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Kyle Van Noy

Ravens To Re-Sign OLB Kyle Van Noy

April 4th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens expressed interest in re-signing Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, after both became surprising contributors despite signing late in the year. After Clowney bolted for a Panthers proposal, Van Noy is staying in Baltimore.

Van Noy will stick with the Ravens on a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Pat McAfee. After signing in late September last year and ripping off a nine-sack season anyway, Van Noy will be back to help out the defending AFC North champions’ edge-rushing corps. Van Noy’s second Ravens deal will be worth $9MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. He will see $5.25MM in Year 1, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds.

A productive pass rusher — as more of a hybrid player who has spent plenty of time as a traditional linebacker — Van Noy had never topped seven sacks in a season prior to 2023. Although he did not suit up for the Ravens until October, the former Patriots cog established a new career high with nine sacks. Van Noy got there in 14 games, teaming with Clowney to form a free agent-driven OLB crew. Clowney totaled 9.5 sacks but had a head-start, having signed with the Ravens during training camp.

This will be Van Noy’s first multiyear deal since a two-year, $12MM Patriots pact in 2021. The Pats bailed on that accord after one season, leading Van Noy to the Chargers. Filling in for the again-injured Joey Bosa in 2022 (as a May signing), Van Noy continued his string of five-plus-sack seasons by registering five. Van Noy also has not played with the same team in back-to-back seasons since his first Patriots stint (2016-19) ended.

The versatile veteran now has six seasons with at least five QB drops. While the Ravens will probably keep looking for edge help, the team has one box checked via this re-signing. Clowney was a bit more consistent than Van Noy last season, notching 19 QB hits to Van Noy’s nine. He is now tied to a $10MM-per-year deal. But the 33-year-old vet provided strong supplemental work for a Ravens team that led the NFL in scoring defense.

Certainly benefiting from the Ravens’ offense creating leads for most of the season, Van Noy notched two-sack games in Baltimore blowouts over Detroit and Seattle. He rejoins recent draftees Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo. Neither of the homegrown players has panned out yet, with injuries slowing Ojabo. The Ravens also cut the injury-plagued Tyus Bowser earlier this offseason, which still makes it likely the team makes another move — perhaps early in the draft — for an edge.

At worst, Van Noy profiles as a quality rotational rusher. But he started 13 Ravens games last season. Baltimore has relied on mid- or late-offseason signings here during Oweh’s tenure, using Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul in prominent roles following Matt Judon‘s 2021 free agency departure. It will be interesting to see if another veteran will be en route or if a homegrown option will join the 2021 first-rounder.

Ravens Rumors: OLBs, Mitchell, Dobbins

March 26th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens defense saw a number of surprise contributors in 2023. From backup safety Geno Stone leading the AFC in interceptions to Justin Madubuike, Jadeveon Clowney, and Kyle Van Noy exploding to help the team lead the NFL in sacks, Baltimore excelled thanks to contributions from players other than All-Pros like Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Patrick Queen.

All four of the surprise contributors mentioned above had expiring contracts when the Ravens fell short of their Super Bowl aspirations. Madubuike received the franchise tag before ultimately signing a massive four-year, $98MM extension after his 13.0 sack-season. Stone earned a nice deal of his own, branching out to the division-rival Bengals as he searched for an opportunity to start full-time, instead of sharing the stage with Hamilton and Marcus Williams.

Clowney and Van Noy, on the other hand, remain free agents on the open market. Clowney saw a bounce-back season following a disappointing exit from Cleveland. Despite joining the roster in the middle of the preseason, Clowney would start 15 games for the Ravens, matching his career-high in sacks (9.5) while tallying nine tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. Despite early reports that both sides were interested in a new deal, the Panthers and Jets have swept in as teams with massive interest in signing Clowney.

Van Noy exploded for the rare career-year at 32 years old. Despite only starting three games as a rotation player, Van Noy finished third on the team with a career-high nine sacks. Van Noy hasn’t been nearly as active in free agency visits, but his stellar 2023 season all but ensures that he will earn at least one more NFL contract.

Head coach John Harbaugh recently claimed to be optimistic about the prospects of bringing one or both of Clowney and/or Van Noy back in 2024, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. If they aren’t able to do so, though, the Ravens continue to have faith in former first-round pick Odafe Oweh and former second-round pick David Ojabo. According to Harbaugh, Ojabo, who has only appeared in five games over his first two seasons, is healthy. The long-time head coach predicted a breakout season for the 23-year-old in 2024.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Baltimore, where our thoughts and condolences are after the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge:

  • The Ravens certainly lost a massive offensive chess piece when J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Baltimore’s season opener. Their losses compounded late in the season when, in the midst of a run towards the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Keaton Mitchell, an explosive undrafted rookie who was helping to replace Dobbins’ lost production, suffered an ACL tear in Week 15. General manager Eric DeCosta spoke on his recovery recently, saying that the team feels Mitchell is on track “to come back this season,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
  • Speaking of Dobbins, though he’s not currently a Raven after the team allowed his rookie contract to expire, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network informs us that the 25-year-old rusher has been cleared for football activities. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said in a letter to select teams today that Dobbins looks “outstanding” coming off his torn Achilles. Dobbins is expected to begin taking visits soon, though the Ravens have not been mentioned much as a candidate to land his continued services.

Edge Notes: Judon, Sweat, Van Noy, Bears

October 6th, 2023 at 12:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots’ defense has been hit hard by injuries lately, including the torn bicep suffered by pass rusher Matt Judon. The four-time Pro Bowler is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery, and it is doubtful he will be able to return this season.

Judon is likely facing a six-month recovery timeline, as noted by ESPN’s Dan Graziano. That would, of course, shut him down for the remainder of the season – something which would also carry financial implications for him given the nature of his restructured contract. The 31-year-old has expressed a desire to play again this year, though, and Graziano adds he and the Patriots are exploring a recovery path similar to that of Steelers star T.J. Watt.

The latter suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 of last year, an injury which usually shuts players down for the season. The former Defensive Player of the Year managed to recover in time to play in Week 9, however, which helped spark a late-season playoff push in Pittsburgh. Judon will attempt to emulate that, but for now it appears unlikely he will be able to do so.

Here are some other edge-related notes from around the league:

  • Chase Young and Montez Sweat form the foundation of the pass rush contingent for the Commanders, but one has played to their potential far more than the other. Despite being a former No. 2 pick, Young is in line to reach free agency in March since his fifth-year option was declined amidst major injury concerns and an inability to follow up on an encouraging rookie season. Sweat is likewise in need of a new deal, as he is playing on his $11.5MM option in 2023. Of the two, SI’s Albert Breer expects the latter to be targeted for a long-term second contract over Young. Breer explains that Sweat – who already has 4.5 sacks in 2023, bringing him halfway to matching his single-season high – will likely be easier to extend than Young. With big-money commitments to defensive linemen Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen already in place, Washington would be hard pressed to retain both Sweat and Young on multi-year pacts.
  • Facing a number of injury concerns amongst their outside linebackers, the Ravens recently signed Kyle Van Noy to serve in a depth capacity. The veteran has proven to be an effective hybrid defender, and his playing time should increase given the fact 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo could miss the rest of the campaign. Van Noy’s arrival in Baltimore could have come much sooner, though. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes that the Ravens tried to sign 32-year-old this offseason, but the sides couldn’t agree on compensation. That opened the door to the team’s Jadeveon Clowney acquisition, but the pair are now in place together. Each will have a role to play as the Ravens look to maintain a top-10 sack total (13 through four games) through the remainder of the year.
  • The Bears ended their 14-game losing streak last night, but the team’s defensive struggles were deserving of much of the blame for the skid reaching that length. The unit has been hampered in recent years by a lack of established edge rushing options, which made Chicago’s Yannick Ngakoue August signing an unsurprising one. The 28-year-old’s one-year, $10MM pact has led to a pair of sacks so far, but as a team Chicago has registered only seven to date. As a result, defensive end will be a priority in the 2024 offseason, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The 1-4 Bears will have chances in free agency and the draft to add much-needed contributors on the edge, regardless of if Ngakoue is retained.

Ravens Sign Kyle Van Noy To Active Roster

September 30th, 2023 at 9:33am CST by Ben Levine

After joining Baltimore’s practice squad earlier this week, Kyle Van Noy has already made his way to the active roster. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the Ravens have signed the veteran linebacker to the active roster, a move that “positions him to be on the roster for the remainder of the season.”

Despite adding Jadeveon Clowney to the mix, the Ravens were still in need of some reinforcement on the edge. After sitting out Week 3, 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh is questionable for Week 4 with an ankle injury. Further, 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo suffered an ankle/knee injury in Week 3 that landed him on this week’s injury report. With Tyus Bowser still sitting on the NFI list, the Ravens were down a whole rotation-worth of players, leading to the Van Noy addition.

The acquisition certainly provides some veteran know-how to the Ravens pass-rushing corps, with the 32-year-old collecting 33.5 sacks in 126 career games. After flaming out in Detroit, the former second-round pick found a home in New England. Across two stints with the organization, Van Noy collected 27 regular-season and postseason sacks for the Patriots. After earning a pair of Super Bowl rings during his time with New England, Van Noy was named to the Patriots’ All-2010s Team.

After returning to the Patriots for the 2021 campaign, Van Noy spent the 2022 season with the Chargers. He ended up getting into all 17 games for his new squad, compiling 46 tackles and five sacks.

Considering Baltimore’s injury issues on the edge, Van Noy should play a role for the Ravens as soon as this weekend. However, considering his lack of special teams snaps in recent years, it’s uncertain how the veteran will fill in once the Ravens return to full health.

Ravens Sign LB Kyle Van Noy

September 27th, 2023 at 1:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 27: The Ravens finalized this agreement Wednesday. Van Noy is officially part of Baltimore’s 16-man practice squad. This will be the veteran defender’s fifth NFL destination, coming after stays with the Lions, Patriots, Dolphins and Chargers.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1:24pm: This visit will produce a quick agreement. Van Noy is signing a practice squad deal with the Ravens, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, Van Noy has excelled in a hybrid capacity for most of his career. The off-ball linebacker/pass rusher has notched at least five sacks in five of the past six seasons.

This P-squad agreement seems likely to precede Van Noy moving up to Baltimore’s active roster. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the deal is not quite done but notes mutual interest exists.

11:49am: For the second time this year, Kyle Van Noy is set to head to Baltimore ahead of a potential deal. The veteran edge rusher is visiting the Ravens today, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Van Not met with the Ravens in July, signaling that a contract could be on the horizon. That would have come as little surprise, given the team’s lack of experience in the pass-rushing department. Even with Jadeveon Clowney now in the picture, though, the team is in need of depth along the edge.

Tyus Bowser remains on the NFI list, leaving Baltimore without a full-time starter. His absence has since been compounded by injuries picked up by 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, who missed Week 3, and 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo, who exited that contest due to an ankle ailment. Given the team’s lack of healthy bodies at the moment, Van Noy would likely be able to see notable playing time right away if he were to sign.

The 32-year-old remained a consistent producer during his stint with the Chargers last season. Van Noy posted five sacks, adding 14 pressures, eight tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Having logged a 70% snap share, he proved a continued ability to handle a large defensive workload split between inside and outside linebacker. The Ravens’ ILB tandem of Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen is intact, however, so any Van Noy addition would see the latter used strictly in a pass-rushing capacity.

Pending the status of Oweh and Ojabo, the Ravens’ list of healthy edge rushers currently consists of Clowney, fourth-round rookie Tavius Robinson and former UDFA Jeremiah Moon. Van Noy, who has yet to take a known visit since his last Baltimore trek, would add considerable experience to that group while providing at least a depth presence when the team is at full health. With roughly $7.8MM in cap space, the Ravens should be able to afford a deal with the veteran on what would no doubt be a low-cost flier for the remainder of the campaign.

Ravens Host LB Kyle Van Noy

July 21st, 2023 at 5:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens have already made one addition today, and another could be coming soon. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy visited the team on a free agent visit, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

[RELATED: Ravens Add Melvin Gordon]

Van Noy has played with four teams during his career, but the versatile defender is best known for his time with the Patriots. His second stint in New England came after a one-year tenure in Miami, and set up another single campaign, this time with the Chargers. He had to wait until May to ink his Los Angeles deal last year, but his free agent wait has been much longer in 2023.

The 32-year-old logged a snap share of 70% with the Chargers, his lowest figure since 2016. Despite that drop in playing time, Van Noy remained productive, posting eight tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits and five sacks. That made 2023 the fifth season out of the past six in which he recorded at least five sacks, a string of consistency which shows his value as a rotational rusher when used in conjunction with his skills as an inside linebacker.

The BYU product showed a desire to re-up with the Chargers, but he finds himself as one of several veteran edge defenders seeking a deal in advance of training camps. Baltimore is a team which has been active recently in seeking additions in the pass rush department, scheduling a visit with Dawuane Smoot before he ultimately re-signed with the Jaguars.

The Ravens have Tyus Bowser in place as an experienced member of their edge unit, but James Houston remains unsigned after leading the team in sacks last season. That leaves young options in place, including 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, 2022 second-round selection David Ojabo and rookies Tavius Robinson and Trenton Simpson. The latter, like Van Noy, is expected to serve in a hybrid inside/outside role at the NFL level. While he acclimates to that task and Baltimore searches for development from others, Van Noy could serve as an effective depth option.

Checking In On Edge Rusher Market

May 11th, 2023 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The late-spring signing period that transpires every year — due to the compensatory formula deadline passing — has produced a number of deals. Rock Ya-Sin, Foster Moreau, Randall Cobb, Donovan Smith and a few quarterbacks (John Wolford, Trevor Siemian, Brandon Allen) agreed to terms over the past week and change.

This year’s deadline, however, has not led to a thaw in the edge defender market, which is free agency’s deepest at this point. A number of accomplished veterans — some still in or close to their prime — remain unsigned. Teams often use OTAs, minicamp and training camp to determine where roster flaws are, leading to summer veteran additions. As of last week, no such moves affect teams’ 2024 compensatory picks. Some clubs will also pick up some cap space after June 1, when they will see the money saved from previous cut designations emerge.

A few longtime starters figure to receive another chance before teams configure their final depth charts. Ahead of OTAs, here are the top options available:

Frank Clark. Age in Week 1: 30

The Chiefs cut Clark in March, separating from their most prominent edge player of the Patrick Mahomes era. While Clark did not live up to the five-year, $104MM pact he signed upon being acquired from the Seahawks in 2019 and ultimately took a pay cut to return in 2022, he did continue producing in the playoffs. Clark’s 2.5 sacks during this past postseason give him 13.5 for his career. In the official sack era (1982-present), that total ranks third. Of course, the ex-Seattle second-rounder was arrested twice in 2021 and never eclipsed eight sacks during a Chiefs regular season. He remains a starter-caliber player.

Jadeveon Clowney. Age in Week 1: 30

Perennially unable to secure a long-term deal, the former No. 1 overall pick will likely end his NFL career without landing one. Injury trouble has plagued Clowney, who missed eight games during his two-year Browns tenure. Since the Texans traded Clowney to the Seahawks in August 2019, he has taken his time before reaching a free agency accord. Clowney signed with the Titans in September 2020, inked his first Browns deal in April 2021 and re-signed in May of last year. Clashes with Cleveland’s coaching staff will lead him elsewhere. Clowney only totaled two sacks and 12 QB pressures last season, though he collected nine sacks opposite Myles Garrett in 2021.

Leonard Floyd. Age in Week 1: 31

With the Rams moving on from their four-year, $64MM agreement in March, two teams have now cut Floyd in his career. The Bears picked up his fifth-year option but, back when teams were allowed to do this, ditched it free of charge a year later back in 2020. Floyd has both displayed durability and production since that Chicago separation, showing a new gear in Los Angeles. Teaming with Aaron Donald and Von Miller certainly boosted Floyd’s chances of drawing a favorable matchup, but he kept going after Donald’s shutdown last season. Four of Floyd’s 9.5 sacks came during the six games Donald missed. Floyd’s 31 QB pressures ranked 17th last season.

Markus Golden. Age in Week 1: 32

Coming off the worst season in this contingent, Golden is two years removed from an 11-sack campaign. The former second-round pick agreed to a one-year extension that covered the 2023 season, but the Cardinals’ new regime ditched that contract in March. Golden has three double-digit sack seasons on his resume, though they have come in nonconsecutive years. An early-career ACL tear threw the Mizzou alum off track, but Golden has missed just one game over the past four seasons.

Yannick Ngakoue. Age in Week 1: 28

The second-ranked edge defender in PFR’s free agent rankings back in March (behind only Marcus Davenport), Ngakoue has consistently produced sack numbers while generating a reputation as a hired gun and run-game liability. He did not come close to reaching the May compensatory deadline in the past, however, being franchise-tagged in 2020 and signed to a two-year, $26MM Raiders deal in March 2021. The Colts took on that contract last year, via a straight-up trade for Ya-Sin, and Ngakoue reeled off a 9.5-sack season. The former Jaguars third-round pick is the only player to post at least eight sacks in each of the past seven seasons.

Dawuane Smoot. Age in Week 1: 28

One of the bright spots of the Jaguars’ Urban Meyer year, Smoot finished the 2021 season with 30 pressures. The former third-round pick accumulated 22.5 sacks from 2019-22, finishing that stretch on a two-year deal worth $10MM. He likely would have a third contract in place — either from the Jaguars or another team earlier in free agency — had a December ACL tear not occurred. The Jags did not re-sign Arden Key or use a first- or second-day pick on an edge rusher. While that potentially keeps the door open to Smoot returning when cleared (or on the homestretch toward clearance), he remains an intriguing complementary option for teams.

Kyle Van Noy. Age in Week 1: 32

Although Van Noy has operated as a hybrid of sorts, his sack consistency qualifies him for such a list. Van Noy’s one-year Chargers deal ended up requiring considerable edge work, with Joey Bosa lost for much of the season. As he had done for years in New England, Van Noy made an impact in a pass-rushing capacity. He finished with five sacks, marking the fifth time in the past six seasons he has reached that number. Van Noy’s age and versatility make him one of the better options left. After signing with the Chargers in May of last year, Van Noy expressed interest in staying on another accord.

Mid-30s wing

Carlos Dunlap. Age in Week 1: 34

The Chiefs waited until July to add Dunlap last year, bringing in the longtime Bengals sack artist — on a one-year, $3MM pact — to replace Melvin Ingram as a Clark complement. Kansas City has since added younger UFA Charles Omenihu and used first-round picks on edges (George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah) in each of the past two years. The Bengals’ all-time sack leader, Dunlap finished with four last season after amassing 8.5 with the Seahawks in 2021. The Chiefs used the 13-year veteran on 39 defensive plays in Super Bowl LVII.

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AFC West Notes: Waller, Chiefs, Broncos

March 3rd, 2023 at 10:39am CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Waller came up in trade talks last year, generating Packers interest ahead of the deadline, and the veteran tight end missed a big chunk of the Raiders‘ season due to a nagging hamstring injury that may or may not have irked some with the team. This came after the Raiders reached a three-year, $51MM extension with the former Pro Bowler just before the season. Despite Waller’s disappointing slate and the team moving on from Derek Carr, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes the Silver and Black are not looking to move on from the talented tight end (subscription required).

Waller’s $12MM cap number checks in considerably lower than Chandler Jones‘ ($19.3MM), but Howe adds the latter is also unlikely to be moved. The Raiders did not receive what they had hoped from Jones, who totaled just 4.5 sacks and seven QB hits in his Las Vegas debut. The Raiders would save $9MM-plus by trading Jones, 33, but the ex-Cardinals All-Pro’s trade value may not be especially high right now. Jones still has $16MM in guarantees remaining on his three-year, $51MM deal.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • The Chiefs had once eyed Mike Kafka to succeed Eric Bieniemy as OC, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, but they had envisioned the latter landing a head coaching job. Bieniemy famously failed to do so and ended up leaving for a play-calling role in Washington after five years. This proved too long for Kafka to wait; he is now the Giants’ play-caller and joined this year’s HC carousel. Benefiting from the past two offseasons’ events, Matt Nagy replaced Kafka as QBs coach and has since replaced Bieniemy. Nagy’s Bears HC shortcomings notwithstanding, Breer adds he is seen as a possible Andy Reid heir apparent in Kansas City. Reid shot down retirement rumors after Super Bowl LVII, but the future Hall of Famer will turn 65 this month and is going into his 25th season as a head coach.
  • Graham Glasgow, Ronald Darby and Chase Edmonds loom as cut candidates for the Broncos, who have some needs to fill in free agency. It is possible the Broncos release all three, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. Denver restructured Glasgow’s contract in 2022 and saw him become needed after injuries to guard Quinn Meinerz and center Lloyd Cushenberry. But the team can save $11MM by releasing Glasgow. The team can add $9.6MM by cutting Darby, who suffered a torn ACL in October. Rookie Damarri Mathis fared decently replacing the veteran opposite Patrick Surtain II. The Broncos picked up Edmonds at the deadline from the Dolphins; they can save $5.9MM by releasing the ex-Cardinals starter. Denver should be able to add a veteran for cheaper, given this year’s crowded running back market, and Sean Payton favorite Latavius Murray is likely a candidate to be re-signed.
  • For what it’s worth, Russell Wilson‘s office is no longer in use. The space that drew considerable attention as the former Seahawks star struggled in Denver has been cleaned out, Mike Klis of 9News notes. While Broncos players did not necessarily voice issues about Wilson’s office, it attracted scrutiny during a 5-12 season. Wilson previously agreed to stop using it during the season’s final two weeks.
  • Kyle Van Noy wants to stay with the Chargers, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, who notes the versatile linebacker should have a chance to return. The Bolts signed Van Noy to a low-cost deal late in the 2022 offseason. His role expanded after Joey Bosa‘s groin injury, and the 13-game starter hit the five-sack mark for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Conversely, Morgan Fox will probably depart in free agency, Popper adds. Fox registered 6.5 sacks and likely will price himself out of Los Angeles, as the Bolts want to re-sign right tackle Trey Pipkins and linebacker Drue Tranquill.
  • Mecole Hardman recently underwent groin surgery, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The November injury kept the contract-year wide receiver out of Super Bowl LVII. Hardman will attempt to get healthy ahead of a free agency bid, with Howe adding he will need around two months to recover (Twitter link). The Chiefs have Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster set to hit the market. Mutual interest exists between the Chiefs and Smith-Schuster.

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Hackett, Chiefs

September 22nd, 2022 at 10:44am CST by Sam Robinson

After Justin Herbert finished the 2021 season in the unusual position of being the AFC’s Pro Bowl starter but out of the playoffs, Brandon Staley voiced concerns about the Chargers‘ roster to ownership. Staley conveyed to both ownership and the Bolts’ front office that defensive and special teams upgrades were necessary this offseason. More specifically, Staley wanted veteran pieces, ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry notes, adding that the second-year HC sought a defense capable of complementing a ready-now offense.

“[I] felt really strongly that in order to build a complete football team that was ready to face what we’re going to have to face,” Staley said, “that we needed to make significant changes in those two phases of the game.”

DVOA placed the 2021 Chargers fourth in offense and 26th defensively, despite the fast-rising Staley becoming the team’s head coach based on his defensive credentials. Facing a time crunch created by Herbert’s extension eligibility, the Chargers added big-ticket defensive pieces in Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson. Auxiliary troops like Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Kyle Van Noy and Bryce Callahan signed as well. The Chargers also extended Derwin James, on a safety-record deal, this summer. The team, which ranked 28th in special teams DVOA last season, replaced its punter and long snapper as well. JK Scott and ex-Falcon Josh Harris are in those roles this year.

These additions raise the stakes for Staley, who will have fewer excuses given his 2022 personnel. Here is the latest from the AFC West, shifting first to a coach off to an unusual start:

  • It is uncertain if the Broncos will change Nathaniel Hackett‘s game-day roles, but after the rookie HC’s game-management struggles through two weeks, he said (via 9News’ Mike Klis, on Twitter) GM George Paton and assistant GM Darren Mougey have assisted him in these areas this week. Although the puzzling 64-yard field goal decision in Seattle and the Denver crowd counting down the play clock in Week 2 (after the team’s fourth delay-of-game penalty of the season) are the main takeaways from Hackett’s start, the Broncos are 0-for-6 in red zone touchdowns and have committed 25 penalties — including six false starts — through two games. The 25 infractions are a Broncos two-game record. Hackett said (via Klis, on Twitter) the team will have “good answers moving forward” in these areas.
  • Willie Gay‘s four-game suspension will take a starting linebacker off the field for the Chiefs. While the team used a third-round pick on Leo Chenal this year, Andy Reid said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, on Twitter) Darius Harris will be first in line to fill in for Gay. The Middle Tennessee State alum has been with the Chiefs since 2019, being part of the team’s UDFA class. Spending much of his career on Kansas City’s practice squad, Harris has played 13 games — including two starts, both in 2020 — with the team.
  • While Staley stressed the team will not rush Herbert back, the third-year Chargers quarterback practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday. Herbert’s rib cartilage fracture comes as the doctor leading his rehab effort — David S. Gazzaniga — is being sued by former Bolts QB Tyrod Taylor regarding a 2020 incident. “I think we have full alignment with Justin and his family, his agents, and then the medical professionals, and that’s what we’re going to try to do is have alignment that way and just kind of trust the process and hopefully get him well soon,” Staley said, via Thiry.

AFC West Notes: Wilson, Chargers, Chiefs

June 30th, 2022 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers made the biggest cornerback splash this offseason, signing ex-Patriot J.C. Jackson. While Jackson’s starting spot is known, the rest of the Bolts’ corner arrangement is not. Asante Samuel Jr. will enter training camp with the lead to be the team’s other outside starter, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic (subscription required). With Bryce Callahan signed to play in the slot, this would move Michael Davis to a bench role. Davis, who signed a three-year deal worth $25.8MM to stay in Los Angeles last year, started all 14 games he played for the 2021 Chargers. He has worked as a starter for the past three seasons. Pro Football Focus ranked both he and Samuel outside its top 80 corners last season, however. Samuel playing in the slot over Callahan, with Jackson and Davis outside, is another option for the Bolts, Popper adds. Callahan, who dealt with extensive injury problems in Denver, signed for barely the league minimum after the draft.

Shifting first to Denver, here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Although the NFL is amid its quiet period, the Broncos‘ new quarterback will host a pre-training camp of sorts ahead of the team reconvening. Russell Wilson will gather his pass catchers for a mid-July summit in San Diego, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Broncos have their top four wide receivers (Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, KJ Hamler) and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam back, and Melvin Gordon‘s re-signing kept the team’s 2021 backfield intact. But Denver newcomers Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett‘s presences obviously loom larger, and the 11th-year QB will take advantage of some off time to accelerate his rapport with his new teammates.
  • Shifting back to L.A., the Bolts are planning to keep Kyle Van Noy in the versatile role he held with the Patriots. The post-draft free agency addition is expected to both work as an edge rusher and an off-ball linebacker, per Popper. Van Noy played both spots during the Bolts’ offseason program. The 31-year-old linebacker should be expected to be the team’s No. 3 edge rusher, behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, Popper adds. With the Pats and Dolphins over the past three years, Van Noy combined for 17.5 sacks.
  • Easton Stick‘s rookie contract expires after the 2022 season, and despite the Chargers having Chase Daniel back to be Justin Herbert‘s top backup, Popper notes the team is grooming the North Dakota State product to be Herbert’s post-Daniel QB2. Dating back to Tyrod Taylor‘s tenure, Stick, 26, has been L.A.’s third-stringer throughout his career. Carson Wentz‘s Bison successor has thrown one regular-season pass.
  • A Chiefs exec since 2017, Tim Terry is staying put with a new title. The team bumped him up to senior director of pro personnel, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Terry, 47, has been a key front office staffer for a while. Prior to coming to Kansas City, he spent eight years as the Packers’ assistant director of player personnel. The Chiefs lost one of Brett Veach‘s top lieutenants, assistant director of player personnel Ryan Poles, this offseason. Poles is now the Bears’ GM.
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