HEADLINES

Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

Draft Notes: Titans, Alt, Chargers, Jags, Hawks, Cardinals, Bucs, Pats, Latu, Rams

April 11th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cutting Andre Dillard and not replacing him to this point, the Titans have a clear left tackle need going into a draft loaded with high-end prospects at the position. The Titans are “definitely” interested in Joe Alt, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller writes, noting the team’s recent visit and Combine meeting with the two-time All-American. But the Chargers should be considered a team to watch for the Notre Dame alum. The Bolts, whose first-round slot (No. 5) is two in front of the Titans’, have a clear wide receiver need but have hired a coach (Jim Harbaugh) who has not emphasized that position.

Alt continues to come up in connection to the Chargers at 5, ESPN’s Jordan Reid adds, and SI.com’s Albert Breer is not sure the Titans will have a chance at the decorated blocker due to the Bolts staying drafting Alt at 5. Alt would replace Trey Pipkins at right tackle in this scenario. Alt was a left tackle for the Fighting Irish and would step in there immediately if he lasted until the Titans at 7. One avenue for Tennessee to have a shot here would be if the Bolts trade down — a move they have made it known they are willing to make. Other quality tackles like Alabama’s JC Latham and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga could be options for the Bolts if they move down, Reid adds.

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • Personnel around the NFL are tying the Jaguars to a cornerback investment at No. 17, Reid adds in the above-referenced ESPN piece. Jacksonville has hosted both Alabama CBs — Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry — and has a need at the position due to the Darious Williams cut. The Jags signed Ronald Darby, but the 30-year-old CB is signed to a two-year deal that can be shed easily in 2025. A young corner to pair with Tyson Campbell would make sense. With Josh Allen signed long term and Trevor Lawrence perhaps on deck this year, the Jags finding quality starters on rookie contracts will be paramount.
  • The Cardinals and Seahawks have hosted Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson on visits this week, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. The ex-Nittany Lions sack artist has been busy during the draft run-up, having already met with the Eagles, Ravens, Saints, Giants and Jets. Robinson would come into play for the Cardinals if they moved down from No. 4, but Arizona — which certainly needs help on the edge — also holds the No. 27 choice courtesy of its Texans trade early in last year’s draft. The Seahawks hold the No. 16 selection. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com mock draft sends Robinson to the Buccaneers at 26.
  • Speaking of the Bucs, they recently brought in Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley for a pre-draft meeting, Pelissero tweets. The Bucs have plenty of money allocated to the receiver position, with both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on deals north of the $20MM-AAV mark. Corley profiles as a second-round option in a deep receiver draft, with teams who pass on filling a WR need in Round 1 likely paying attention to the ex-Hilltoppers standout’s status entering Day 2. The Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also scheduled Corley visits.
  • Moving to another Day 2-level wideout, Troy Franklin is believed to have scheduled a Patriots meeting, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. The Patriots not landing Calvin Ridley places them on the radar for a wideout in Round 2, assuming they fill their QB need at No. 3 overall. The Pats did sign K.J. Osborn and kept Kendrick Bourne off the market, but the team’s rookie QB will need more help.
  • Most teams to meet with UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu have cleared him medically, per Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates the Rams are one of them. A neck issue forced a Latu medical retirement in 2020, and the ex-Washington recruit missed the 2021 season. He re-emerged to post back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in L.A., and ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop notes edge rusher is a priority for the Rams. With Aaron Donald gone and the team not making any additions here in free agency, that adds up. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year has already met with the Eagles, Bears, Broncos, Vikings and Cardinals.

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2024

April 10th, 2024 at 10:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2024 draft nears, numerous picks have already changed hands. A handful of picks have already been moved twice, with a few being traded three times. Multiple deals from 2021 impact this draft. Here are the 2024 picks to have been traded thus far:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Optimism Exists On Record-Setting Antoine Winfield Jr.-Buccaneers Deal

April 10th, 2024 at 10:22am CST by Sam Robinson

With Josh Allen becoming the seventh franchise- or transition-tagged player to sign an extension this offseason, the NFL’s annual mid-July news surge will not be as eventful. Only two tagged players — Tee Higgins and Antoine Winfield Jr. — remain.

Higgins has requested a trade, and the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase plans and record-setting Joe Burrow extension complicate their WR2’s long-term future in Cincinnati. While the Bengals may well have Higgins play on the tag, the Buccaneers may be making progress on a Winfield deal. Optimism exists an extension will be reached this offseason, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Winfield remains tied to a $17.12MM tag.

The Bucs, who have been busy retaining talent over the past several weeks, are working on a Winfield deal that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid safety, Schefter adds. This would surpass Derwin James‘ mark ($19MM per year); the Chargers and James agreed to that deal in summer 2022. Considering the hits the safety market has taken since that point, it would be interesting to see the Bucs feel comfortable handing out a deal that approaches or exceeds $20MM per year for their All-Pro safety.

This offseason has already seen two of 2023’s top five safety contracts — those given to Jamal Adams and Justin Simmons — removed from payrolls. Quandre Diggs, Eddie Jackson, Kevin Byard, Marcus Maye and Jordan Poyer received walking papers as well. This unexpected market surplus led to younger safeties like Kamren Curl and Julian Blackmon signing for lower than expected. That said, the Packers were the outlier, authorizing a $17MM-per-year deal for Xavier McKinney. Considering Winfield’s resume eclipses the four-year Giants defender’s, his camp is understandably aiming higher.

At 25, Winfield is coming into his prime. The 2020 second-round pick tallied six sacks and three interceptions while forcing an NFL-leading six fumbles last season. This included a pivotal strip of DJ Chark in the Bucs’ Week 18 win over the Panthers, which clinched them the NFC South title. While snubbed by the Pro Bowl, Winfield landed a more impressive accolade later by becoming a first-team All-Pro. Winfield did receive a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and has been an important player for the Bucs, who used him as a starter during their Super Bowl LV-winning season as well.

In an offseason that seen a bit of a market correction at the safety position, the prospect of the Bucs extending Winfield at a record rate will be a storyline to monitor. The recent cap spike has benefited several young players, though McKinney scored the only needle-moving safety deal.

Thanks to the extensions for Allen, Brian Burns, Jaylon Johnson, Justin Madubuike, L’Jarius Sneed, Michael Pittman Jr. and Kyle Dugger, this promises to be one of the least eventful tag deadlines since the NFL introduced the tag in 1993. If Winfield signs early, that would magnify the Bengals’ situation with Higgins. The Bucs, however, still have more than three months to hammer out a deal.

An agreement with Winfield would follow Bucs accords with Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield and Lavonte David. With Tristan Wirfs on track for a potential left tackle-record deal, the Bucs’ payroll may look quite different by Week 1. A second Winfield contract would continue one of the more notable roster-retention efforts in recent memory.

DB Logan Ryan Announces Retirement

April 9th, 2024 at 8:17am CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly two months after returning to the Super Bowl stage, Logan Ryan is stepping away from football. The versatile defensive back announced his retirement after 11 seasons Tuesday morning (video link).

The former Patriots draftee later made his way to the Titans, Giants, Buccaneers and 49ers. The San Francisco agreement did not come to pass until early December, shortly after Talanoa Hufanga‘s season-ending injury. Ryan, 33, went from spending most of 2023 out of football to playing 62 defensive snaps in Super Bowl LVIII. He closes his career with 19 interceptions.

That marked Ryan’s third Super Bowl appearance. The 2013 third-rounder was a backup cornerback in Super Bowl XLIX but a starter by the time the Patriots returned to a Super Bowl two years later. Ryan played every Patriots defensive snap in their historic comeback past the Falcons, parlaying that season into a three-year, $30MM Titans contract.

A Rutgers alum, Ryan started 124 games and suited up for 19 playoff contests. Primarily playing cornerback in New England and Tennessee, Ryan was one of the top tacklers at the position during this NFL period. That helped a transition to safety commence during his Giants tenure. The Giants picked up Ryan late in the 2020 offseason and handed the New Jersey native an extension (three years, $31MM) months after that signing.

During Ryan’s final Titans season (2019), the team voyaged to its first AFC championship game since 2002. The 5-foot-11 defender had returned from a broken leg that ended his 2018 season. Ryan helped the 2019 Titans’ cause by making 113 tackles — 31 more than any other corner registered that season — as primarily a slot defender. Ryan’s 2019 playoffs included a pick-six on Tom Brady, ending the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII title defense in the wild-card round. Ryan also intercepted a pass and sacked Brock Osweiler during the Patriots’ divisional-round win over the Texans in 2016.

The COVID-19-marred 2020 offseason led to several veterans lingering in free agency for months, as visits were shut down for an extended period. Ryan belatedly landed with the Giants on August 31, 2020, soon completing the transition to a safety role. This came after he displayed high-level blitzing chops, tallying 8.5 sacks over his final two Titans seasons.

Teaming with Xavier McKinney in 2021, Ryan notched a career-high 117 tackles in his second Giants season. Ryan’s two Giants years overlapped with ex-Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge’s New York tenure. The team moved on shortly after hiring Joe Schoen as GM, cutting Ryan and letting Jabrill Peppers join the Patriots in free agency. The Giants have since passed on re-signing ex-Ryan safety teammates McKinney and Julian Love, effectively starting over at the position.

The Buccaneers gave Ryan an opportunity in 2022, but a foot fracture limited his on-field work in Tampa. Ryan played in nine games with the Bucs, starting six, but the team did not bring him back in 2023. The 49ers reached out to Ryan following Hufanga’s injury, encouraging him to go on a booked cruise with his family before joining the team for the stretch run. After playing 12 defensive snaps over his first three 49ers games, Ryan was on the field for every San Francisco defensive play in Week 17, as the team wrapped up home-field advantage. He then played 100% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps against the Packers in the divisional round.

Ryan moved into the San Francisco slot role by Super Bowl LVIII and was the closest defender in coverage on Mecole Hardman‘s game-winning touchdown — one that wrapped the NFL’s longest Super Bowl — but the veteran safety/corner provided the 49ers with some pivotal reps leading up to that point. Discounting a short-field, one-play TD possession in the third quarter, it took the Chiefs until overtime to mount a touchdown drive against the 49ers. Ryan played in both the NFL’s overtime Super Bowls.

Over his career, Ryan earned just more than $69MM. The Titans authorized Ryan’s biggest contract, one he played out in the late 2010s, but he earned more than $15MM with the Giants as well.

Draft Notes: Odunze, DeJean, Nabers, Chargers, Lions, Bucs, Jags, Steelers

April 5th, 2024 at 5:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

While reports have indicated some teams prefer Malik Nabers to Marvin Harrison Jr., Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline offers a stance that could further muddy the waters among the draft’s top wide receivers. Several teams have Rome Odunze slotted higher than Nabers on their big boards. Although transfers have populated the QB ranks in this class, the top three receivers only played at one school. Odunze starred at Washington for the past two seasons, posting two 1,100-yard campaigns and elevating his stock further last year. He clocked a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, a tenth slower than Nabers ran at LSU’s pro day. Odunze, who booked visits with the Cardinals, Bears and Jets, did not run at his pro day.

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound talent ripped off 10 100-yard games last season, including five straight to help the Huskies into the CFP national championship game. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board slots Odunze fifth overall — one spot behind Nabers — while Daniel Jeremiah agrees with the teams that have Odunze higher, ranking the Washington prospect third overall — between Harrison and Nabers. All three could be gone in the top seven or eight choices. This certainly raises the stakes for the Cardinals, who have a glaring WR need and have been linked to a trade-down move from No. 4.

Here is the latest coming out of the draft:

  • In addition to Nabers’ Cardinals visit this week, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes he made a trip to Los Angeles to meet with the new Chargers staff. The Chargers having jettisoned Keenan Allen and Mike Williams makes them an obvious team to monitor for one of the top receivers. If the Cardinals trade out of No. 4, L.A. would be positioned to land the draft’s top WR prospect at 5. Of course, the Chargers have also been linked to moving down. And Jim Harbaugh‘s past and some recent comments have made it worth monitoring if the Bolts value a receiver this high.
  • After suffering a broken fibula in November, Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean is ready for football work. The highly touted cover man sent a letter to all 32 teams informing them he is cleared for all football actitives, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. DeJean will hold a workout April 8 in Iowa City. Jeremiah ranks the ex-Hawkeyes standout 25th on his big board; Kiper has the 6-1 defender 21st. DeJean, who notched five INTs and three pick-sixes as a sophomore in 2022, left school early despite the injury.
  • The Jaguars are spending some time on other corners in this draft, specifically those from Alabama. They used “30” visits on both Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. The Buccaneers and Lions also met with McKinstry, according to Schultz and the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. The Jags cut two-year starter Darious Williams but replaced him with Ronald Darby, though the latter is 30 and tied to a two-year deal that features a fairly easy out in 2025. Cameron Sutton‘s arrest and ensuing release leaves the Lions in need at corner, despite Detroit having signed Amik Robertson and traded for Carlton Davis. The Bucs trading Davis frees up a spot at corner in Tampa opposite Jamel Dean. Arnold rates higher than McKinstry, who came into last season as a better prospect. Jeremiah ranks McKinstry 36th overall. More visits are likely, considering McKinstry sat out the Combine with a toe fracture but still clocked a 4.47-second 40 time (at Alabama’s pro day) despite not yet undergoing surgery.
  • Nate Wiggins clocked a blazing 4.28 time at the Combine, elevating his stock. The Clemson product visited the Steelers on Thursday, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski. A first-team All-ACC choice who posted two pick-sixes with the ACC program, Wiggins played all three of his college seasons at Clemson. The Steelers releasing Patrick Peterson but added Donte Jackson. The trade pickup’s contract expires after 2024, however, and the 6-foot-1 Wiggins is among those the team is looking into as a longer-term option opposite Joey Porter Jr.

Buccaneers Sign OLB Randy Gregory

April 4th, 2024 at 10:27am CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 4: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Gregory’s deal has a base value of $3MM, and it can be worth up to $5MM. Re-establishing himself as a starter with a healthy season would thus help not only Gregory’s 2025 free agent prospects but notably add to his career earnings.

APRIL 3: Randy Gregory will head to a third team in eight months. The Buccaneers are bringing in the veteran edge rusher, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets.

The 49ers used Gregory as a rotational rusher last season, acquiring him from the Broncos before the deadline. The former Cowboys starter will turn 32 later this year. It is a one-year deal for Gregory, per Fox Sports’ Greg Auman. The Bucs have since announced the signing.

Seeking an edge rusher to replace Shaq Barrett, the Bucs are reuniting Gregory with ex-Cowboys assistant George Edwards. The two worked together in Dallas from 2020-21, when Edwards served as a senior defensive assistant. After his Cowboys exit, Edwards joined Todd Bowles‘ staff as outside linebackers coach in 2023. While the Seahawks (who employ ex-Cowboys D-line coach Aden Durde as DC) showed interest, Gregory will link up with another familiar face in Tampa.

Gregory’s market pales in comparison to where it was two years ago. The Broncos gave the former suspension mainstay a five-year, $70MM. While that would have represented good value — based on where the edge rusher market has gone in the 2020s — had Gregory stayed healthy. He did not, missing most of his first Denver season. Upon returning, Gregory fell out of favor with Sean Payton. The Broncos’ new HC was willing to take on almost all of Gregory’s 2023 salary balance to move on, doing so for only a late-round pick swap.

As the Broncos committed to using their younger OLBs, Gregory became a Nick Bosa supporting-caster alongside Chase Young and Clelin Ferrell. The 49ers have retooled on the edge, seeing all three players depart. Gregory stayed healthy last season, totaling 3.5 sacks between his Denver and San Francisco stays. Gregory did not start any games with the 49ers; he played 27 defensive snaps in Super Bowl LVIII.

Still better known for his Cowboys tenure, Gregory has flashed better form in the recent past. He commanded that 2022 offer — one the Broncos made and the Cowboys matched, only to see a contract clause torpedo the deal — Gregory registered six sacks and 17 QB hits in 2021. He did so despite missing five games due to injury. Gregory, who missed extensive time due to a knee injury in 2022, also totaled six sacks in 2018. A suspension knocked him out of the ’19 season.

The fact that Gregory is still playing in the NFL reflects positively on his commitment, as he incurred four substance-abuse suspensions in the 2010s, and the NFL changing its policy toward a more lenient stance on recreational drugs. While he has moved past this chapter of his career, the former second-round pick will need to show he can remain healthy.

Gregory will join a Bucs edge-rushing crew now spearheaded by younger talent, with Barrett — a vital part of the team’s Super Bowl LV-winning season and a former NFL sack king — becoming a cap casualty earlier this year. Barrett signed with the Dolphins soon after. The Bucs still roster Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, 2023 draftee YaYa Diaby and sixth-year rotational cog Anthony Nelson. Diaby, who moved into the starting lineup midway through last season in place of Tryon-Shoyinka, led the 2023 Bucs with 7.5 sacks. It still seems like the Bucs may add another piece on the edge — perhaps in the draft — but they will give Gregory a shot.

NFC Contract Details: Bucs, Mayfield, Eagles, Sweat, Parker, Rams, Garoppolo, Saints

April 3rd, 2024 at 5:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the details from some of the recently agreed-upon contracts around the NFC:

  • Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers). Three years, $100MM. Of the $50MM in Mayfield guarantees, $40MM is fully guaranteed. The other $10MM will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2025 league year. Mayfield can also earn $5MM per year via incentives, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes. Half of those are stat-based incentives. If Mayfield finishes in the top 10 in the NFL (or top five in the NFC) in passer rating, TD passes, yards, yards per attempt or completion percentage in any of the three years, he would earn $500K per category, Auman adds. The other $2.5MM per year comes through playoff incentives. Mayfield would earn $500K for a Bucs wild-card win, $750K for a divisional-round conquest and $500K for an NFC championship game win. If the Bucs are to win a Super Bowl with Mayfield at the helm, he would collect another $750K.
  • Darious Williams, CB (Rams). Three years, $22.5MM. Only $7MM of Williams’ $15MM guarantee is locked in at signing, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. This contract’s key date will come on Day 5 of the 2025 league year, when the remaining $8MM will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee. Barring injury, this effectively makes 2024 a “prove it” year for the now-two-time Rams CB.
  • Josh Sweat, DE (Eagles). One year, $10MM. The Eagles’ Sweat rework will bring $9.5MM guaranteed for the veteran defensive end, per OverTheCap. Philly used four void years to spread out the cap hit, which sits at $8.1MM for 2024. If Sweat signs elsewhere before this contract’s March 2025 expiration, the Eagles will be tagged with $16.4MM in dead money.
  • Cedrick Wilson, WR (Saints). Two years, $5.75MM. The Saints are guaranteeing Wilson $2.85MM, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell notes. The second-generation NFL wideout will be due a $200K roster bonus in 2025; none of Wilson’s ’25 salary ($2.7MM) is guaranteed.
  • Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (Rams). One year, $3.18MM. Previously reported as including $4.5MM in base value, the Rams’ Garoppolo contract (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe) contains $3.18MM in base pay.
  • Ben Bredeson, G (Buccaneers). One year, $3MM. Bredeson’s Bucs pact includes $1.75MM guaranteed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets.
  • DeVante Parker, WR (Eagles). One year, $1.21MM. The Patriots are paying most of Parker’s deal, with $3.19MM guaranteed remaining on his 2023 extension. The Eagles are not guaranteeing the former first-rounder anything, Volin tweets. The Pats will receive a $1.98MM cap credit if Parker plays the whole 2024 season.

Draft Notes: Barton, ’30’ Visits, Wilson

April 1st, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 tackle class has drawn rave reviews in the lead-in to this month’s draft, but Graham Barton is among those expected to play on the inside upon entering the NFL. The Duke product has nevertheless helped his draft stock recently.

Barton was already gaining steam as a rising prospect before his Pro Day, as noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He battled injuries during the 2023 season and was forced to miss the Senior Bowl as a result, but the two-time All-American managed to take part in the Blue Devils’ Pro Day last week. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports Barton’s performance was highly impressive, and it secured his status as a Day 1 prospect.

Following up on the strong workout, Reid notes Barton could now work his way into the top 15 come draft night. Many NFL teams view the first-team All-ACC selection as a center, but he could also see time at guard at the pro level. Wherever he lines up as a rookie, Barton will face high expectations and no doubt draw the attention of many teams near the top of the order in need of reinforcements up front.

Here are some other draft-related notes from around the NFL:

  • Missouri’s Darius Robinson has also seen his stock rise in the wake of the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams are keeping an eye on him. The Steelers recently hosted him on a ’30’ visit, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He adds Robinson has 20 meetings with teams on the books, making him one of several potential first-rounders who will remain busy as the draft approaches. O-lineman Taliese Fuaga is among the prospects who also met with the Steelers, as noted by Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Staying in Pennsylvania, the Eagles hosted Laiatu Latu on a ’30’ visit, Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds reports. The UCLA product is one of the best edge rushers in the 2024 class, having earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023. His college resume includes a medical retirement, however, so there will be risk involved in selecting him. Philadelphia and all other prospective suitors will no doubt have a vested interest in Latu’s medical examinations. The Eagles traded Haason Reddick to the Jets, creating the need for a new investment along the edge.
  • The inside linebacker class is not believed to have a Day 1 prospect, but Edgerrin Cooper is among the top options teams will have to choose from. The Texas A&M product had a strong Pro Day showing, and he has a number of ’30’ visits lined up. Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the list of interested teams includes the Texans, Eagles, Cowboys, Panthers, Chargers and Buccaneers. Cooper was a consensus All-American in 2023 after racking up 84 tackles (including 17 for loss), eight sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
  • Pittsburgh, Dallas, Carolina and Tampa Bay are among the teams also set to host Western Kentucky wideout Malachi Corley, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes. Garafolo adds the Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also booked a visit with the small school standout. Corley is a member of a very deep receiver class, but his 180 catches, 2,279 yards and 22 touchdowns over the past two seasons along with a strong pre-draft process has put him firmly on the draft radar.
  • Marshawn Kneeland has also drawn considerable pre-draft attention. The Western Michigan defensive end has either already met with (or plans to visit) the Eagles along with the Chiefs, Saints, Jaguars, Jets, Vikings, Colts and Commanders, per Pauline. Kneeland spent four years with the MAC program, totaling 12.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss while establishing himself as a power rusher and strong run defender.
  • While a number of prospects have helped their stock recently, the opposite is of course true of others. Michigan receiver Roman Wilson appears to have fallen into the latter category, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. He notes Wilson is in danger of falling to the late second round or early in the third, something which could become increasingly possible if a run on the draft’s other pass-catchers takes place. Wilson averaged 16.4 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns on a run-heavy Wolverines offense last season, but his size (6-0, 180) and mediocre statistics from his three other campaigns could make him less appealing than other WR options.

NFC South Coaching Updates: Marrone, Cooley, Peelle

March 22nd, 2024 at 9:20pm CST by Ely Allen

New Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien is set to take yet another NFL coach onto his new staff. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, former Saints offensive line coach and former NFL head coach Doug Marrone is set to join O’Brien’s staff.

Marrone joins former Patriots tight ends coach Will Lawing at Boston College. Lawing left New England’s NFL team for his first offensive coordinator opportunity at the collegiate level. Both Lawing and Marrone worked under O’Brien at Alabama in 2021.

Bringing his experience as a head coach at Syracuse and for the Bills and Jaguars, Marrone will serve in the role of senior analyst for football strategy/research.

Here are a few other coaching updates from around the NFC South:

  • The Panthers have granted a promotion to secondary and cornerbacks coach Jonathan Cooley. After one year with the team, Cooley was part of a defensive staff under coordinator Ejiro Evero that was completely retained under new head coach Dave Canales. In his second season with the team, Carolina has made Cooley their defensive passing game coordinator, per Joe Person of The Athletic.
  • This week, the Buccaneers announced the hire of Justin Peelle as their new tight ends coach. Formerly the tight ends coach of the Falcons, Peelle was not retained after the firing of Arthur Smith and will cross the division to join Liam Coen‘s offensive staff in Tampa Bay. Peelle, a former NFL tight end himself, has had plenty of success during his coaching career, mentoring players like Zach Ertz in Philadelphia and Kyle Pitts in Atlanta. In Tampa Bay, he’ll inherit a position group that features Cade Otton.

Buccaneers Re-Sign LS Zach Triner

March 22nd, 2024 at 1:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers have a new special teams coordinator for 2024, but the team’s kicking operation will have continuity. The team announced on Friday that long snapper Zach Triner has re-signed on a one-year deal.

Triner has been in place with Tampa Bay since 2019, playing a full season all but once during his five-year tenure with the organization. He was limited to nine contests in 2021 due to a finger injury, but he has been healthy and consistent since then. Coming off a two-year, $2.35MM deal, Triner could have headed elsewhere in free agency, but instead he has elected to remain with the team he has seen his only NFL action with.

The former UDFA spent time with the Jets and Packers before joining the Bucs on a futures deal. He took over from Garrison Sanborn after the latter’s contract expired, leading to this successful ongoing tenure in Tampa Bay. Triner was a member of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl winning team and he has amassed 10 career special teams tackles (including three stops last season).

The 33-year-old will be working under special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey after he was hired to take the place of the retired Keith Armstrong. The former will have the same three players at the long snapper, punter and kicker positions to work with as the latter did in 2023, though. Triner, Jake Camarda and Chase McLaughlin are on the books for at least one more year; McLaughlin inked a three-year pact earlier this offseason after his succesful debut campaign in Tampa.

2023 saw the Buccaneers post an 18th-place finish in special teams DVOA. McGaughey will aim to guide the team to an improvement in that regard this season, and Triner will play a small role in that effort for a sixth season in his current home. Tampa Bay also has long snapper Evan Deckers on the books due to the futures contract he signed in January, but his path to playing time in Tampa Bay has been narrowed.

Load More Posts