made the postseason both times. After a first-round exit last year, Hurts led his team to the Super Bowl in Year 2.

Regardless of it all, to hold onto a winning quarterback in the year 2023, you’re going to have to shell out the big bucks. An extension is likely going to range from four to six years, leaning closer to six if you’d like to keep your quarterback happy, with an average from $40-50MM per year. Based on all the factors listed above, I would expect a new contract for Hurts to be six years and average around $47-48MM per year with about $100-120MM guaranteed at signing.

Roseman and the Eagles have made it known, they’d like to hold on to Hurts long-term. They have the option of following the Ravens lead and allowing him to play out his contract and find the best deal for both parties, but if they want to avoid the media circus that’s plagued Jackson and the Ravens, they’re going to have to put their money where their mouth is.

Eagles Request DC Interview With Sean Desai

February 17th, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the most sought-after defensive minds in this year’s coaching cycle is receiving interest from the latest team to find itself in need of a new defensive coordinator. The Eagles have requested a DC interview with Seahawks defensive assistant Sean Desai, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Brian Johnson On Track To Become Eagles OC]

The Eagles enjoyed plenty of success on defense in 2022 under Jonathan Gannon, but he emerged as a serious contender for the Cardinals’ head coaching vacancy just before the Super Bowl. Hours after Philadelphia lost OC Shane Steichen, Gannon took the HC position in Arizona, leaving the NFC champions in need of a new DC. Their search on the latter front has been expected to involve outside candidates to a greater degree than their one on the offensive side of the ball.

That will include Desai, 39, who worked this past season under the title of associate head coach in Seattle. His Seahawks posting came after a nine-year stint in Chicago, where he began his coaching career at the pro level. That included a one-and-done campaign as the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2021, which helped elevate his stock in league circles. His interview schedule this offseason confirms his ascent in that regard.

Desai met with the Broncos, Dolphins and Vikings last month, taking himself out of consideration for the latter DC vacancy. Miami and Minnesota have landed their new coordinators, but Denver joins Arizona and Philadelphia as teams still needing to fill the position. The Eagles have defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson as an in-house option, but they also have interest in ex-Cardinals DC Vance Joseph.

Of course, Desai would be welcomed back for another season in Seattle should he not land one of the remaining DC positions. The 2022 season saw him help guide the Seahawks’ secondary to a surprising performance, highlighted by rookie corner Tariq Woolen earning a Pro Bowl nod and being named a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Desai would face a tall order in replicating Gannon’s success in Philadelphia if he were to land the job, but his work in Seattle suggests he could be up to it.

Brian Johnson In Lead To Become Next Eagles OC

February 17th, 2023 at 11:03am CST by Sam Robinson

Depending on Eric Bieniemy‘s decision, either 16 or 17 teams will have changed offensive coordinators this offseason. That whopping number could include both Super Bowl entrants, and both the Eagles and Chiefs look to be eyeing continuity-based approaches.

Signs continue to point to Brian Johnson succeeding Shane Steichen in Philadelphia. Teams pursued the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach during this year’s hiring period, but InsidetheBirds.com’s Adam Caplan notes teams were basically told not to bother. This lends further credence to the rumored plan of promoting Johnson to replace Steichen.

The Eagles could not block a Johnson interview, but the former Florida assistant may well be onboard with this plan. Despite Jets and Rams interest, a late-January report noted the position coach did not interview for those jobs. Contradictory reports emerged on Johnson’s interest in those positions, and the Panthers also had Johnson on their OC radar. The fact he remains in Philly now points to a promotion. Both Johnson and pass-game coordinator Kevin Patullo have loomed as Steichen replacement candidates, but Jalen Hurts‘ position coach appears to have a leg up here.

Although Johnson is Black, the NFC champions must interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule for coordinators. Johnson has been with the Eagles since Nick Sirianni took over, moving from Florida’s OC to Eagles QBs coach. Considerably more responsibility could soon come his way.

Sirianni said he wants his next offensive coordinator to call plays, as Steichen did, to keep allowing him to work in a CEO-type role. Johnson called plays at Florida during the shortened 2020 season, and the Gators rode the Kyle Trask–Kyle Pitts connection to 39.8 points per game — 13th in Division I-FBS that year. Johnson, 35, also served as Dak Prescott‘s position coach at Mississippi State in the mid-2010s. Hurts’ ascent did plenty to land Steichen the Colts’ HC job, and Johnson could soon be rewarded for his role in the quarterback’s rise.

On defense, the team views DBs coach Dennard Wilson highly, Geoff Mosher of InsidetheBirds.com adds. We heard earlier this week Wilson was a candidate to take over for Jonathan Gannon, and although the Eagles at least made some effort to keep their previous DC, the Cardinals hired him as their head coach Tuesday. The Eagles are the first team since the Bengals nine years ago to see both their OC and DC become head coaches in the same offseason. Wilson, 40, interviewed for the Browns’ DC job this year. He has been with the Eagles since Sirianni’s hire as well.

The Eagles will maintain continuity on special teams as well. They are retaining ST coordinator Michael Clay, Sirianni said. Clay served as the 49ers’ assistant special teams coach prior to joining the Eagles in 2021.

2023 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 16th, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to begin its fourth decade of existence, the franchise tag remains a valuable tool for teams to keep top free agents off the market. This year’s tag window opens at 3pm CT on Feb. 21 and closes at 3pm CT on March 7. The NFL released its franchise tag figures — regarding the non-exclusive tag, at least, which will apply to all but one possible tag recipient — earlier this month, and teams are busy budgeting for free agency.

The legal tampering period opens March 13, with the new league year (and official free agency) starting March 15. Once a player is tagged, he has until July 15 to sign an extension with his respective team. Absent an extension agreement by that date, the player must play the 2023 season on the tag (or go the Le’Veon Bell/Dan Williams/Sean Gilbert route, passing on guaranteed money and skipping the season).

With high-profile free agents weeks away from hitting the market, here are the players who figure to be tagged or at least generate conversations about a tag ahead of the March 7 deadline.

Locks

Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens)

One of the most obvious tag candidates since the tag’s 1993 debut, Jackson has been extension-eligible since January 2021. He and the Ravens went through negotiations in 2021 and 2022, negotiating into the season two years ago and stopping talks before Week 1 — a Jackson mandate — of last season. The self-represented quarterback has declined multiple Ravens offers in this span and failed to finish a season for the second straight year. The endless extension drama and rumblings of team frustration about Jackson’s failure to return from an ankle injury aside, the team will tag the former MVP.

Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta said last month he had not decided on using the exclusive or non-exclusive tag — the former preventing teams from talking to the QB, the latter opening the door to offer sheets — but a recent report suggested the team is more likely to roll the dice by using the non-exclusive tag. This would allow another team to sign to Jackson, 25, to the fully guaranteed deal he covets (in a transaction that could send two first-round picks Baltimore’s way) but also hit the Ravens with just a $32.4MM cap hit.

With the Browns collecting three first-rounders and change for Deshaun Watson, the Ravens would almost definitely want more than the two-first-rounder haul attached as baseline compensation for franchise tag offer sheets. But an exclusive QB tag is expected to check in beyond $45MM; this would severely restrict the Ravens in free agency.

The Browns’ Watson extension changed the game for the Ravens, creating a potentially unbridgeable guarantee gap. Jackson has long been connected to seeking a deal north of Watson’s $230MM fully guaranteed; the Ravens offered $133MM guaranteed at signing last year. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti spoke out against the Browns giving Watson that money, and tag-and-trade scenarios involving the top quarterback in Ravens history have entered the equation. It will be a fascinating offseason in Baltimore, even after DeCosta and John Harbaugh expressed hope Jackson can be extended.

Likely tag recipients

Orlando Brown Jr., T (Chiefs)

Criticized by some for turning down the Chiefs’ six-year, $139MM extension offer in July 2022, Brown stayed healthy this season and earned another Pro Bowl nod. The mammoth left tackle is 2-for-2 in Pro Bowls as a Chief, and although he is not quite a top-tier blindsider, he would be one of this year’s top free agents if permitted to hit the market. The Super Bowl champions are not expected to let that happen. A second Brown tag would come in at $19.99MM, being 120% of his 2022 salary.

Brown, 26, cited insufficient guarantees in the Chiefs’ July proposal, which contained $38MM guaranteed at signing and $52.25MM guaranteed in total. The total guarantee figure trailed only ex-Ravens teammate Ronnie Stanley among tackles, while the full guarantee would have placed Brown fourth at the position. Brown turning down that proposal brought risk, and some in the Chiefs organization expressed frustration with the talented blocker. But the former Ravens right tackle’s bet on himself still appears to be paying off. This will be a crucial offseason for the Chiefs and Brown. A third tag — 144% of Brown’s 2023 salary — in 2024 would be viewed as untenable, sending him to free agency on the Kirk Cousins/Trumaine Johnson path. That makes July 15 a fairly firm deadline for Brown and the Chiefs.

Josh Jacobs, RB (Raiders)

After Las Vegas’ new regime passed on Jacobs’ fifth-year option, he became the first Raider to win the rushing title since Marcus Allen in 1985. Jacobs led the NFL in touches in 2022 (393) but was never a primary ball-carrier at Alabama; the former first-round pick should still have some tread on his tires. Running back extensions have become popular but divisive in recent years. While Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara and (for now) Ezekiel Elliott are attached to deals worth at least $15MM per year, the Raiders can tag Jacobs at just $10.1MM.

Jacobs, 24, has expressed a desire to stay in Nevada, and Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler want to continue this partnership as well. With many quality running backs on track for free agency, new deals could be finalized before the Raiders become serious about Jacobs negotiations. Whether that happens this year or not, the former first-round pick is unlikely to reach the market.

Daron Payne, DT (Commanders)

After early-offseason extension rumblings, the Commanders did not move too far in this direction last year. They re-upped Terry McLaurin and let Payne play out a contract year. But Payne turned 2022 into a platform campaign that stands to make him one of this year’s top free agents. The Commanders are soon to have $26MM in additional cap space, by moving on from Carson Wentz, and the team will likely give strong consideration to keeping Payne off the market. The defensive tackle tag costs $18.94MM. Washington has begun Payne talks, but those are still in the early stages.

Washington has some mouths to feed on its defensive line, with both Montez Sweat and Chase Young now extension-eligible. The team already paid Payne’s Alabama and Washington D-tackle teammate, Jonathan Allen, and drafted another Crimson Tide interior rusher (Phidarian Mathis) in Round 2 last year. Mathis went down in Week 1, and Payne broke through for an 11.5-sack, 18-TFL season. A tag here is not an open-and-shut tag case, but it would be a tough blow for the Commanders to see their sack leader walk. Regrouping with Payne, 25, would make more sense, especially with the team not preparing to spend big at quarterback this offseason.

Tony Pollard, RB (Cowboys)

Seeming likelier by the week, a Pollard tag would keep an emerging playmaker with a light career workload in the fold. The Cowboys are believed to be strongly considering a tag here, even with Ezekiel Elliott‘s bloated contract on the books. Elliott taking less to stay — it would need to be a lot less — has already been floated, opening the door for his better-performing (in recent years, at least) backup to stick around on the $10.1MM number or via an extension.

It would be strange to tag a backup, but Pollard, 25, is essentially a Dallas starter. He matched Elliott with 12 touchdowns in 2022 and smashed his career-high scrimmage yards number with 1,378. Pollard’s 631 career touches rank just 24th among backs since 2019, pointing to a few prime years remaining on the horizon. With Elliott’s cap number near certain to move down from its present $16.7MM place and Pollard not at risk of seeing his fractured fibula affect his 2023 availability, the former fourth-round find should be back in Dallas.

The Giants’ decision

Daniel Jones, QB

Passing on Jones’ fifth-year option — an understandable decision, given Jones’ first three seasons — leads the Giants to one of the more interesting free agency quandaries in recent memory. After making Saquon Barkley a higher priority regarding in-season extension talks, Big Blue’s new regime has come around on Jones. The former No. 6 overall pick piloting the Giants to the divisional round for the first time in 11 years transformed his value from where it was entering the season, and GM Joe Schoen all but assured the fifth-year passer will be back with the team in 2023. Will that be on a long-term deal or via the tag?

If the Giants and Jones, 25, cannot find common ground before March 7, the tag will likely come out. The team encountered this situation with Leonard Williams in 2021 and tagged the trade acquisition for a second time. That preceded a monster extension. The Giants probably should be careful here, with two late-season matchups against a porous Vikings defense boosting Jones’ value — to the $35MM-per-year range. But the team also should be eager to see Jones in Brian Daboll‘s offense and surrounded by better pass catchers.

Saquon Barkley, RB

A Giants team that battled injuries and bad investments at wide receiver relied on Barkley for much of 2022. Losing the two-time Pro Bowler for nothing will bring considerable risk. Jones sitting atop the Giants’ to-do list may be a pivot from the midseason point, when Schoen referenced a Barkley tag. A positional value-based course change could send Barkley to free agency.

The Giants are believed to have offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year neighborhood, and while the former No. 2 overall pick cited his injury history (21 missed games from 2019-21) in saying he is not looking to reset the running back market, Schoen noted the sides’ 2022 negotiation did not come close to a deal. Barkley, 25, is believed to be seeking a contract near McCaffrey’s $16MM-per-year market-setting price. A $14MM-AAV compromise could be in play, but Barkley may also be keen on testing the market.

Tagging Jones at $32.4MM would clog the Giants’ cap ahead of free agency, whereas as a Barkley tag ($10.1MM) would not drain the team’s funds on the same level. Barkley can make a case he is worthy of the McCaffrey-Kamara tier, given his production (when healthy) and versatility — and the salary cap jumping nearly $30MM (to $224.8MM) since those stars’ 2020 extensions were finalized. But the Giants are not yet prepared to go much higher than the $12MM-AAV range — the second tier for running backs. Jones talks not producing a deal would put the Giants to a decision; Barkley could become one of the most talented backs to hit free agency.

While Barkley is a better player, Jones has become the Giants’ top priority. Tagging the quarterback would be far more expensive than cuffing Barkley. A Jones extension/Barkley tag scenario remains the best Giants path, but that can only come to fruition if Jones agrees to terms before March 7.

On tag radar

Jessie Bates, S (Bengals)

With Joe Burrow now extension-eligible, new contractual territory awaits the Bengals. Tee Higgins is also eligible for a new deal, with Germaine Pratt weeks away from free agency. Vonn Bell, a three-year Bengals starter who is also nearing free agency, would be a cheaper alternative at safety to keeping Bates on a second tag. Cincinnati also drafted potential Bates heir apparent Dax Hill in the first round. This all points to the Bengals letting Bates walk — as they did defenders Carl Lawson and William Jackson in 2021 — but the former second-round pick is still one of the league’s top safeties.

The Bengals and Bates never came close on an extension last year; the team’s conservative guarantee policy led to an offer of $16MM guaranteed at signing. While player personnel director Duke Tobin said last summer renegotiations this year will not be off the table, Bates will likely hit the market. The five-year Cincinnati starter, who will turn 26 next week, can be re-tagged at $15.5MM.

Jamel Dean, CB (Buccaneers)

The Bucs tagged Chris Godwin in each of the past two years and prioritized retaining their core players above all else during that span. But, with Tom Brady‘s void-years money hitting the Bucs’ cap in 2023, a Dean tag will be difficult to pull off. The Saints moving from $75MM-plus over the cap in February 2021 to creating room for a Marcus Williams tag, however, shows how teams can go from cap hell to carving out tag space. That said, Brady’s $35.1MM hitting the cap pushes the Bucs past $50MM over the 2023 salary ceiling.

Dean, 26, has been one of the team’s top players. The former third-round pick grades as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 overall cornerback from 2020-22. This still looks like an unlikely proposition, with the corner tag at $18.14MM, but it should not be considered completely off the table.

Evan Engram, TE (Jaguars)

Tight ends Mike Gesicki, David Njoku and Dalton Schultz received tags in 2022, and the tight end tag again checking in as the third-cheapest ($11.36MM) this year makes the Jaguars keeping Engram off the market a logical step. The former Giants first-round pick broke through on his one-year Jags pact, filling a longstanding void for the franchise. Engram’s 766 receiving yards set a Jacksonville single-season tight end record. With mutual interest believed to exist, a tag as a bridge to a summer extension — ahead of Engram’s age-29 season — is a scenario to watch here.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S (Eagles)

The Eagles traded two Day 3 draft picks for Gardner-Johnson and moved him from corner to safety. After the ex-Saints slot defender led the NFL in interceptions, he will be in line for a payday. New Orleans and Gardner-Johnson, 25, could not come to terms last summer, leading to the trade, but Philadelphia wants to retain the imported DB. The Bengals kept Bates off the market last year with the safety tag, which checks in at $14.46MM this year. Given the volume of defenders the NFC champions have set for free agency, this looks like a longer-odds scenario.

Dre’Mont Jones, DL (Broncos)

Jones’ statistical production would not be in line with a tag. The talented defensive lineman has yet to surpass 6.5 sacks or 11 quarterback hits in a season, but the former third-round pick has offered consistency and earned praise from the front office. Following the Broncos’ decision to trade Bradley Chubb, GM George Paton identified Jones as a player the team wanted to keep. The advanced metrics also view Jones fondly; Pro Football Focus charts the former third-round pick in the top 20 for pressures since 2019. Jones is believed to be a higher priority compared to guard Dalton Risner, a fellow Denver free agent-to-be.

Sean Payton‘s team using a $19MM tag on a non-Pro Bowler would be risky during an offseason in which the draft capital-poor team — thanks to the Payton trade requiring a 2023 first-round pick — faces a key free agency stretch. Jones, 26, sticking around should also depend on whom the Broncos hire as defensive coordinator.

Jordan Poyer, S (Bills)

Buffalo defensive stalwarts Poyer and Tremaine Edmunds are ticketed for free agency, but with the NFL still grouping rush- and non-rush linebackers together under its tag formula, Edmunds is not a realistic tag candidate. The linebacker tag ($20.9MM) trails only the QB price. Poyer, 31, is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and has been one of the Bills’ steadiest players in the Sean McDermott era. Signed during McDermott’s first offseason, Poyer has inked two Bills contracts. He angled for a third, eventually agreeing to an incentive package, and became indispensable during a season in which the Bills lost Micah Hyde to a September neck injury and saw Damar Hamlin face one of the scariest health issues in NFL history in January.

Hamlin aims to return, while Hyde is under contract. But a Bills defense that has seen inconsistency at corner for years could still use Poyer. If the parties cannot strike a deal before March 7, the $14.5MM safety tag may not be too steep here. That said, the Bills may try to avoid a tag and save some free agency dough for Edmunds.

Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks)

A $32.4MM quarterback tag does sound too steep for Smith, his Comeback Player of the Year award notwithstanding. The Seahawks traded Russell Wilson on March 8, 2022; they re-signed Smith to a one-year, $3.5MM deal on April 14. That low-cost, incentive-laden accord effectively illustrated the NFL’s view of the former second-rounder. While Smith’s stunning season upped his value tremendously, it still seems unlikely the franchise tag will come into play. A transition tag — worth $29.5MM and involving no draft compensation — would be a more logical move.

But the top tag has been floated as a Smith-Seattle scenario. The sides have begun negotiations, and Smith’s camp figures to factor the tag salaries into the talks. This process still feels like it will end in a Smith medium-term deal. But after a 30-touchdown pass season that also included an NFL-high 69.8% completion rate, the 32-year-old passer setting a high price as the tag deadline nears would force the team to consider cuffing its starter.

Eagles Interested In Vance Joseph For DC

February 16th, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

5:15pm: Joseph’s meeting with Gannon did not yield a shared understanding between the two, apparently. Anderson reports that the veteran has been told he will be released (Twitter link).

4:56pm: Gannon was scheduled to meet with Joseph today, and made a comment which could leave the door open to the latter being retained. Gannon said that if Joseph’s vision for the unit “blends with mine, we’ll go from there” (Twitter link via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss). Joseph figures to have a few options to choose from in the closing stages of the 2023 hiring cycle, but he would represent a highly experienced staffer for Gannon in his first HC posting should the two find common ground.

10:24am: After losing their defensive coordinator to the Cardinals, the Eagles are interested in speaking with Arizona’s four-year DC. Philadelphia wants to meet with Vance Joseph, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets.

Although a formal interview request has not yet emerged, that is the expectation here. The Cardinals have Joseph under contract and could block any DC request, though it is unclear if Jonathan Gannon would do so. The defense-oriented coach will likely be moving on from Joseph and most of his staff.

Joseph, 50, looks to be a popular name late in this year’s hiring period. The Broncos, who employed him as their head coach from 2017-18, have already submitted an interview request. A Joseph request will depend on Eagles internal meetings Thursday, per Anderson, but the team does not have an obvious in-house replacement the way it might on offense. QBs coach Brian Johnson and passing-game coordinator Kevin Patullo are in place as candidates to replace Shane Steichen, but the Eagles were interested in Vic Fangio and Jerod Mayo for Gannon’s old job. Both coaches are now off the market. Fangio is now a highly paid Dolphins DC, and Mayo agreed to stay in place as Bill Belichick‘s right-hand man on that side of the ball.

The Cardinals interviewed Kliff Kingsbury‘s DC to potentially replace him, but Joseph did not advance far in that process. The team had three other DCs — Gannon, Lou Anarumo, Brian Flores — as finalists, though Flores turned down a second interview to take the Vikings’ DC position. Joseph should soon be available for what would be his fourth run as either a defensive coordinator or a head coach leading a team’s defense.

A former Dolphins DC and Broncos HC, Joseph has seven years’ experience as a leader on defense. But he has been an NFL assistant since 2005. Joseph’s 2020 and 2021 Cardinals defenses ranked 10th and sixth in DVOA, respectively, though last season’s unit — J.J. Watt and Zach Allen‘s production notwithstanding — encountered rougher waters during a woeful season in Arizona. The Cards’ 2022 defense slotted 24th in DVOA during a 4-13 season — one that featured most headlines coming from the offensive side of the ball.

Were the Eagles to consider an in-house candidate, defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson has surfaced as the early preference. But the team is still early in its search. The Eagles just became the first team since the Bengals in 2014 to see both their offensive and defensive coordinators land HC jobs in the same offseason.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/15/23

February 15th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s reserve/futures contracts:

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

The Chiefs will likely enter into extension talks with Creed Humphrey when the Pro Bowler becomes eligible in 2024, but they are also retaining their Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LV center starter. Reiter, 31, played for the Dolphins in 2021 but did not see any action for the Chiefs this season. The Chiefs cut Shelton after training camp but kept the veteran defensive tackle around on their practice squad. Shelton, 29, played in one game for the Super Bowl champions this season and will be set to collect a second Super Bowl ring; his first came in 2018 with the Patriots.

Allen, 28, put his track and field career on pause to attempt a football comeback, and the two-time Olympic 110-meter hurdle finalist resided on the Eagles’ practice squad all season. While the Paris Games are not until 2024, Allen ran 2022’s top 110 hurdle time (12.84 seconds) — which doubled as the third-fastest time in history — and will be on the radar to claim his first world championship in the event. This year’s World Track and Field Championships are slated for Aug. 19-27 in Budapest, so it will be interesting to see if Allen puts track aside for the time being or if the Eagles greenlight dual participation. The Bears did so for long jumper/wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in 2021, but that was for an Olympic Trials competition that did not conflict with training camp.

Load More Posts