The Daily Briefing Friday, January 28, 2022
AROUND THE NFLDaily BriefingAfter going 6-0 in the Super Wild Card Weekend, the DB was 1-3 in the more closely contested Divisionals (Cincinnati was our only hit). Still, at 7-3 with three games left, we are at least going to have a winning record.
We will go with the two home teams this week the Rams and Chiefs, even though we admit to rooting for both San Francisco and our hometown Bengals.
Bob Standig of The Athletic has three NFL scouts who offer insights and predictions:
There’s no way this weekend’s championship games can match the epic divisional-round contests, right? There’s only one way to find out.
The Athletic continued its series where three scouts provide analysis on who will win the upcoming games and why. All three were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor.
Bengals at Chiefs Earlier this season, opposing defenses finally, finally found a modicum of success against the NFL’s most consistently potent offense in recent years. Using a two-high shell look limited the opportunities for Kansas City’s playmakers to generate one chunk play after another.
Sure, the Chiefs still scored plenty — fourth during the regular season with 28.2 points per game — but they were taking the longer route to the end zone. They also made mistakes (25 turnovers) along the way.
That’s not nearly good enough now against quarterback Patrick Mahomes, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. The Chiefs scored 42 points in last week’s overtime win over Buffalo, the league’s top-ranked defense during the regular season. They are averaging 42 points and 515 yards per game in the postseason, with Hill and Kelce combining for 29 receptions, 411 yards, and four touchdowns.
What can the Bengals do?
“They’re gonna have to get creative,” Scout 1 said. “They have to know going into the game the Chiefs are going to get their production, but they can’t let the Tyreek Hill (64)-yard play happen. Make them earn every point on every drive and make them slowly work down the field.”
Sounds good. But how?
Scout 2 puts the game on whether Cincinnati’s defense can “generate turnovers or affect Mahomes. Can you flip the field a couple of times? Can you generate some negative plays?”
Cincinnati ranked middle of the pack in overall defense and in generating turnovers during the regular season, but 26th against the pass. However, the Bengals are plus-4 in turnover margin during the postseason. This is where edge rusher Trey Hendrickson enters the upset game plan.
Scout 1: “I would just say Trey Hendrickson’s gonna have to continue to be the guy that he’s been in the playoffs against (left tackle) Orlando Brown.”
The scouts collectively see Cincinnati having no issues moving the football and putting points on the board. That’s a combination of Kansas City’s defensive concerns and the Bengals’ rising star under center.
“I don’t have a lot of questions about Joe Burrow anymore,” Scout 2 said of the second-year QB who led Cincinnati to a 19-16 win over top-seeded Tennessee in the divisional round despite being sacked nine times. “He might be an offensive line away from that (Mahomes-Josh Allen) level.”
What Burrow lacks in postseason experience he makes up some with institutional knowledge against a suspect secondary. He passed for 446 yards and four touchdowns in Cincinnati’s 34-31 home win over Kansas City in Week 17 that ended the Chiefs’ eight-game winning streak.
“He’s gonna have to do what Josh Allen did last week (against Kansas City), but he’s gonna have to do a little bit more,” Scout 2 said of Burrow. “They’ll have to go blow for blow with (K.C. coach) Andy Reid, Mahomes, Kelce, Hill. If you think you have them, you don’t.”
What Cincinnati has is a stronger group of playmakers than Buffalo. Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis finished with four touchdown receptions and 201 yards against the Chiefs. The Bengals’ top three wideouts are better.
“(The Chiefs) were able to take away Stefon Diggs, but then Gabriel Davis happened,” Scout 2 said. “He’s a good player but by no means a household name, and he had a historical playoff performance. So now who are you taking away for Cincinnati? Ja’Marr Chase, OK. Well, the Gabe Davis for Cincinnati is Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.”
The Bengals’ offense will need to score early and often to keep up with the Chiefs. (Katie Stratman / USA Today) What really got Scout 2 excited for the Bengals is their ground game potential with Joe Mixon against a defense that allowed at least 191 rushing yards in two of their final four regular-season games.
“What if all of a sudden they can turn expectations on its head and control the football?” he asked. “Really give Kansas City a heavy dose of the run game. Buffalo didn’t have a premier back.”
At this point, if you’re a Chiefs fan, it’s possible you’re asking why so much of the focus here is on the underdogs. That’s why. The prevailing sentiment from coast to coast is Kansas City will be playing in its third consecutive Super Bowl.
Not that Kansas City can just show up and win, especially against a team that beat them a few weeks back. Scout 3 thinks wide receiver Mecole Hardman needs to step up if Cincinnati goes all-in on stopping Hill and Kelce. There’s also a letdown concern.
“Even though they’re a veteran team, and they’ve been in these spots before, that was a historical game that they just came off,” Scout 3 said. “Also, Cincinnati is coming in thinking we have nothing to lose.”
Ultimately, the Chiefs have the experience and the home-field advantage — 7-1 at Arrowhead over the last four postseasons. They also have Mahomes.
Scout 3: “The Bills were the slightly better team, but it just came down to K.C. at home, and in those moments, it’s about Pat Mahomes. It’s like knocking out (Tom) Brady in Foxboro, or Michael Jordan in the United Center. … At the end of the day, Kansas City’s been in those been in those moments.”
Scout 1: Chiefs Scout 2: Bengals Scout 3: Chiefs
49ers at Rams The NFC West rivals meet for the third time this season, and Los Angeles completes the hat trick as the betting favorite. The Rams better hope that’s where the similarities end.
San Francisco swept the season series, including a comeback 27-24 win in Week 18 to clinch a playoff berth. The 49ers have won six consecutive games over the Rams. The success this year has come with the underwhelming Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback and despite L.A.’s bevy of stars.
“San Francisco’s approach is kryptonite to how the Rams built their defense,” Scout 2 said. “They are going to try to take away one of your weapons with (cornerback Jalen) Ramsey. They’re gonna play two high safeties, and they’re gonna match coverage underneath. They’re not gonna give up big plays while rushing four and getting home. But the 49ers are able to muddy it up and force them to defend the run.”
Scout 1 raved about head coach Kyle Shanahan’s exquisite run-game designs and ability to “create angles,” a dynamic he sees thriving against the Rams’ unimpressive inside linebackers. Scout 2 concurred but added there’s also the idea of playing physical for 60 minutes.
“It’s why San Francisco is even in this situation: their ability to establish the run game and slow down L.A.’s pash rush and force them to be physical,” Scout 2 said. “None of (the Rams’ defensive linemen) want to do that. (Leonard) Floyd doesn’t want to do that. Von Miller doesn’t want to do that. Even (three-time Defensive Player of the Year) Aaron Donald doesn’t want to do that.”
Those battling Donald’s imposing interior presence probably disagree with that sentiment. Just a hunch. Scout 3 cited San Francisco’s ability to assign multiple blockers to the defensive tackle as crucial, which is why he chose the edge-rushing Miller as one to watch in a matchup against 49ers’ All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams.
“Williams is gonna probably be a little bit hobbled (with an ankle injury),” Scout 3 said. “Trent Williams is a stud. Von is going to have play at that level to make it really hard on the 49ers to drop back and throw consistently. But if Trent can take Von out of the game, it will help the 49ers give more attention to Donald.”
If Donald, Miller and Floyd shine, San Francisco’s chances for success decline dramatically. The same goes for the 49ers falling behind early. In both instances, that means pressure of all kinds coming for Garoppolo.
There’s a decent chance Webster’s dictionary includes a photo of Garoppolo next to the definition of “maligned.” Even though Jimmy G. has reached the NFC Championship Game twice in three years and advanced to the Super Bowl in 2019, the critics pounce — understandably.
“Jimmy G. has to take care of the football and convert third downs with his arm,” Scout 2 said. “I mean, look what the 49ers did on that crucial third-and-7 on the final drive against Green Bay. They handed it off to (wide receiver) Deebo Samuel. If that doesn’t tell you what they think of their quarterback, nothing does.”
San Francisco will try to hide Garoppolo or at least not force him into a leading role. In that 2019 NFC Championship Game, a 37-20 win over Green Bay, Garoppolo attempted only eight passes. He doesn’t have a single postseason game in five career tries with more touchdown passes than interceptions.
The 49ers offense generated only six points in Saturday’s 13-10 triumph over the Packers. Garoppolo has more big-game experience than Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, but lacks the consistency in big moments.
“(Garoppolo) can make some really nice throws especially to the middle of field,” Scout 2 said. “(The 49ers) scheme openings, but he still has to fit it in the windows between multiple defenders. He does that, he operates on time and he’s accurate. But he has these random miscues where he just makes a poor decision.”
San Francisco’s defense and special teams kicked Aaron Rodgers to the curb last week. Scout 3 believes it will take much more to stop the Sean McVay-coached offense that was “on the verge of blowing out” a strong Tampa Bay defense on Sunday. Four lost fumbles helped the Bucs rally from a 27-point hole before the Rams prevailed 30-27.
“They kind of let the (Bucs) back in it,” Scout 3 said. “I just think that the way the Rams have integrated (wide receiver) Odell Beckham into the offense to go with (Cooper Kupp), they’re kind of rolling in the passing game right now. And I think if there’s one weakness to San Francisco, it’s probably their back-end coverage.”
Scout 1 thinks running back Cam Akers must bounce back after a case of the fumbles against Tampa Bay, while Scout 2 believes the L.A. edge is with Stafford and an “explosive” offense that needs to turn the game against the ball-control 49ers into an up-tempo affair.
“That’s what we’ve said two weeks in a row (against the 49ers), and it hasn’t happened,” Scout 1 concluded.
Reminder: The scouts have unanimously picked against the 49ers in each game. Can they keep the upset trend going?
Scout 1: Rams Scout 2: Rams Scout 3: Rams
NFC NORTH
CHICAGO A month ago, the head coach of the Bears was Matt HardToPronounceLastName and GM Ryan StartsWithPandOneSyllable. Nothing has changed. ESPN.com:
The Chicago Bears have hired Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus as their head coach, the team announced Thursday night.
Eberflus, 51, also was considered a candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ head-coaching vacancy. He will join new general manager Ryan Poles in taking over a Bears team that went 6-11 in 2021 under Matt Nagy and has missed the playoffs in nine of the past 11 seasons.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have Matt become the next head coach of the Chicago Bears,” said Poles, whom the Bears hired Tuesday. “His experience, passion, character and attention to detail made him the right man for both the job and the culture we intend to establish here at Halas Hall. Throughout the search, Matt impressed me when detailing his vision and plan for our team. We look forward to getting to work and assembling a top-notch staff and roster that will help us consistently compete for championships.”
Chicago also interviewed Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell for the job.
Eberflus has spent the past four seasons as the Colts’ defensive coordinator under coach Frank Reich. His defenses finished in the top 10 in scoring three times, including being tied for ninth in 2021 at 21.5 points per game.
Eberflus inherits a Bears team that ranked sixth in the NFL in total defense in 2021 but struggled offensively and endured instability at quarterback, where Andy Dalton alternated as the starter with rookie Justin Fields.
The first big question for Eberflus in Chicago will be selecting an offensive coordinator, because a big part of the job for the new coach and GM will be solidifying the quarterback position that has haunted the founding NFL franchise for decades.
The Bears do not have a first-round draft pick in 2022 because they traded that selection to the New York Giants to select Fields, who showed flashes of potential as a passer and as a runner but finished with just seven touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. Chicago went 2-8 in the 10 games Fields started this past season.
The Bears made two postseason appearances in their four years under Nagy but last won a playoff game in 2010. They are 1-3 in the postseason since appearing in Super Bowl XLI after the 2006 season, a game the Colts won.
“I would like to thank Ryan and the McCaskey family for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead the Chicago Bears, one of the most storied franchises in all of sports in one of the greatest cities in the world,” Eberflus said. “I am truly humbled and honored to be named your head coach and together we will do everything in our power to bring a Super Bowl championship back to Chicago.”
Eberflus, a former linebacker at the University of Toledo who began his coaching career at his alma mater and hometown school, also interviewed for head-coaching jobs last year after his third season with Indianapolis, where he developed a reputation for demanding relentless effort out of his players.
Eberflus’ high standards included counting “loafs” — a term former Bears coach Lovie Smith also used in his Tampa 2 defense. Eberflus refined his style and terminology during a seven-year stint in Dallas, where he worked with Rod Marinelli, who, like Smith, came from the coaching tree of Hall of Famer Tony Dungy.
Now Eberflus is the second coordinator to leave Indianapolis in two seasons.
Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles filled their head-coaching vacancy with Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni, who took a handful of Colts assistants with him.
Eberflus is expected to bring Colts linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi with him to Chicago, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
When Eberflus began his coaching career at Toledo in 1992, he spent nine years with the Rockets as a student assistant, grad assistant, outside linebackers and defensive backs coach. He spent the next eight seasons as Missouri’s defensive coordinator (2001-08) before making the jump to the NFL, where he coached linebackers in Cleveland (2009-10) and Dallas (2011-17) before joining the Colts ahead of the 2018 season.
In Eberflus’ first season in Indianapolis, the Colts improved from 30th to 10th in scoring defense, from 30th to 11th in total defense and from 26th to eighth in rush defense.
Who will fill that critical OC position? Alyssa Barbieri of BearsWire put together a list:
Here’s a look at some candidates for Chicago’s new offensive coordinator that could help develop quarterback Justin Fields and get the offense on track.
1 Mike Kafka (Chiefs QB coach/passing game coordinator) Kafka is a name that jumps out immediately given the Kansas City connection between him and new Bears GM Ryan Poles. He’s also from Chicago and graduated from Northwestern. But it’s about more than just the connections — it’s experience with Kafka, who’s been with the Chiefs since 2017. Kafka has been part of the development of superstar Patrick Mahomes, and he’s someone who could help get the most out of Fields. Kakfa has never been an offensive coordinator or a play caller, but he’s ready to be.
2 Mike McDaniel (49ers offensive coordinator) There’s a report that Eberflus will be targeting the Shanahan tree for his offensive coordinator, which makes McDaniel a prime candidate for the Bears OC job. Granted, he’s already an OC, but he doesn’t have play-calling responsibilities in San Francisco — that’s Kyle Shanahan. This would be the next step up for a rising star in the league like McDaniel, where he would have a chance to work with an exciting, young QB in Fields. McDaniel should in strong consideration for offensive coordinator — if he doesn’t land the head coach gig with the Dolphins.
3 Kevin O’Connell (Rams offensive coordinator) Another name from the Shanahan/Sean McVay tree is O’Connell, who is someone garnering attention as a head coach candidate this cycle. If O’Connell doesn’t land a head coach gig, there’s a chance McVay could let O’Connell go elsewhere. That would give him the chance to call plays and run the offense, which is something he doesn’t get to do under McVay in Los Angeles. O’Connell would be an amazing get for the Bears, who are looking to develop a franchise quarterback in Fields and find life on offense.
4 Pep Hamilton (Texans QB coach/passing game coordinator) This wouldn’t be the first time Hamilton worked for the Bears after serving as quarterbacks coach from 2007-09, but Fields is also the best QB prospect Chicago has had maybe ever. Hamilton would be an amazing hire for the Bears given his work with quarterbacks, starting with Andrew Luck in Indianapolis right on down to Davis Mills in Houston this past season. Hamilton also worked with Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during his rookie season, and the results speak for themselves.
5 Joe Brady (Former Panthers offensive coordinator) Brady is expected to be an attractive offensive candidate for new head coaches, and it’s easy to see why. He was the passing game coordinator during Joe Burrow’s sensational 2019 season. Brad, who served as the Panthers offensive coordinator, was fired in early December due to the offense’s struggles. But many believed he was the scapegoat, and Brady will likely get another opportunity. It’s interesting to note Brady shares agent Trace Armstrong with Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles.
6 Kevin Patullo (Eagles passing game coordinator) One name that’s already been mentioned directly as a potential offensive coordinator for the Bears is Patullo, who served as the Eagles passing game coordinator last season. According to Ian Rapoport, Patullo is someone Eberflus could look to as his offensive coordinator, where developing Fields is going to be key. Patullo worked with Eberflus in Indianapolis from 2018-20, so there’s an obvious connection.
7 Jim Caldwell (Former Lions, Colts head coach) Caldwell was among the finalists for the Bears head coach job, and a big part of that was his vision for the offense. According to Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog, Caldwell impressed with his detailed plan for Fields during his interview for the head coach job. So it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Eberflus to consider reaching out to Caldwell to run his offense, where the hope is he’ll get the most out of Fields.
8 Ken Dorsey (Bills QB coach) Assuming Brian Daboll doesn’t get a head coach job this cycle — he’s a finalist with the Giants and Dolphins — that would open up the chance to lure Dorsey from Buffalo to Chicago. If Daboll does depart, Josh Allen made it clear he wants Dorsey as the next offensive coordinator. But if Daboll stays, it would be hard to say no to the chance to run his own offense and call plays with a team like the Bears. Not to mention, there’s an exciting, young quarterback in Fields, who has a similar skillset to Allen.
More from Sam Robinson of ProFootballRumors.com:
Despite the Bears tabbing a Chiefs executive for their general manager role and a Colts assistant to be their head coach, multiple Eagles staffers have emerged for top lieutenant roles.
Eagles passing-game coordinator Kevin Patullo has surfaced as a key target in the Bears’ offensive coordinator search, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. While other candidates will come up, Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan notes Patullo is indeed on the Bears’ radar (Twitter link).
Patullo has worked with Eberflus previously, being part of Frank Reich‘s staff from 2018-20. Patullo, 40, left to join Nick Sirianni‘s Eagles staff last year. He has yet to be a coordinator at any level but has been in the NFL since 2007, excepting a one-season stay at Texas A&M. The Bears going with a defensive-minded coach obviously elevates the profile for their next OC hire, with that person being positioned to call plays for a Justin Fields-led offense next season.
The Bears are also targeting Eagles director of player personnel Ian Cunningham to join Ryan Poles‘ front office in a high-ranking role, per Caplan and InsidetheBirds.com’s Geoff Mosher (on Twitter). A Ravens staffer for nine years, Cunningham joined Philly’s staff in 2017 and has climbed the ranks to become a top Howie Roseman lieutenant. Poles and Cunningham are close, according to Mosher. The Jets attempted to hire Cunningham in multiple offseasons, but he ended up staying with the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if Poles can lure him to Chicago.
Eberflus is also likely to bring Colts linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi to Chicago with him, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). A former Cowboys and Buccaneers assistant, Borgonzi has coached the Colts’ linebackers since 2018.
MINNESOTA The Vikings are giving a head coaching interview to Giants DC Patrick Graham – and they don’t need to to satisfy the Rooney Rule. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Vikings hired a new General Manager this week and one of their first orders of business after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s arrival was to set up a head coaching interview.
According to multiple reports, the Vikings are set to interview Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for their vacancy on Saturday.
Graham has interviewed for the opening with his current team as well, although it looks like they’ll be going in another direction when it comes time to make a hire. The Steelers have also shown interest in talking to him about their defensive coordinator opening, which would likely take a backseat to any head coaching aspirations.
Graham spent the last two seasons with the Giants after spending the 2019 season in the coordinator role under Brian Flores in Miami.
The Vikings have also interviewed Todd Bowles, Jonathan Gannon, Nathaniel Hackett, Kellen Moore, Raheem Morris, Kevin O’Connell, Dan Quinn, and DeMeco Ryans. Hackett is now the Broncos head coach and Quinn is remaining the Cowboys defensive coordinator.
NFC EAST
DALLAS It took nearly two weeks, but Jerry Jones now says he never thought about disposing of Mike McCarthy. Chase Goodbread of NFL.com:
Mike McCarthy will be back as coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, and according to club owner Jerry Jones, that’s been the plan all along.
Jones told the Dallas Morning News that McCarthy’s status was never in question, noting that the two have been working to make sure defensive coordinator Dan Quinn would stay put, as well. Quinn withdrew his name from consideration for coaching jobs with the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings, and according to the News’ David Moore, he’s received a multi-year contract extension.
It marks quite a turnaround in tone from Jones, whose frustration with McCarthy and his staff was evident in the wake of the team’s disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs. The NFC East champions lost at home to the San Francisco 49ers, 23-17. On the last play of the game, the clock expired on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott as he tried to get off a spike to stop the clock after a designed run with no timeouts left.
The game ended with Dallas on the San Francisco 24-yard line, and while the Cowboys’ loss was more attributable to a playoff-record-tying 14 penalties than the end-of-game chaos, it nevertheless wasn’t a good look for McCarthy, who was already quite familiar with clock-management criticism.
“I’ve got a lot to think about regarding these coaches,” Jones said just a week ago.
Jones was also critical of McCarthy’s staff in regard to the Cowboys’ penalty woes against the 49ers, but insisted Friday he wasn’t considering a change.
“I want to clear up the idea that Mike McCarthy was twisting in the wind,” Jones said on 103.5 The Fan radio. “That wasn’t the case at all.”
Jones said he never gave consideration to replacing McCarthy with Sean Payton, who stepped down as the New Orleans Saints coach this week.
“I understand the speculation. Sean is an outstanding coach. But I haven’t talked to him and am not in any way part of his departure there in New Orleans,” Jones said, per Moore. “He didn’t have any place in anything I’m doing regarding our staff.”
As for Quinn, Jones indicated that keeping the defensive coordinator in Dallas was a high priority.
“My goal was to keep the continuity of this group together. We met many times face to face (with) Dan, myself and Mike, to coordinate and talk to him,” Jones said, per Moore. “We were very much in a competitive environment because we felt Dan did have the opportunity to be a (head coach).”
McCarthy, who led the Cowboys to a 12-5 regular season record, will enter his third season as Cowboys coach this fall. The expectations that come with coaching Jones’ Cowboys aren’t going anywhere, and for now, neither is McCarthy.
NFC SOUTH
ATLANTA Presuming his mental health has improved, WR CALVIN RIDLEY is said to have a location where he can be content. Heavy.com:
Week after week, it is looking more likely that wide receiver Calvin Ridley will not be returning to the Atlanta Falcons next season.
And things just got a bit more surreal when Ridley favorited a tweet that may or may not have hinted at where he prefers to land if––in fact––he does get traded.
The tweet read, “I really hope the Miami Dolphins get Calvin Ridley.”
Of course, it could have meant nothing or it was simply an “accident,” but Ridley was not quick enough to unfavorite it after fans took notice and screenshotted it.
It’s also notable to add that Ridley wanting to play for the Dolphins would not come as a big surprise considering he is from Florida.
Broward County in South Florida to be precise, not Tampa or Orlando or Pensacola (which is 674 miles from Miami). Dallas, Little Rock, Louisville and Charlotte are among the places closer to Pensacola. In fact, we count seven NFL teams closer to Pensacola than the Dolphins (Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte, Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville).
CAROLINA The Panthers have inked former Giants head man Ben McAdoo as their new OC. Despite reasons for not liking him, former NYG QB Eli Manning provides an endorsement.
Five games remained in the 2017 season when then-New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo benched two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning in favor of Geno Smith as losses mounted for a team with championship aspirations.
The decision to end a streak of 210 consecutive starts, at the time the second-longest in NFL history for a quarterback (behind Brett Favre) was described as shocking and awkward, since Manning wasn’t considered the problem. Fan reaction was strong.
There were reports the well-known Manning family was highly upset. Archie Manning told the “New York Daily News” his son was “heartbroken.’’
Then the day after Manning watched from the sideline as the Giants fell to 2-10, with fan backlash growing to massive proportions, McAdoo was fired.
As hard as that time was for Manning, he never complained or spoke poorly of McAdoo. And arguably nobody is more supportive than Manning of the Carolina Panthers hiring of the 44-year-old to be their offensive coordinator.
“It’s a good hire,’’ Manning told ESPN.com. “It’ll be good for Sam [Darnold], or whoever the quarterback is, if they go in and buy in and match the commitment that I know Coach Mac will bring.
“We weren’t playing well [when he benched me], so tough decisions had to be made. We’ve talked through that process. There’s no hard feelings from my end over everything that happened.’’
If anything, there is admiration.
“I know he had a tough decision to make, but it’s a mutual respect over four years together,’’ said Manning, referring to McAdoo spending two years as the Giants’ offensive coordinator (2014-15) before being elevated to head coach for two years.
The strong personality that enabled McAdoo to bench Manning is one reason Carolina coach Matt Rhule didn’t hire him two years ago when he was looking for somebody to work with first-time offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who also has a strong personality.
With Brady gone, fired with five games remaining in the 2021 season, that personality now is considered a good fit for an offense needing to overhaul the line and make tough decisions at the quarterback position. The Panthers have had three starters — Teddy Bridgewater, Darnold and Cam Newton – not meet expectations since Rhule was hired in 2020.
What that position will look like moving forward remains to be seen. Darnold is under contract through 2022. The Panthers also are expected to consider at potential trade for a starter, such as the Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson or the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson.
Free agency and the draft also are options, although the quarterback class in both isn’t considered strong.
But at least McAdoo gives the Panthers a coordinator with a solid track record with quarterbacks, from Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers to Manning with the Giants.
“He’s got a good offensive mind, he’s got a good system,’’ Manning said. “He does a good job of teaching the system to the quarterback to where he gives the quarterback some control.
“And he doesn’t second guess the quarterback once he gives you the tools to get into his system. It’s very quarterback-friendly.’’
In many ways, McAdoo helped Manning re-invent himself 11 years into his career. Manning was coming off a 2013 season in which he threw a career-high 27 interceptions to only 18 touchdowns and completed only 57.5% of his passes. The offense ranked 28th in scoring.
After an intense offseason of working on his footwork and getting rid of the ball quicker, he threw 30 touchdowns to 14 interceptions and completed 63.2% of his passes. He followed that with a career-high 35 touchdowns to 14 picks in 2015.
The offense improved to 13th in scoring in 2014 to sixth in 2015.
The next year, after McAdoo was promoted to head coach to replace Tom Coughlin, Manning led the Giants to an 11-5 record with 26 touchdown passes to 16 interceptions.
“Just a lot of footwork stuff, mechanic stuff in the drop,’’ Manning said of how McAdoo improved his performance. “Or how do I put my feet up to get a shotgun snap. It’s all about getting in rhythm with the offense and certain throws with the drop. Hit that third step and the ball’s coming out.
“It’s all based on timing and keeping the quarterback in rhythm and being able to listen to your feet to tell you when to get on to the next progression.’’
Manning improved in many of the areas that have kept Darnold from achieving expectations after the Jets made him the third pick of the 2018 draft.
“It’s just having a plan and just kind of knowing what you have, what you don’t have,’’ Manning said. “[Darnold’s] been in different offenses and had a lot thrown at him.
“With Coach Mac you just have to have a great feel for where the balls go based off what you see and leverage you might see from the defensive back, and also listen to your feet for the timing.’’
McAdoo might not be the “rock star’’ coordinator that some in the media reported Rhule had to make, but Manning considers him solid.
“He’s hard working,’’ Manning said. “He’s committed. He loves football, loves growing the offense and getting concepts that work but making it his system and making fits within his system.
“He’ll dive right in and gain the respect of the offensive players and the quarterback.’’
Knowing Rhule from his 2012 season as an offensive line assistant with the Giants, Manning believes McAdoo’s personality will mesh well.
“People that are passionate and work hard … usually have a respect for each other, and it works well,’’ he said.
McAdoo has not been made available for interviews since he agreed to terms earlier this week. But based on past stories, he never wavered on his decision to bench Manning.
“Right or wrong, I am at peace with how I handled the decision to play quarterbacks other than Eli Manning down the stretch,’’ McAdoo told Sports Illustrated in 2018. “I was not ending Eli’s career with the Giants; I was making sure we knew what we had behind him with a high draft choice prior to a big quarterback draft.’’
Manning actually went on to start the final four games in 2017 and all 16 games in 2018 before retiring after the 2019 season, when first-round pick Daniel Jones took over as the starter.
He kept in touch with McAdoo the past two seasons when McAdoo was the offensive coordinator with the Jaguars (2020) and a consultant with the Dallas Cowboys (2021).
“We had some good offensive years when he first came in,’’ Manning said. “I felt I was playing some great football during that time. Obviously, things didn’t go well [in 2017], but I have a great relationship with him.’’
NEW ORLEANS The first two names for the Saints gig include one said to be on the cusp in JAX. Amie Just of NoLa.com:
The New Orleans Saints have requested to interview two head coaching candidates to fill the opening left by Sean Payton, according to reports, and both of them know New Orleans well.
The two candidates from outside the organization they’ve requested to interview as of Thursday are Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, according to reports from ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
Glenn was the Saints’ defensive backs coach from 2016-20 before then-Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell was hired to lead the Lions. Glenn spent one season with New Orleans as a player in 2008. His name already has popped up during this coaching carousel, as he previously interviewed for Denver’s head coaching position.
Leftwich has been with the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator since 2019, coaching against the Saints for the last three seasons as division rivals. Under Leftwich’s direction with Tom Brady in the fold, Tampa Bay’s offense has been near the top of the rankings. The Bucs were No. 2 in total offense in 2021 and No. 7 in 2020.
The Saints, in searching for their new head coach, must interview at least two minority candidates to adhere to the NFL’s Rooney Rule. Both Glenn and Leftwich are Black. To fulfill Rooney Rule obligations, the Saints must must hold one in-person interview with at least one external minority candidate.
In-house coaching candidates — such as defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen — can be interviewed at any time.
If the Saints want to interview someone who is coaching for a team still alive in the playoffs — such as New Orleans native and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, for example — that interview would have to be granted the week after conference championships are played and before teams travel to the Super Bowl.
NFC WEST
SAN FRANCISCO An often under-rated former 49ers QB with the initials J.G. stepped up to defend the current J.G. who helms the 49ers – and walked into a storm. Andrew Bucholtz of Awful Announcing:
It’s been a banner week for the revival of the decades-old take that those who haven’t played a sport professionally shouldn’t evaluate it, with Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Marcus Stroman first bringing that up and former NFL and CFL quarterback Jeff Garcia now following suit. Following the San Francisco 49ers’ 13-10 playoff win over the Green Bay Packers Sunday, there was plenty of talk from many media members about how 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo didn’t have a great game despite the win (he finished with 11 completions on 19 attempts for 131 yards with no touchdowns and an interception), but Garcia took particular exception only to those remarks from ESPN senior NFL analyst Mina Kimes, saying in a since-deleted Instagram post that she couldn’t criticize Garoppolo because she didn’t play in the NFL. Some quotes from that, via Ryan Glasspiegel of The New York Post:
“Who the hell is Mina Kimes and when is the last time she threw a touchdown pass in a game?” Garcia asked. “Never! Ever! has she taken a snap or can truly understand the ability, the mindset, the physical and mental toughness, that it takes to play the QB position or any position in the NFL.”
It’s funny that this is the kind of thing thrown out there when it’s Kimes talking, but that we rarely hear this specific line of argument from former players when the criticisms are coming from the likes of Stephen A. Smith or Skip Bayless. (Although, Bayless has claimed he was a high school basketball star.) It sure seems like there are a lot of people more willing to argue “haven’t played the game” when it comes to female media members than to male media members who weren’t notable athletes. And that’s unfortunate for the female media members who wind up taking this flak, but it also illustrates how poorly thought out this line of argument is. Many of the people arguing “haven’t played the game” praise takes from those who haven’t played the game, but then still throw this out when it comes to criticizing a different person they disagree with.
The stranger part of this argument still, though, is that there are all kinds of people without NFL playing backgrounds involved in evaluating the NFL. And that’s not just about the media; many of them are NFL general managers and other personnel executives. That’s illustrated in a nice dive that Hayden Winks did into NFL GMs’ backgrounds at NBC Sports Edge in April 2020. Some of the specific numbers will have changed since then with NFL front office turnover, but the larger point remains.
Approximately 80% of the current NFL general managers played at least some college football, but that does not mean they were stud players. In fact, only a handful of them played football at a Division I university, and only the 49ers’ John Lynch and the Broncos’ John Elway had serious NFL careers. This is more evidence that playing football at the highest level in the world and evaluating talent are two completely different skill sets. It’s definitely possible to climb the front office ladder as a non-athlete. In fact, it’s probable that we see more and more non-college athletes in GM positions over the next decade, especially if owners continue to put more eggs into the analytics basket.
So, that’s 20 percent of NFL GMs at that time who didn’t play college football at any level (and some of those who did play were at levels including Division III and the NAIA), and only 6.25 percent (Elway and Lynch, two out of 32) who were actually NFL stars for any length of time. Also, with Garcia’s qualification of “throwing a touchdown pass in a game,” that would even eliminate Lynch, a safety. But it’s long been clear that managing a professional sports franchise’s roster, or coaching a pro sports team, comes with a different skillset than just being a star player; many of the most successful coaches and general managers across sports have had limited to no playing experience, and some of the stars who have tried coaching or running teams have not done well.
And the same holds true for media roles. There’s likely a higher percentage of former NFL players there than in front offices, especially when it comes to TV roles at places like ESPN (the vast majority of ESPN’s NFL analysts are former players). But that doesn’t mean the people without that playing past are somehow less capable of analyzing the game; there are good and bad analysts with high-level playing backgrounds, and good and bad analysts without those backgrounds. Breaking down a sport on TV comes with a much different skillset than playing it; just ask Jason Witten. And Kimes has a whole lot of experience breaking down the NFL, as that’s been a large part of her ESPN role since she joined that company in 2014.
And it’s notable that for all of his discussion of experience being necessary to criticize, Garcia (a former 49er himself from 1999-2003; he’s seen above in that final year) is doing the same thing. Yes, he had a notable career as a quarterback in the NFL and CFL, and he’s done a little coaching since and a lot of work developing individual passers, but he certainly doesn’t have much high-level broadcasting experience (at the least, none is listed on his Wikipedia page). But that hasn’t stopped him from weighing in on how Kimes should be doing her job on ESPN.
Part of what’s silly about all this is that this could have been a fair dispute if Garcia had stuck to substance rather than personal attacks based on background. Kimes’ initial comments on Garoppolo were opinion; they were supported by stats, such as his poor QBR and passing numbers, but they’re still opinion. If Garcia has some particular argument as to why Garoppolo’s game was better than it looked, that would be interesting to hear, and that argument could be made without going after Kimes for not playing in the NFL. (But even there, it wouldn’t be great for Garcia to single out Kimes over a narrative around Garoppolo that’s quite in line with what much of the world has been saying about him; a better argument would be “There’s been this media criticism of Garoppolo, but I think he did well Sunday for reasons X, Y, and Z.”)
But Garcia instead made it personal, and said that playing experience is necessary for media critics. That’s a flawed and antiquated notion. And the lack of NFL playing experience amongst the GMs actually making the decisions on who’s on a roster indicates how out of date it is.
Bobby Burack of Outkick.com notes that a horde of media types rushed to Kimes defense:
Twitter is mad.
This time, former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia is the target of the wrath. Garcia committed a grave mortal sin when he criticized ESPN analyst Mina Kimes on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Kimes belittled Jimmy Garoppolo’s contribution to the 49ers, who advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three years. According to Kimes, the 49ers are winning despite Garoppolo, not because of him.
“Garoppolo is the definition of being part of a group project that gets an A, while doing none of the work,” Kimes said on Tuesday’s First Take.
An Instagram account called OurSF49ers shared this quip, which caught Garcia’s attention. Garcia then fired back in the comment section:
“Who the hell is Mina Kimes and when is the last time she threw a touchdown pass in a game? NEVER! EVER! has she taken a snap or can truly understand the ability, the mindset, the physical and mental toughness, that it takes to play the QB position or any position in the NFL.
The fact that there are people out there given a platform to talk about something that they have never done is hilarious and that’s how you have to look at her, she’s a joke! So let’s just laugh at her and support Jimmy, root on our Niners to go out and beat the living fuck out of one more team. That’s what it takes. She will never know that feeling. Can I get an AMEN? Peace.”
Because sports media members do not allow anyone to criticize Kimes, her colleagues and other bloggers immediately rushed to her defense, accusing Garcia of — wait for it — sexism.
“Garcia sounded off on Kimes’ ‘group project’ comment by calling her out for essentially being a woman and never playing football at a competitive level,” Heavy writes.
No, he didn’t call her out for essentially being a woman.
Garcia’s comments are not sexist. Garcia believes that people who have never played football at a high level should not opine about those who have. That doesn’t mean women. It means all people who haven’t played professional football.
And therein lies the issue. Most NFL analysts, especially at ESPN, have played professional football. In fact, Kimes is the only person at ESPN, man or woman, who has never played professional football yet has the title of NFL analyst. Dan Orlovsky, Marcus Spears, Keyshawn Johnson and Ryan Clark all played in the NFL at one time or another.
Kimes has not. So it’s natural that former players might question her credentials. If ESPN allowed Matt Barrie — who also has never played high-level football — to break down game film, they would question his credentials too.
Now, that doesn’t mean Garcia is correct that analysts without a football background shouldn’t have an opinion about the game or a player. In fact, I strongly disagree with him. Just because someone hasn’t thrown a pass in the NFL doesn’t mean he or she can’t discuss a game in an informed and insightful manner.
For proof, look no further than Garoppolo’s team, the 49ers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan may be the brightest offensive mind in all of professional football, but he never played in the NFL. Moreover, Kimes’ point is fair. Garoppolo has been below average this postseason.
And yet, it seems that by hiring only former players to be NFL analysts — with the exception of Kimes — ESPN agrees with Garcia, that former players are the best talents to analyze the game.
Which raises a key question: does ESPN believe that Kimes is so exceptionally qualified that it hired her as an NFL analyst, despite the fact that she has never played? Or does the network merely like the positive press it receives for having elevated a woman to talk football as an analyst?
My guess is that the answers to those questions matter to the suits at ESPN and blue-check sports media, but not Garcia. Jeff Garcia is likely more concerned with defending his fellow NFL brethren than in deconstructing the hiring decisions at a sports network.
To the chagrin of the Twitter mob and Kimes’ co-workers, not every negative comment is rooted in sexism or racism. Nor should Kimes be immune to criticism. ESPN awarded Mina Kimes a significant platform at its network, a platform no other journalist there has. That kind of platform comes under scrutiny, both fair and unfair. Kimes is a high-profile sports analyst and good at her job. She is not a victim of sexism, as even she tries to claim.
However, it is sexist that Mina Kimes’ sports media colleagues don’t think she can handle criticism from football players. Think about that.
As to the basic Kimes criticism – Garoppolo has clearly done some of the work, indeed much of the work. Now his work may only be of a B- level, and the Niners still can claim a team A for advancing twice.
AFC NORTH
PITTSBURGH It’s not a surprise, but the Steelers confirm that longtime GM Kevin Colbert will retire after this year’s draft. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:
Longtime Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert will step down after the 2022 NFL draft in April, team owner Art Rooney II said Friday.
“We have left the door open, Kevin and I, to possibly have him fill an ongoing role after the draft,” Rooney said. “We will be conducting a search for a new GM starting immediately. Probably won’t make a hire until after the draft. We will be interviewing people. We’ve already interviewed two of our in-house candidates: Omar Khan and Brandon Hunt.”
Colbert’s imminent departure will leave coach Mike Tomlin as the lone standing member of the longtime nucleus of the Steelers. Tomlin signed a three-year extension with the team last year, and Rooney said Friday that Tomlin’s role will not expand or change under a new general manager.
“I don’t expect to make dramatic changes in terms of those responsibilities, coach versus GM,” Rooney II said. “I think it’s worked well, and we’re not really trying to make a big change there.”
Rooney said Colbert will hold his “normal role” through the draft and, because of that, that it’s not critical for the Steelers to have their next general manager on board before the draft.
Colbert is going on with business as usual in draft preparation, Tomlin said last week.
“My plan and our plan is to proceed in the short term like we always do,” Tomlin said. “He’s already bringing me up to speed with draft availability and value in that space and planning about how we’re going to move. … We have big-time continuity and understanding within our relationship, and it’s been great. It needs to be great as we get into this offseason work.”
Colbert has worked on year-to-year deals since the end of the 2019 season and often maintained he would be around as long as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger announced his retirement after 18 seasons on Thursday.
Like Tomlin, Rooney said the organization is looking at all options to replace Roethlisberger, including in-house candidates Dwayne Haskins and Mason Rudolph. Even with the change at general manager, Rooney doesn’t anticipate being more involved in the quarterback search than in previous player searches and evaluations.
“You have to take advantage of whatever opportunity you have to get the best quarterback you can find,” Rooney said. “And you don’t always have the luxury of saying, ‘I want A, B and C and go to the grocery store and order a quarterback.’ We’ll evaluate all the options we have.
“Certainly, mobile quarterbacks are the wave of the future, and having mobility at that position is something that would be desirable. The other thing that’s desirable is somebody that can read a defense and complete a pass downfield. There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle that you have to put together, and you don’t always get someone that meets every criteria you might want. You just have to get the best player, plug them in, put the best players around them and try to put everybody in position to be successful.”
AFC SOUTH
HOUSTON Journeyman QB JOSH McCOWN is closing in on the head coaching job in Houston. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Texans are serious about hiring the completely inexperienced Josh McCown as their head coach.
McCown is getting his second interview with the Texans today, according to NFL Network.
It is believed that McCown is the only candidate to get a second interview. That’s usually a good sign that he’s viewed as the top candidate by the team’s decision-makers, including owner Cal McNair, executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby and General Manager Nick Caserio.
McCown had a long career as an NFL quarterback, mostly as a backup, and has never coached other than some volunteer work at the high school level. He would be the least experienced head coach hired in the NFL in many decades if the Texans hire him.
JACKSONVILLE The story is that when the Jaguars offered Byron Leftwich their coaching job, he said fine but Trent Baalke must go. And I have a guy for you. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:
Well, this is interesting.
Long-time Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki reports that Cardinals executive Adrian Wilson will become the next General Manager of the Jaguars. This necessarily means that current G.M. Trent Baalke won’t be.
Jurecki adds that Byron Leftwich will become the head coach of the Jaguars.
A league source tells PFT that Leftwich basically gave the Jaguars an ultimatum: It’s me or Trent.
It’s a stunning move, but it underscores the concerns many had about owner Shad Khan’s decision to keep Baalke around. As one league source explains it to PFT, multiple candidates refused to even interview for the Jacksonville job if Baalke was going to remain in place as the General Manager.
If this ultimately happens, it at least shows that Khan has the flexibility to admit a mistake and pivot away from it. Still, the far better approach is to not make mistakes.
Dysfunctional teams indeed do dysfunctional things. Whether recognizing that a dysfunctional thing was done and undoing it constitutes proof that the broader dysfunction is disappearing remains to be seen.
AFC EAST
MIAMI The Dolphins are having a second interview with 49ers QB Coach Mike McDaniel, who it turns out satisfies the Rooney Rule. First, Kyle Posey of Niners Nation:
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted that 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was one of three candidates expected to receive a second interview as the Miami Dolphins narrow their search for a head coach after parting ways with Brian Flores after the regular season.
ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe said the Dolphins expect to keep its defensive staff intact. Aside from McDaniel, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll were the other finalists.
The Dolphins featured one of the worst running games in the NFL. Daboll is a wizard, but if I’m giving my offense an extreme makeover and want to protect my quarterback, I’m rolling with the guy that’s been Kyle Shanahan’s right-hand man for over a decade.
Sean Beckwith of Deadspin didn’t get the memo that McDaniel is bi-racial. Kipp Jones ofMediate.com:
An embarrassing oversight led Deadspin to correct a hit piece against San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel this week.
The outlet’s Sean Beckwith wrote an article published Saturday in which he campaigned for NFL teams with head coaching vacancies to hire minority candidates.
“Be careful what you tweet for, people of the online realm,” he wrote. “Mike McDaniel, the San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator who has gone viral for his ‘adorable’ news conferences featuring references to Mike Jones and engaging answers, is ticking off all the boxes to be the next trendy, young, white guy who takes a head coaching position before one of the many deserving Black candidates.”
There’s only one problem with Beckwith’s characterization of McDaniel as a “trendy, young, white guy” who might get a position over a “deserving Black candidate.”
McDaniel is biracial.
Beckwith added,
The current coaching trend is leaning toward “brilliant, young offensive minds,” white guys like Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Kliff Kingsbury, Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur, Kevin Stefanski, Matt Rhule, Brandon Staley, and Nick Sirianni. Add in that McDaniel went to Yale, and it’s blood in the water for NFL teams looking for a coach.
He might be brilliant, he might be the next Josh McDaniels, but he’s not more qualified than any of the Black coaches who just got fired — including Brian Flores — or the longtime coordinators who can’t seem to get hired.
Beckwith attributed McDaniel’s ascent to a coordinator position with a premier NFL team to his personality and connections, and noted, “McDaniel is a perfect example of how qualified Black candidates get overlooked.”
Beckwith’s assumption of McDaniel’s race is all the more embarrassing when you read this profile of him from NBC Sports, which was published on March 2 of last year.
“McDaniel said he had an epiphany at an early age when he was visiting his grandmother on his father’s side of the game,” NBC reported at the time. “When he looked at the photos around the house, he realized he looked different than other members of his family.
McDaniel commented on the aforementioned epiphany during the interview.
“It is surreal when I think about it, but I remember one particular day, walking around and all of a sudden noticing that, ‘Hey, I’m the only fair-skinned person in all these picture frames,’” he said. “My grandmother on my dad’s side is Black. My dad’s Black.”
Deadspin has issued a clarification on Beckwith’s post:
Editors’ note: We learned after the publication of this article that 49ers OC Mike McDaniel, whom we describe as a “white guy,” is in fact biracial. The article’s original text remains below. We regret the error.
Bills OC Brian Daboll and Cowboys OC wunderkind Kellen Moore are also in line for second interviews.
THIS AND THAT
FREE AGENT WRs Some may stay put, but at the moment, the free agent wide receiver market has some pretty sweet prospects. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com:
Slumping NFL franchises usually struggle with the same things: developing team chemistry from the front office on down, finding decent offensive line play and identifying a franchise quarterback through free agency or the draft. Those things are consistently hard to do.
So they might as well take the lay-up where they have it: finding good receivers.
They are everywhere. Just look at our list of the top 50 free agents, from ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. It includes eight wideouts, and four come in the top 10. And don’t forget about the past two draft classes, which have produced a combined 11 first-round receivers and saw 23 selected in the first two rounds — good enough for 36% of the player pool. Receivers who can microwave a cold offense can be found anywhere in the draft.
And yet several teams need an infusion of talent at the position. Having talent at the position can go a long way. Just look at the four remaining playoff teams. The Bengals showed what happens when an offense has three star wideouts, and the other three teams have Deebo Samuel, Cooper Kupp or Tyreek Hill. That only deepens the intrigue for 2022 free agency, which has numerous high-end receivers, beginning with arguably the best in the game.
The toast of free agency: Davante Adams Rarely does a receiver of this caliber hit free agency. But if the matching Instagram posts from Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams over the summer about “The Last Dance” — channeling Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen — foreshadowed what’s to come this offseason, Adams will be the most coveted free-agent wide receiver since … Jerry Rice to the Raiders in 2001?
By applying a franchise tag of around $19.1 million, the Green Bay Packers can stop that from happening. Or they could negotiate a long-term deal over the next two months.
“If there’s a chance Rodgers returns, I can’t see them letting Adams go,” an NFC exec said. “They’d have to find a way to keep him. It feels like a package deal with those two.”
Widely considered the game’s best receiver, Adams is still in his prime after turning 29 years old last month. And he can beat just about any defensive coverage. His chemistry with Rodgers knows no limits, but that’s where the intrigue lies: Can he duplicate that same chemistry with another quarterback, and what does his game look like outside of Green Bay?
“The only knocks on him coming out [of Fresno State in 2014] were lack of top-end speed and change of direction,” an NFC scout said. “He’s overcome those things to become a complete player, but I wonder how it all looks in a different offense with a different quarterback and [when] he’s not running the timing plays with Aaron. Maybe it looks good, still … we just don’t know until we see it.”
The Raiders have a natural connection to Adams, who played college ball with Derek Carr. Adams alongside slot receiver Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller would help Las Vegas maintain pace in the AFC West track meet.
But cost is a major issue with anyone approaching Adams. A few veteran agents agree Adams would be smart to aim for a three-year deal for at least $80 million with high guarantees.
The Tampa Bay favorite: Chris Godwin One of the top players on the market is hopeful his torn ACL suffered in Week 15 doesn’t affect his bottom line. Some teams say he could see a slight decrease since his early 2022 performance might be affected, though others point to players such as Tennessee pass-rusher Bud Dupree, who cashed in on an $82 million deal despite suffering the same injury. It only takes one.
Multiple sources say the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have high interest in re-signing Godwin. They consider him the Lavonte David of their offense — the tough and physical player who sets a tone and embodies team culture. Receiver Mike Evans might draw double coverage most often, but Godwin can do a little bit of everything. The money will determine whether that happens, but a return is on the table for Tampa Bay.
A second franchise tag — a 120% increase from the $15.9-million clip in 2021 — seems unlikely coming off the knee issue, but a sweet-spot deal that acknowledges the high-end market while protecting the team due to Godwin’s injury should suffice.
Finding fits for Godwin’s game, beyond Tampa Bay, would be rather easy, too. The AFC East comes to mind, with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots needing upgrades for their young quarterbacks.
The rediscovered brilliance: Odell Beckham Jr. Ever since Odell Beckham Sr. got overzealous with film editing, Beckham has enhanced his league-wide outlook. His play for the Los Angeles Rams has evoked enough vintage Beckham moments to get the NFL’s attention, as he has six touchdowns in his past nine games. Getting out of Cleveland was the best thing to happen to Beckham.
“The talent has always been there, [he] just needed some consistency and good health,” an AFC scout said.
Added an NFC exec: “I actually thought he looked good in Cleveland, too. The explosion is still there, even if he was still finding his footing early in the year. If you need nuanced route-running and perfect timing every snap, he’s probably not your guy. But he’s fit in great in Los Angeles and is showing he can put his head down, work, blend in and let his talent shine.”
Most agree Beckham fits better on a contender with a strong culture. Going to the Jacksonville Jaguars or Chicago Bears for the biggest check could backfire. But Los Angeles is tied to Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods for multiple years, so a return to the cap-strapped Rams appears difficult. The Kansas City Chiefs were in the mix for Beckham during his midseason free-agency swing and are among the most bold front offices. It wouldn’t shock to see them circle back.
The exotic option: Mike Williams Williams put together his most compete season at the right time. Playing on a fifth-year option of $15.7 million for the Los Angeles Chargers, Williams caught 76 passes — eclipsing his previous career-high by 27 — for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. He had a midseason lull but was also working through a knee issue. Having receiver Keenan Allen on the other side helps, but Williams has set himself up for a hefty payday.
“A team that needs juice, vertical balls, he’s perfect,” an AFC offensive coach said. “He’s good on speed cuts. The right offense will utilize him well.”
Added an NFC exec: “Possession routes and jump balls, back shoulder/fades — anything to accentuate his size, length, catch radius and ball skills, teams should be looking for.”
Not every evaluator considers Williams a true No. 1, though there are only maybe 8-10 of those in the NFL. Many see him as more of an exotic No. 2 with big yards-after-catch ability.
Cleveland could be a team to watch here. It could use a big-bodied target who can stretch the field. Jacksonville or Chicago could spend on receiver help. Someone will pay Williams, and pay him big. The Chargers have $58.2 million in cap space, and using roughly one-third of that on Williams wouldn’t be the worst thing.
The rebound: Allen Robinson II The 2021 season was a challenge for Robinson, who battled through COVID-19 symptoms, injuries and the Bears’ … wait for it … instability at quarterback. His 38 catches for 410 yards in 12 games were career-worsts, excluding his 2017 season when he played one game. To be sure, finding a rhythm was difficult with three different quarterbacks in the lineup at different times and
Age isn’t a major issue — Robinson turns 29 in August — and his strengths haven’t gone away.
“Route-running and contested catches … he can still do that,” an AFC exec said. “He was never a speed guy, so he should be able to give a team a few quality years.”
An AFC coach agreed, saying: “He is great at contested catches, but there’s a reason why he has to make [them]. He has some trouble separating.”
Robinson’s days in Chicago are likely over, as both sides are ready to move on. The Indianapolis Colts rarely spend big in free agency, but they appear intent on addressing needs this offseason after the Week 18 meltdown in Jacksonville. Robinson is a good fit there if Indy is willing to spend.
Other intriguing options Some evaluators are very high on Michael Gallup, who can play inside and out with adequate speed and the ability to make tough catches. But the torn ACL suffered earlier this month is a big blow because, unlike Godwin, Gallup hasn’t had the chance to establish himself as a top guy just yet, in part because of his crowded receiver room with the Dallas Cowboys. But he fought for his positioning there, and Dallas loves his game.
Christian Kirk flirted with a 1,000-yard season in Year 4. As one NFC coach said, Kirk has the body of a slot receiver but doesn’t “break off” cornerbacks with the quickness of the top slot guys. Even so, he’s reliable, earning 103 targets from quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals’ offense despite plenty of options around him.
DJ Chark Jr. is a fascinating case. After a 1,000-yard season in 2019 with the Jaguars, he seemed poised to stardom but struggled with injury and performance over the next two years. (He’s already moving well and running on that fractured left ankle suffered in October, so that shouldn’t affect his free agency status.) One AFC exec questions whether Chark has what it takes to be great, saying the traits are there, but his fitness and nuanced route-running aren’t where they could be. The Philadelphia Eagles could look to Chark if they need a deep threat to complement DeVonta Smith.
And then there is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster, who enters free agency with loads of question marks, mostly due to injury. He had to take a one-year deal to return to Pittsburgh this season and then had a shoulder injury limit him to five regular-season games (he returned for the wild-card game against the Chiefs). He has also dealt with knee troubles that worry some teams. At his best, though, Smith-Schuster is a tough No. 2 who can make plays in traffic. Kansas City was interested at one time. Will the Chiefs circle back?
Sleeper receivers to watch Braxton Berrios: Berrios became a focal point in New York Jets’ offense, and they should try to re-sign him.
Russell Gage: Gage was a viable option for Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons’ offense in the absence of Calvin Ridley.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: He will get paid a sneaky-big amount. Speed kills, and he was the Packers’ vertical threat this season. |