THE DAILY BRIEFING
|
All five coaching vacancies have been filled – and Scott Kacsmar pronounces judgment:
@ScottKacsmar
Gannon won’t last. Anarumo would have been a better hire.
This is easily my pick for worst HC hire of 2023.
1. Payton
2. Reich
3. Ryans
4. Steichen
5. Gannon
– – –
Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com thinks that rejecting the idea of neutral site conference championship games is the only acceptable position:
Dismiss neutral-site championship games
Amid the logistical scramble after the cancellation of the Bengals-Bills game, which left the Bills with fewer games to catch the Chiefs for the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed, the NFL decided that a potential Bills-Chiefs AFC Championship Game would be held on a neutral field. Bills and Chiefs season-ticket holders reserved 50,000 tickets for that potential game on the first day they were available, prompting the NFL to issue a release noting the “extraordinary demand.”
That news release made it reasonable to wonder whether the NFL was laying the groundwork for a future shift of all championship games to neutral fields, an idea that would replicate the pageantry of the college football playoffs. Since then, however, there hasn’t been a single prominent official to speak in favor of such a move in private or public. Several powerful owners, including the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Art Rooney, have rejected it publicly. “I hate the idea,” Rooney said last month on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. He went on to predict it would not get enough votes if it were put in front of the league’s full ownership.
As with any business, owners make decisions based on the potential for increased revenue. It’s not immediately clear how a neutral-site championship game would increase league revenues enough to overcome the inevitable pushback from teams and fans. As of now, dismissing the idea is an easy and popular public stance for owners.
Interesting that college teams play two neutral site postseason games without controversy, while Seifert would reject it out of hand.
|
|
NFC NORTH
|
|
GREEN BAY
One of the NFL’s top rumormongers got played and QB AARON RODGERS emerges to gleefully call them out. Mike Florio:
Super Sunday’s Sunday Splash! reports included an item from Ian Rapoport of NFL Media that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers planned to start his voluntary solitary confinement on Monday.
It didn’t happen. As evidenced by the fact that Rodgers was in the daylight on Tuesday, doing his weekly paid spot with Pat McAfee and former Green Bay teammate A.J. Hawk. Rodgers took some time to call out those who have, in his view, reported erroneous facts about him.
“There’s an inner circle and in my inner circle, nobody talks to Ian Rapoport [or] Adam Schefter or to any of those people,” Rodgers said, via Chris Mason of MassLive.com. “Just stop with the fake news. I speak for myself and I will continue to do that.
“I have no problem with Ian Rapoport, [Adam] Schefter, I think they’re really good at their jobs. When it comes to me, they don’t know shit. They really don’t. They don’t have people in my inner circle who are sources. I can promise you that. Anybody who would talk to them is not in my inner circle. It’s that simple. So I’ve had this plan on the books for four months, for the same time. When someone like that goes on and says something that’s not true it creates a story that’s [expletive].” (Usually, the expletive is obvious, and we’ll add the actual word. For this one, I’d just be guessing from three or four possible choices.)
It’s unclear why Schefter was mentioned. He didn’t report that Rodgers was about to lock himself in a closet for 96 hours. Schefter’s reports of late regarding Rodgers haven’t broken much actual ground beyond the things Rodgers has said himself, or that were otherwise obvious. For example, Schefter reported there’s a “very real possibility” that Rodgers will be traded days after Rodgers’s comments to McAfee and Hawk made it obvious that a trade is indeed a very real possibility.
“How many [expletive] narratives can come from one [appearance last week] where they didn’t even actually listen to what I said?” Rodgers added. “Or the intent? Or the tone? And again, nothing against Rapoport, but he doesn’t have anybody who knows legitimately what’s going on in my life. So for him to say something, ‘Monday through Thursday I was supposed to be in there,’ that was never the plan. It hasn’t been the plan for four months. So don’t make [expletive] up. I don’t have your number, you’re not gonna have my number, you do a great job, but not when it comes to my life, so stop talking about it.”
There’s a difference between creating or construing narratives and reporting facts. Rapoport reported a fact. And he surely got the information from a source that he believes was in the right position to know it was accurate.
Hell, we can’t rule out the possibility that Rodgers was sufficiently upset that the information got out from the inner circle of his inner circles that he changed his plans, if only to make the report look erroneous. It definitely would not be the first time the subject of a report pivoted to a new approach once the prior one came to light, whether for spite or some actual strategic reason.
Regardless, Rodgers needs to realize that he can’t have fame and attention on his own terms. If he’s going to regularly speak to the world about his thoughts and plans, others will try to find out more about them. Others will talk about them, possibly seizing on narratives that Rodgers didn’t intend, because not everyone will accurately solve the beautiful mysteries he tries to build.
So, Aaron, if you want us to stop talking about you, there’s one specific thing you can do to achieve that objective.
Stop talking.
|
|
NFC SOUTH
|
|
CAROLINA
Another veteran addition to the staff in Carolina. David Newton of ESPN.com:
New Carolina Panthers coach Frank Reich continued to surround himself with experience on Tuesday, reaching agreement with former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell as a senior assistant.
Caldwell, 68, joins a staff that includes former Panthers and Houston Texans coach Dom Capers, 72, who was hired last week as a senior defensive consultant.
Unlike Capers, who will work directly with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Caldwell will work with the offense, defense and special teams even though he has spent most of his career coaching offense.
Caldwell was one of nine candidates to interview for the Panthers’ head-coaching job, which went to Reich. He is the second of those candidates to join Reich’s staff, along with Evero.
Reich, 61, and Caldwell were both on Tony Dungy’s Colts staff, starting in 2006 when Reich was a coaching intern and Caldwell was assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. The Colts won a championship that season when they beat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Caldwell became head coach in 2009 when Dungy retired and Reich was his quarterbacks coach.
Caldwell has head-coaching experience with the Colts (2009-11) and Lions (2014-17). He had winning records at both stops — 26-22 with the Colts, including an AFC championship in 2009 before losing to the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, and 62-50 with the Lions. He reached the postseason four times in all, two with each franchise.
Reich still hasn’t hired an offensive coordinator or committed to whether he will call the plays. One potential candidate is Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/tight ends coach Thomas Brown, who reportedly is scheduled to have his second interview with Carolina this week.
One thing is certain, Reich’s staff will be loaded with NFL experience, something former Carolina coach Matt Rhule was criticized for not having when owner David Tepper hired him in 2020.
|
|
NFC WEST
|
|
ARIZONA
Various ESPN.com writers on the hiring of Jonathan Gannon as head coach:
Thirty-six days after firing coach Kliff Kingsbury, the Arizona Cardinals found his replacement Tuesday in former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who’s fresh off a Super Bowl loss Sunday.
When Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill set out to find his fourth head coach in the past seven years, he said he would cast a net “far and wide,” and he did. Arizona was connected to eight other candidates throughout the process, including the likes of Sean Payton (hired as head coach of the Denver Broncos) and Brian Flores (hired as defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings).
Arizona was the last team to hire a head coach after taking a break in the process when the Super Bowl was in town. Arizona was down to three finalists in the last few days: Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Gannon. Arizona had focused its attention on Gannon and Anarumo in recent days.
In Gannon, the Cardinals get a 40-year-old defensive mind who was one of the hottest names going into the coaching search. They didn’t get in on the Gannon sweepstakes during the first round of interviews, so they had to wait until he was out of the playoffs, which just so happened to be after the Super Bowl in his new home as a head coach.
Now Gannon is charged with turning around a franchise desperate for success after a 4-13 season that followed back-to-back late-season tailspins in 2020 and 2021.
It’s a tall task, but the Cardinals must believe Gannon is up for the challenge. Here are some of the biggest questions about Gannon and his new team.
Who is Gannon?
Gannon was the Eagles defensive coordinator the past two seasons, overseeing a group that finished first in sacks (70) and pass defense (171.6 yards per game) during the 2022 regular season, helping the Eagles secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LVII.
Before that, he worked with defensive backs as an assistant for the Indianapolis Colts (2018-20) and Minnesota Vikings (2014-17), where he studied under then-head coach Mike Zimmer. He has cultivated a reputation around the league as a sharp football mind with CEO qualities that should translate well to a head-coaching post. — Tim McManus
Why was Gannon appealing for the Cardinals?
Arizona needed its next coach to change the culture — a coach with experience winning who could stand in front of the team, demand respect and coach players hard.
Gannon checks all those boxes.
The X’s and O’s are the least important part of this hire. Gannon has shown what he can do with talent, although the Cardinals don’t have as much as the Eagles. But it’s about the leadership Gannon can bring to the locker room. Under Kingsbury, the Cardinals essentially had two head coaches — Vance Joseph was the head coach of the defense and Kingsbury the offense. Bridging that gap will be vital for Gannon’s success.
And Gannon having just gone to a Super Bowl helps too. — Josh Weinfuss
Did offensive or defensive background matter in the Cardinals’ search?
No. Bidwill said he wasn’t going to rule out any coaches based on which side of the ball they came from. The Gannon hiring, however, keeps up with a trend of the past four coaches having alternating specialties. Kingsbury was offensive; and before him, Steve Wilks was defensive; and before him, Bruce Arians was offensive.
Bidwill said he wanted to hire someone “with a very good plan and with the right leadership skills.”
The big question now will be which assistants Gannon will bring with him on his staff, specifically the offensive coordinator.
With the Cardinals not landing a coach until this late in the offseason, many assistants have found work elsewhere because they didn’t want to risk not having a job. When Arizona hired its past two head coaches, the team all but built their staffs for them. It’s still yet to be seen whether the Cardinals will do that again.
Who Gannon’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach end up being will be watched closely because of the importance of them building a relationship with the face of the franchise, quarterback Kyler Murray. The increasingly tense relationship between Kingsbury and Murray was at the heart of the Cardinals’ problems in 2022. — Weinfuss
What did Gannon do well in Philadelphia that should encourage Cardinals fans?
He is a top-notch communicator. Edge rusher Haason Reddick is among Gannon’s most vocal backers, crediting him with listening to his players and using their input to tailor the scheme to their strengths.
His overarching defensive philosophy is to prevent the big play and generate takeaways — believing zone coverage is a good way to do so, as it allows defenders to have their eyes on the quarterback. Although that philosophy might be straightforward, Gannon is big on pre-snap disguises to muddle the picture for opposing quarterbacks.
The Philly fan base has mixed feelings about him — his lack of aggressiveness his first year as DC, in particular, didn’t mesh with the city’s personality — and the team’s defensive performance in the Super Bowl left a bad taste, but his coaches and players back him up hard.
“This guy is an incredible coordinator. People love to play for this guy,” coach Nick Sirianni said in January. — McManus
What does this hire mean for Murray?
It’s too early to get a definitive idea until Gannon hires an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach — both of whom will spend the most time with Murray whenever he returns from the ACL tear in his right knee next season.
What will be interesting to watch is how Gannon’s relationship with Murray develops.
Not having the head coach be directly involved with the offense or quarterbacks could, in some ways, be better for Murray. It could give him an opportunity to work with those two coaches more often and in a deeper way than if the head coach were an offensive-minded coach who called plays. — Weinfuss
What are Gannon’s biggest priorities in fixing a defense that ranked 31st in points allowed?
He needs to rebuild a pass rush that used to be the foundation of Arizona’s defense and find a true lockdown cornerback who can defend every team’s WR1. If he can do that, Arizona’s defense should make a jump in 2023.
Gannon could use a player like Reddick, the former Cardinals linebacker he coached this season in Philadelphia. Reddick wasn’t re-signed by Arizona after the 2020 season and had an All-Pro season in 2022. After the 2021 season, the Cardinals let Chandler Jones walk in free agency, which has left them with a diminished pass rush that struggled to get to the quarterback (36 sacks in 2022, ranked tied for 23rd).
Adding a No. 1 cornerback, in free agency or by re-signing Byron Murphy Jr. — who’s been dealing with a back injury, could also be a game-changer for Gannon’s defense.
But the biggest question heading into the early days of Gannon’s regime will be what happens with Vance Joseph. The incumbent defensive coordinator is still under contract, and some players from last year’s team expressed to Bidwill their desire to have Joseph be the next head coach. — Weinfuss
Where might the Cardinals focus with the No. 3 pick in the draft?
They should take Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., the top prospect on my board. There’s a great chance they’ll be able to select the draft’s top defender if quarterbacks are taken with the top two picks. Anderson could be a game-wrecker, and with the recent retirement of J.J. Watt (12.5 sacks) and with Zach Allen (5.5) set to become a free agent, there’s a clear need here.
Anderson is a versatile pass-rusher who would solve Arizona’s pressure woes and be a consistent disrupter against the run. With 34.5 career sacks during his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, he would give this franchise an instant-impact player.
In Gannon’s scheme, Anderson will need to improve on his missed tackles — he had 10 last season — but he likely will stick to one position instead of moving all over the defense like in college. Focusing on one spot will help him as a rookie. — Jordan Reid
|
|
SAN FRANCISCO
Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com points out that having an unsettled QB situation is something the 49ers are very, very familiar with:
Per tradition, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle stood in front of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s locker as he fielded questions from reporters on locker clean out day following the 49ers’ NFC Championship Game loss.
Kittle had just riffed on everything from the pain of losing to the Philadelphia Eagles to the amount of microphones one reporter was holding when the subject that he hasn’t been able to avoid in his six years in the league was broached. When Kittle heard the word ‘quarterback,’ he stopped the question in its tracks, pointing out that he’s no stranger to queries about the game’s most important position.
“I’ve had a six-year career and I’ve had one year with one quarterback,” Kittle said. “Other than that, I’ve had two or more. Four out of six (years), I’ve had three or more … I just love a plethora of quarterbacks to choose from.”
The sarcasm in Kittle’s voice served as cover for the obvious frustration that he and the 49ers have had at quarterback since coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2017. While the Niners have enjoyed plenty of success — they’ve gone to the NFC Championship Game in three of the past four years — there’s an unmistakable feeling that if they simply had a quarterback capable of staying healthy and productive, they’d have at least one Super Bowl title.
Instead, San Francisco has cycled through six quarterbacks — Garoppolo, Nick Mullens, C.J. Beathard, Brian Hoyer, Brock Purdy and Trey Lance — who have started at least four games since 2017. Injuries have played the biggest part in the game of musical quarterbacks and, after the Niners finished the loss to the Eagles with zero signal callers capable of throwing the ball, are once again driving the Niners’ biggest offseason storyline: Who will be their starter in 2023?
If you’d asked that question in September, the answer likely would have been Lance, who the Niners drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2021 after trading two first-rounders to move up. If you’d asked in October or November, Garoppolo would have been a legitimate possibility. If you’d asked in December or for most of January, all signs would have pointed to Purdy, the final pick of the 2022 draft.
Here in February, the Niners don’t necessarily have an answer, at least not one written in stone, save for the near-certainty that Garoppolo will not return after he becomes a free agent in March. Initial indications are that it will ultimately come down to Purdy or Lance, with Purdy the favorite if healthy. It’s the only logical way to look at it because they are also the only two quarterbacks under contract for next year and beyond.
“I know we have two starters on our team right now that I believe we can win with,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “When you have that situation, you’re not that eager to go looking around.”
Based on his play in 2022, Purdy should be considered the leader to start next season, but whether that comes to fruition will depend largely on how he recovers from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Purdy is set for surgical repair on that right elbow on Feb. 22, with hopes he can be fully cleared in roughly six months, which would put him back at some point in training camp. When Purdy and Shanahan had their exit meeting, the topic of starting next year didn’t even come up.
“In terms of who’s gonna be the starter and who we’re bringing in or any moves or anything like that, we didn’t cover any of that,” Purdy said. “Honestly, I didn’t want to hear about anything. I just wanted to focus on my recovery right now and what I have to do with my arm moving forward.”
Assuming Purdy can recover in time, it’s hard to envision anyone usurping him as the starter given how he performed in eight starts. He was a revelation when healthy, finishing with a QBR of 70.3 (third best in the NFL) after stepping in for Garoppolo in Week 13. The Niners went 8-1 in games where Purdy took most of the snaps, with the lone loss coming against the Eagles in a game in which Purdy played just six snaps before suffering the elbow injury after being hit on a strip-sack by Haason Reddick. Purdy re-entered when backup Josh Johnson suffered a concussion and finished the game but was limited to just two short pass attempts and 13 handoffs.
“I don’t know how you can’t be confident in Brock Purdy after what he put together,” Kittle said.
As Shanahan is quick to point out, the Niners won’t have to make a decision any time soon due to Purdy’s recovery, which opens the door for Lance to re-assert himself. Lance suffered a broken right ankle in a Week 2 win against the Seattle Seahawks that required a pair of surgeries to repair. But Lance is expected to be cleared in three to four weeks and said he should be back to 100% in time for organized team activities in May.
The Niners will have to add at least one more quarterback to get through the offseason program, but Lance should have no shortage of opportunities.
“I’m excited to go out and show what I can do,” Lance said. “Same situation that it’s been for me the last two years and, really, my whole life.”
For their part, the 49ers acknowledge that the consistent quarterback injuries have made it difficult for them to get that sixth Lombardi Trophy, but they also know that Purdy and Lance represent their best current options. While acknowledging they will need to add another quarterback or two in some way, Shanahan said he wants “the best available that can fit into the structure of our team and the salary cap and all that.”
Suffice to say, the 49ers aren’t teeming with cap space and don’t seem poised to go big-game hunting. At least not right now. That’s especially true with Tom Brady already announcing his retirement and with the many complications that would go with pursuing Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, who is unlikely to be dealt in the NFC, has a contract far too large for the Niners to take on and will almost certainly require compensation beyond what the Niners could offer.
All of which leads to the natural conclusion that San Francisco will, most likely, lean on Purdy and Lance with the possibility of signing a mid-level veteran such as Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett or Teddy Bridgewater as insurance. Matt Ryan could also be an intriguing name if he becomes available and the price is right. That’s a task made easier by having Lance and Purdy — combined 2023 salary cap number of $10.19 million — on their rookie deals.
“The bottom line is you better have a quarterback you really believe in because it’s such an important position,” general manager John Lynch said. “There happen to be two young guys that we really like, so I think that would lead us to that more than anything. … I think it is something we can take advantage of if we choose to go that direction.”
One way or another, the Niners hope they can finally find some quarterback stability and get a full season with the same starter for the first time since Garoppolo led the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV in 2019.
“It’s just the situation we’re in,” Kittle said. “For some reason, our quarterback position gets hurt sometimes and it’s unfortunate … And we’ve been dealing with it for a while, so hopefully we can eliminate that bug and just play quarterback.”
|
|
LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Jets’ trash is Sean McVay’s treasure as he hauls in Mike LaFleur to be his OC. Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com:
The Los Angeles Rams will have a new coordinator for the third season in a row, as former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur replaces Liam Coen, who returned to the University of Kentucky in the same role.
While the roster might be to blame — the Jets went through a quarterback shuffle last season that included benching 2021 No. 2 pick Zach Wilson — the New York offense struggled in two seasons under LaFleur.
Over that time, the Jets ranked 31st in points per game (averaging 17.8), 27th in yards per game (312.3), 31st in expected points added (EPA) per play (-0.06) and 30th in total QBR (36.9).
LaFleur will certainly step into an improved situation in Los Angeles, despite the fact the Rams are coming off a 5-12 season that was by far the worst offensively since coach Sean McVay was hired in 2017.
While LaFleur’s hire is unlike other new coordinators because this is still McVay’s offense, here are the looming questions as he begins his tenure:
Where can LaFleur make the biggest impact?
Obviously, LaFleur will have a crucial role in play-designing, but perhaps the biggest impact will be what he can take off McVay’s plate.
A few weeks after the season, after McVay informed the team he would remain the team coach instead of stepping away, general manager Les Snead said there will probably always be discussions about how to help McVay balance his workload going forward. Snead likened McVay’s work to “running an 800-meter sprint every week since he got our job.”
“I don’t know how to determine whether it’s to delegate more, but somehow, basically take his weekly rhythm and make it more sustainable,” he added.
Even if McVay doesn’t give up playcalling — and indications are he will not — the Rams are hopeful that LaFleur will be part of the solution that Snead was referring to.
In his introductory press conference Tuesday, LaFleur said he and McVay have “had some of those conversations” about delegating, but that the focus right now is on finalizing the offensive staff and getting acclimated to Los Angeles. The conversations about his responsibilities “will come along,” but starting next week, the staff will “really hammer home this roster, figuring out what we got and what we need to do moving forward and then putting together the offense.”
What did he learn from his two years in New York?
One thing LaFleur has experience with is building a young roster. And while the Rams will still have their core in their prime next season, the fact that they have spent so much money to keep those players means they typically have to depend on either draft picks in the later rounds or other less experienced players to fill out the roster. Snead said last month that the Rams are projecting they will have 10 draft picks in 2023, although most will come on Day 3.
“We decided two years ago we were going to go young and we did, and we committed to that,” LaFleur said. “… It was a great learning experience about building a roster with a lot of youth, and I was proud of a lot of the things we did.”
If LaFleur can help develop some of that young offensive talent Los Angeles will have as the Rams build this roster, that could have a big impact on a team that was forced to depend on the group last season because of injuries.
What excites him about his new job?
LaFleur said joining McVay and the Rams was “a pretty simple decision.”
“You’re going into an organization that has won, knows how to win, wants to win, has the right system and process and culture in place to win, and to be able to do it with great people, not just Sean, but the rest of the staff,” LaFleur said.
The offensive coordinator noted he has a history with quite a few members of the coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Raheem Morris in Atlanta in 2015 and 2016.
But while the chance to work with McVay was obviously a priority, it was clear LaFleur is also excited for the chance to coach quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“Matthew, even in his time in Detroit, you’d be in awe at a lot of the stuff that he can accomplish on that field,” LaFleur said. “… Just by again knowing Raheem, knowing Sean and how highly regarded they feel of Matthew, so it’s going to be fun.
“A lot of times, coaches can teach players a lot of things but in more instances players can teach coaches a lot of things too. So I’m excited to get working with him, learn from him, and whatever I can provide for him, I’m going to do. I can’t wait to start building that relationship with him.”
What can he do for the running game?
While the offense struggled to move the ball consistently as a whole in 2022, it was the running game that especially struggled. The Rams finished the season ranked 19th in Football Outsiders’ rush DVOA, but that was impacted greatly by the superb end to the season by running back Cam Akers. Prior to his final three games of the season, where he totaled 345 yards on 63 carries, the Rams ranked 27th in that category.
The Jets had an impressive running game behind rookie Breece Hall to start the season before he tore his ACL. In seven games, Hall ran for 463 yards and four touchdowns on 80 carries. At that point, the Jets ranked 10th in rush DVOA; they finished the season ranked 19th.
The Rams likely don’t have a talent like Hall at the position right now, but could lean on LaFleur to help improve the running game in 2023.
|
|
AFC WEST
|
|
LAS VEGAS
QB DEREK CARR is a free agent – and the oddsmakers in his old team’s town think he is headed to the NFC South. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:
Quarterback Derek Carr has gotten a one-month had start on free agency. It’s a great position to be in, allowing him to talk to other teams, to visit other teams, and eventually to sign with other teams before any of the looming free agents are available.
So where will he go? After he was benched in December, we painted with the broadest possible brush regarding his possible destinations. Now, sports books have listed odds on Carr’s next team.
Earlier today, PointsBet updated their board. The Panthers are the favorites at +140, with the Saints (a team Carr visited last week) at +150.
Next are the Jets at +275, with the Buccaneers at +800, the Commanders at +1400, the Patriots at +1400, the Titans at +1800, the Colts at +2000, the Falcons at +2000, the Packers at +2000, and the Texans at +4000.
The Commanders won’t do it, based on coach Ron Rivera’s on-the-record comments from last week. The Patriots seem to be not an option, given that McDaniels didn’t do well last season in Patriot Way West. And the Colts seem to be off the “veteran quarterback” wagon.
The Jets become intriguing, now that former Raiders quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Todd Downing is the passing-game coordinator in New York.
For the Panthers to be the favorite, the sports books must know something. And given the team’s struggles when it comes to finding a great quarterback, why not roll the dice on someone who has been good enough?
Generally, it’s hard to make a case for the long shots. Which is probably why they’re long shots.
|
|
AFC NORTH
|
|
BALTIMORE
Todd Monken, a more conventional offensive coach, takes over the Baltimore offense. Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:
Baltimore is bringing a respected assistant coach back into the league to lead their offense.
The Ravens have hired Todd Monken to be their offensive coordinator, the team announced on Tuesday.
“We conducted 21 interviews with 14 candidates throughout a thorough process that had wide-ranging organizational involvement,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “Todd’s leadership and coaching acumen were evident from the beginning. He has a proven track record for designing and teaching offensive systems that allow players to succeed at the highest level. We’re excited to get to work and begin building an offense that will help us compete for championships.”
Monken has spent the last three seasons as Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, helping the program win back-to-back national championships. Monken particularly shined in January, as the Bulldogs defeated TCU 65-7 in this year’s title game.
While Monken has spent most of his coaching career in the college ranks, he spent the 2016-2018 seasons as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. He then was the Browns’ offensive coordinator in their one season under Freddie Kitchens in 2019. Monken was also the Jaguars’ receivers coach from 2007-2010.
Monken had a three-year stint as Southern Miss’ head coach from 2013-2015, compiling a 13-25 record — including a 9-5 finish with a 7-1 conference record in 2015.
This is the second year in a row that Harbaugh has reached into the college ranks for a coordinator who also had NFL experience. Harbaugh brought Mike Macdonald back to be the team’s defensive coordinator after he’d departed the organization to become Michigan’s D-coordinator under Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, in 2021. He’d previously been with the Ravens since 2014, rising from coaching intern to linebackers coach.
Former offensive coordinator Greg Roman elected to depart the organization to pursue other opportunities after the 2022 season.
|
|
AFC SOUTH
|
|
INDIANAPOLIS
Stephen Holder of ESPN.com with news of the hire of Shane Steichen as head coach of the Colts:
Shane Steichen beat out 13 other candidates to become the Indianapolis Colts’ head coach not merely because of what he has accomplished but because of what he can potentially do to stabilize Indianapolis at the game’s most important position.
The former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator — who was named the Colts’ new coach Tuesday — presented Indianapolis with a detailed plan for addressing the quarterback position, with the Colts poised to select one of the top college prospects in the upcoming NFL draft — perhaps even Alabama’s Bryce Young.
“Shane just knocked it out of the park and really showed the qualities that put him above during the whole process as our man,” owner Jim Irsay said.
The Colts had one of the NFL’s poorest offenses in 2022, ranking 30th in scoring (17 points per game), 27th in QBR (36.8) and 30th in yards per play (4.8). The hope is that Steichen can replicate some of his past success, such as the passing attack he developed with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 and the multifaceted approach he displayed with the Eagles the past two seasons.
“My philosophy is we’re going to throw to score points in this league and run to win,” Steichen said, suggesting that an aggressive offensive posture might be on the way. “Now, that could look different each week. Sometimes, going into the games, we’re like, ‘Hey, we’re going to throw it a bunch,’ and then we end up running it 45 times. The flow [of the game] is going to dictate that. I know we’ve got some pieces in place to get that done, and we should be ready to roll.”
The Colts have gone to some lengths to downplay their intentions heading into the draft. But it remains a very poorly kept secret that they are looking to resolve their yearslong quarterback issues after having different Week 1 starters each of the past five seasons.
Steichen is here largely to help them navigate that.
As one team source told ESPN, Steichen has some “mad scientist” to him and offered a specific blueprint for how to develop a young quarterback. That, in particular, scored points with the Colts’ brass. The versatility of Steichen’s scheme, the source said, will allow the Colts to take an open-minded approach to drafting a quarterback if they choose to do so, rather than limiting their options to quarterbacks who specifically fit their scheme.
Steichen outlined what he’ll personally be seeking in a quarterback.
“I think accuracy, decision-making and the ability to create are the three things that I look at in a quarterback,” he said. “I think those three things are very important. But the above the neck, the players that I’ve been around — Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert and Philip Rivers — they all have one thing in common: They’re obsessed with their craft. And if you can find that in a quarterback, you’re probably going to have some success.”
The Colts might just have found a quarterback who checks those boxes in Young.
“Do you trade up? There’s so many things you can do,” Irsay said. “The [Eagles] took Jalen in the second round. … Although, the Alabama guy doesn’t look bad, I tell ya.”
The Colts currently have the fourth overall pick but have been widely speculated as a team that might trade up in the draft. Young could well be the top pick in April.
Hurts, who amassed 374 total yards of offense in a brilliant performance in the Super Bowl on Sunday, pointed to Steichen as a huge factor in his success.
“I give a lot of credit to Coach Steichen for what he’s been for me these last two years, the things he’s taught me,” Hurts said. “For what he’s been for me and this team as a motivator, as a leader, as a coach, as [a coordinator], I think he’s been the world to us. When you win, you want to give other people opportunities to chase their dreams, and that’s something he’s been able to do, and I know he’s going to do a great job in Indianapolis.”
When it comes to filling out the rest of his coaching staff, Steichen withheld any specific answers on his plans. But the Colts have been barring their defensive coaches from interviewing for positions elsewhere because multiple head-coaching candidates interviewed by the team had interest in keeping them.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley overlapped with Steichen with the Chargers, as did several other members of the defensive staff. Most of those defensive staffers were in the room for Steichen’s introductory news conference at Colts headquarters.
The finalists who made the biggest impressions on the Colts outside of Steichen, according to a team source, included Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, new Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
|
|
AFC EAST
|
|
BUFFALO
Kevin Seifert on S DEMAR HAMLIN’s diagnosis:
Follow up on what happened to Damar Hamlin
The NFL has celebrated the life-saving work by dozens of medical officials after the Buffalo Bills defensive back’s on-field collapse in Week 17 during the Bills-Bengals game, while highlighting the critical care plan it has developed over the past decade. Hamlin has made multiple public appearances as he continues his recovery, including during Super Bowl week in Arizona. But there is an important detail missing from the public discussion of his cardiac arrest: why it happened.
There can and should be sensitivity applied to that question; the full answer might reside within a level of medical detail that Hamlin prefers to keep private. In an interview that aired Monday, Hamlin told “Good Morning America” the cause of his collapse is “something I want to stay away from.” Later, he added that it is “something we’re still processing and still talking through with my doctors just to see what everything was.”
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills has acknowledged the possibility of commotio cordis, a rare disruption of the heart’s rhythm caused by a precisely timed blow to the chest. But ultimately doctors diagnose commotio cordis through a process of ruling out other causes, and, as Hamlin indicated, that assessment is continuing.
The answer is relevant well beyond any intrusion of privacy. Hamlin collapsed seconds after making a routine tackle. Did that routine tackle contribute to his cardiac arrest, or was it coincidental to another cause? If it did play a role, even through a one-in-a-million set of circumstances, is there a way to lower the chances of it happening to another player? The NFL and NFL Players Association have certainly been aggressive in changing, say, their concussion protocols based on new information.
At its root, football requires an assumption of risk from all players. But the NFL and the NFLPA have an obligation to protect players’ health whenever possible, for their own sake and for the downstream effects in the football ecosystem. The NFL and NFLPA will continue to work to get to the bottom of what happened to Hamlin. At some point this offseason, they should apply that knowledge to their health and safety plan in a way that is publicly visible to maximize its impact.
Seifert does not go down the path of what if it was caused by spike proteins from the vaccine the NFL required all of its players to receive? Not saying it was, but what if…
|
|
THIS AND THAT
|
|
OFFICIATING
Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, an officiating insider, implies that the NFL is lagging again in training its officials.
Longtime league observers shouldn’t be surprised by the tenor surrounding NFL officiating. As in many previous seasons, some high-profile mistakes led to public outrage. Common misconceptions about rules led to further confusion and anger. And by the end of the season, there was a drumbeat for the league to urgently address the situation.
But the league office — specifically, commissioner Roger Goodell — simply doesn’t see it that way. Goodell’s full-throated defense of officiating last week in his Super Bowl news conference — “I don’t think it’s ever been better,” he said — reflected his long-held belief that officiating mistakes and inconsistencies are unavoidable. That viewpoint will assuredly remain the same even after a defensive holding flag played a significant role in the Kansas City Chiefs’ winning drive in the Super Bowl.
There is a big gap between accepting the inevitability of some mistakes and ignoring avenues for improvement, a sentiment many teams are expressing behind the scenes, according to the reporting of ESPN’s Adam Schefter. As ESPN officiating analyst John Parry has pointed out, the league’s training and development process faded notably over the past decade. The league hired retired referee Walt Anderson in 2020 to revive it, in part because officials negotiated a new training-based position in their most recent collective bargaining agreement, but Anderson has since shifted to a broader role in overseeing the entire department.
It would probably require multiple team owners to cajole Goodell into addressing something like officiating training in a substantive way. Given the other issues on the NFL’s offseason list, that doesn’t seem likely.
|
|
2023 DRAFT
Let’s see how Chad Reuter of NFL.com mocks out the first round:
The Chicago Bears are in the 2023 NFL Draft’s catbird seat. They own the No. 1 overall selection, but they also have a talented signal-caller already on their squad in Justin Fields, while multiple teams are looking for a face-of-the-franchise type at the game’s most important position.
Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard has already said the Colts will “do whatever it takes” to trade up for their favorite quarterback in this class. It’s easy to connect the dots between Chicago and Indy, because Matt Eberflus was the Colts’ defensive coordinator before becoming the Bears’ head coach. The Houston Texans will likely not stand by, however, and allow their division rival to leapfrog them for their top choice of passers.
I project the Bears pulling off three of the six listed trades; they first move to the Texans’ second pick and then step down again to the Colts’ No. 4 slot. At least one of the top defenders in the draft will be available at No. 4, possibly the one they would’ve chosen if they had just stayed at No. 1.
Taking the Texans’ offer could be risky for the Bears if the Colts stay at No. 4 after being beaten out for the top spot — but doing “whatever it takes” means Ballard is incentivized to climb the draft ladder. Opening Door No. 1 and Door No. 2 in the trade game allows Chicago GM Ryan Poles to hedge his bets in the hopes that at least one of the two partners send over very early picks after a disappointing 2023 campaign.
No matter which trade adventure Poles and the Bears choose, the franchise wins by netting one of the top defenders in the class while gathering current and future draft capital.
1 Houston Texans
Bryce Young
Alabama · QB · Junior
PROJECTED TRADE WITH CHICAGO BEARS
The Texans get their guy with the No. 1 overall pick, swapping spots with the Bears to land Young. Houston sends two picks from the Deshaun Watson trade (Round 3, 2023; Round 1, 2024) and gets a 2023 fifth-rounder back from the Bears to balance the deal. Young’s lack of size (6-foot, 194 pounds) might be an issue for some, but his poise, leadership, athleticism and underappreciated throwing velocity give him a chance to be great.
2 Indianapolis Colts
C.J. Stroud
Ohio State · QB · Sophomore (RS)
PROJECTED TRADE WITH CHICAGO BEARS
In this scenario, Colts owner Jim Irsay and GM Chris Ballard say enough with bringing in veterans as short-term solutions. Like the Texans, they want their favorite bright young star at the position, so Chicago gets first- and second-round picks this year, as well as second- and third-round picks in 2024. Stroud stands tall in the pocket, throwing darts but also displaying nice touch when needed. He showed in the College Football Playoff that he can make defenses pay for playing man coverage by running for big gains.
3 Arizona Cardinals
Jalen Carter
Georgia · DT · Junior
I believe Carter is the top defensive prospect in the 2023 draft because he can overwhelm linemen with his strength but also has plus agility for a 300-pounder. The Cardinals line him up in the spot left vacant by the retired J.J. Watt.
4 Chicago Bears
Will Anderson Jr.
Alabama · Edge · Junior
PROJECTED TRADES WITH HOUSTON TEXANS AND INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Chicago adds to its haul, trading back another two spots and still landing Anderson, an all-around talent on the edge. The ‘Bama defender addresses a major need for the Bears, who finished with a league-low 20 sacks in 2022.
5 Carolina Panthers
Will Levis
Kentucky · QB · Senior (RS)
PROJECTED TRADE WITH SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
GM Scott Fitterer calls his old friends in Seattle to jump ahead of other teams for Levis. He trades first-round picks this year and next, with Seattle sending back a Day 3 pick to even out the exchange. Levis’ physical tools and competitiveness are appreciated by scouts, and his inconsistency in footwork and moving off primary reads are obstacles that Carolina hopes he can overcome in much the same way Josh Allen has with the Bills.
6 Detroit Lions (via LAR)
Christian Gonzalez
Oregon · CB · Junior
Usually there’s a cornerback who takes a big leap (figuratively and literally) at the NFL Scout Combine — my guess is that’s Gonzalez this year. The Oregon defender’s size (6-2, 201) and athleticism will likely impress scouts, who, if they haven’t devoured it already, will then turn to the tape where they’ll see aggressive play and very good ball skills. Gonzalez could help alleviate some of the pressure on the Lions’ previous top-10 corner selection, Jeff Okudah.
7 Las Vegas Raiders
Paris Johnson Jr.
Ohio State · OT · Junior
If the Raiders sign Jimmy Garoppolo or trade for Aaron Rodgers, they’ll spend this pick on an offensive lineman to make their new signal-caller’s life easier. Johnson is as tough as they come, excelling at left tackle and right guard during his career at Ohio State.
8 Atlanta Falcons
Myles Murphy
Clemson · Edge · Junior
The Falcons could use another receiver to pair with 2022 first-rounder Drake London. Their lack of pass rush (finished 31st in sacks), however, means they grab Murphy, who is just the type of strong, long edge defender that new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen coached during his time with the Saints.
9 Seattle Seahawks (via DEN)
Tyree Wilson
Texas Tech · Edge · Senior (RS)
PROJECTED TRADE WITH CAROLINA PANTHERS
Wilson’s length screams “Seattle edge rusher,” as Pete Carroll always seems to find those big bodies to fit up front. The Seahawks were more multiple in their fronts this past season than they were in the past, and Wilson has the versatility to stand up or line up inside.
10 Philadelphia Eagles (via NO)
Bijan Robinson
Texas · RB · Junior
If Miles Sanders finds a new home in free agency, the Eagles could have interest in adding Robinson as a dual-threat weapon in their prolific attack. He slaloms through traffic inside and displays an upfield burst in the open field.
11 Tennessee Titans
Dalton Kincaid
Utah · TE · Senior
The Titans have a decision to make about veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill. If coach Mike Vrabel and new GM Ran Carthon decide to stick with the veteran in 2023, then they find another receiving tight end to make his life easier. Kincaid’s hoops background is evident on the field, as his hands and body control make him a great target down the seam, on the sideline and in the red zone.
12 Houston Texans (via CLE)
Calijah Kancey
Pittsburgh · DT · Junior (RS)
Kancey could be a top-10 pick because of his strength at the point of attack and quickness. But we’ve seen other smaller tackles land in the middle of the first, such as when Aaron Donald went 13th overall in 2014. New Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is quite familiar with Donald’s game from his years in San Francisco, so you have to think he’d love to add a playmaker like Kancey on what will be a revamped Houston defensive line in 2023.
13 New York Jets
Anthony Richardson
Florida · QB · Sophomore (RS)
Jets GM Joe Douglas traded Sam Darnold after watching him for two seasons, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he does the same with Zach Wilson, if the fit doesn’t improve. (Though it’s worth noting that Wilson was Douglas’ pick, while Darnold was not.) Richardson’s throws don’t always hit their targets, but his quick feet allow him to step up and out of the pocket, and he fits balls into tight spaces with easy velocity. His combination of agility and power as a runner is also intriguing. Don’t be surprised if he’s the best playmaker out of this QB crop four years down the road.
14 New England Patriots
Broderick Jones
Georgia · OT · Sophomore (RS)
New England’s offensive tackle depth chart must be addressed, with Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon approaching free agency. Jones is not the biggest tackle (6-4, 310), but he plays with attitude and possesses the strength and agility to line up outside in the NFL.
15 Green Bay Packers
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ohio State · WR · Junior
Smith-Njigba is just as talented as the three former Ohio State receivers — Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams — picked in the top 12 last year. (Williams, of course, played his final year at Alabama.) He has excellent hands and quickness/strength after the catch. If his troublesome hamstring is fully healed, I expect teams to place a high value on him. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Packers moved up to grab JSN, or one of the top tight ends, to aid whoever their quarterback might be in 2023.
16 Washington Commanders
Peter Skoronski
Northwestern · OG · Junior
Skoronski’s lack of length could be an issue for NFL teams in the top half of the first round. Washington had great success converting another Big Ten tackle to guard when the team moved former Iowa Hawkeye Brandon Scherff inside. Could be déjà vu all over again, with Skoronski’s mobility and power making him an excellent pro lineman no matter where he lines up.
17 Pittsburgh Steelers
Lukas Van Ness
Iowa · Edge · Sophomore (RS)
Pittsburgh often ends up with a bargain landing in its lap in Round 1, and Van Ness certainly qualifies here. The Iowa defender has great potential at the five-technique for the Steelers or even standing up on the edge at times. The leverage he gets on offensive linemen is quite impressive, and he can shed and chase plays from the back side.
18 Detroit Lions
Michael Mayer
Notre Dame · TE · Junior
Mayer might end up as the second tight end off the board because he is not as quick-twitch as Dalton Kincaid and others at his position. The Lions happily select the Notre Dame standout, though, as his reliability as a pass-catcher and tenacious blocking remind me of Ravens star Mark Andrews.
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brian Branch
Alabama · CB · Junior
Branch is a versatile nickel/deep/box defender who would work well in tandem with Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. The Bama product could help stabilize a Tampa secondary that has multiple veteran contributors set to become free agents.
20 Buffalo Bills
Jordan Addison
USC · WR · Junior
PROJECTED TRADE WITH SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Josh Allen needs a legitimate deep threat to stretch out defenses, which would also help the team’s running game. With Addison still on the board, Bills GM Brandon Beane climbs seven spots, giving up three 2023 picks (a first-, third- and fourth-rounder) to grab the former Biletnikoff Award winner.
21 Los Angeles Chargers
Joey Porter Jr.
Penn State · CB · Junior (RS)
The son of the former All-Pro edge rusher fills a need for the Chargers, giving them a larger cornerback to complement Asante Samuel Jr. on the outside as J.C. Jackson recovers from his season-ending knee injury.
22 New York Giants
Devon Witherspoon
Illinois · CB · Senior
PROJECTED TRADE WITH BALTIMORE RAVENS
If the Giants find a receiver in free agency, I could see them jumping ahead of the Vikings to grab a corner like “Spoon” to fortify the secondary. He’s as competitive as they come, harassing receivers all day long, drawing flags and breaking up passes. New York trades the 25th overall selection and a third-rounder to Baltimore to move up three spots. (The Giants get a sixth-round pick, as well.)
23 Minnesota Vikings
Keion White
Georgia Tech · Edge · Senior (RS)
New defensive coordinator Brian Flores should covet White as a strong presence on the outside shoulder of offensive tackles, but he can also be an inside pass rusher in obvious passing situations.
24 Jacksonville Jaguars
Cam Smith
South Carolina · CB · Junior (RS)
Smith’s a tough-minded corner who does not back down from SEC receivers and makes plays on the ball, which is the type of defender the Jaguars need opposite Tyson Campbell.
25 Baltimore Ravens
Jalin Hyatt
Tennessee · WR · Junior
PROJECTED TRADE WITH NEW YORK GIANTS
For the third time in five years, the Ravens select a receiver in the first round. After trading Marquise Brown (No. 25 overall, 2019) during Thursday night’s festivities last year, Baltimore could be looking for a speedster to play with 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman (No. 27). Hyatt possesses the pure speed to stretch defenses vertically.
26 Dallas Cowboys
Trenton Simpson
Clemson · LB · Junior
Dallas uses first- and second-round picks on stack linebackers as often as any team in the league. Simpson’s cover and run-stopping skills could be a big help for the defense if Leighton Vander Esch and/or Anthony Barr leave via free agency.
27 Seattle Seahawks
O’Cyrus Torrence
Florida · OG · Senior
PROJECTED TRADE WITH BUFFALO BILLS
The Seahawks picked up two starting tackles in the top three rounds of last year’s draft, but the interior of their line still needs upgrading. Torrence’s power and nimble feet should allow him to step in immediately opposite LG Damien Lewis if the team decides it’s time to move on from RG Gabe Jackson. Seattle traded down twice in the first round of the 2017 and ’19 drafts, and I could see it happening again this year.
28 Cincinnati Bengals
Cody Mauch
North Dakota State · OG · Senior (RS)
Mauch showed during Senior Bowl week that he could play anywhere along the offensive line. That sort of versatility would have come in handy for the Bengals during the playoffs after they lost both starting tackles (including Jonah Williams, a free agent after the 2023 season) to injury. Putting Mauch and his former Bison teammate, Cordell Volson, on the same NFL O-line does NDSU proud.
29 New Orleans Saints (via SF through MIA, DEN)
Tuli Tuipulotu
USC · Edge · Junior
If the Saints land a quarterback via trade/free agency, then I could see them turning their attention to the D-line early in the draft. New defensive coordinator Joe Woods will likely keep the team’s four-man front, where Tuipulotu would be a great find in the late first because of his power and agility at 290 pounds. … Sort of sounds like Cameron Jordan coming out of Cal, doesn’t it?
30 Philadelphia Eagles
Ronnie Hickman
Ohio State · S · Junior (RS)
Philadelphia has not picked a defensive back in the first round since 2002 (cornerback Lito Sheppard), but the Eagles could end that drought if Chauncey Gardner-Johnson departs in free agency. Hickman lines up all over the field and brings a physicality to the position that will endear him to Philly fans.
31 Chicago Bears
Rashee Rice
SMU · WR · Senior
PROJECTED TRADE WITH KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
After accumulating multiple selections in the two earlier trades, the Bears are fine sending the Colts’ second-round pick (No. 35) and their own fourth-rounder to the Chiefs to move up for their choice of receiver. Rice was the main cog in the Mustangs’ offense in 2022, a target on quick screens, hitches and nine routes, where he used his strider’s speed, ability to win 50-50 balls and tracking skills to score.
|
|
