Tag: 2022 NFL Offseason

Report: Jaguars expected to hire Deshea Townsend to staff

Jacksonville is closing in on another assistant coach hire (likely for the secondary), according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

New Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson has worked quickly to put together a staff in Jacksonville despite the 49-day coaching search. He’s already hired both coordinators and a number of position coaches, and it seems that he’s poised to add another.

According to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jags plan to hire former Bears secondary coach Deshea Townsend to their staff. Townsend was originally expected to join Kevin O’Connell with the Minnesota Vikings, which would’ve allowed him to remain in the NFC North.

However, per Rapoport, he never signed with the Vikings and had a change of heart. He is now set to fill a role on defense (likely as a cornerbacks or defensive backs coach). If he’s named the team’s cornerbacks coach, Townsend would be replacing Tim Walton, who is now with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Townsend, 46, is a former cornerback who played 13 years in the NFL, primarily for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won two Super Bowls, but also for the Indianapolis Colts. He got into coaching immediately following his playing career, taking an assistant defensive backs coach role with Arizona in 2011.

In 2013 he became the cornerbacks coach at Mississippi State before returning to the NFL to coach defensive backs for the Tennessee Titans in 2016. He was there for two seasons and spent 2018 as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Giants before taking his previous role with Chicago in 2019.

Jay Gruden talks about quarterback options for the Commanders in 2022

The former Washington head coach gives his thoughts on some of the veteran quarterbacks who could potentially be available this offseason.

Jay Gruden spent almost six full seasons as the head coach of the Washington Commanders from 2014-19. Gruden was fired five games into his sixth season as Washington’s coach. These days, Gruden frequently joins some of the radio shows in the Washington area to give his analysis on the Commanders and the NFL.

A former quarterback at Louisville and in the Arena League, Gruden knows quarterbacks. Unfortunately, he never truly got to pick — or keep — his guy during his time in Washington.

The Commanders have a big offseason ahead of them in 2022. They must address the quarterback position, and all indications are that head coach Ron Rivera is prepared to be aggressive.

Rivera has often talked about the four avenues to find a franchise quarterback: current roster, draft, free agency, and trade. We know the answer isn’t on Washington’s roster, and you aren’t going to find the answer in unrestricted free agency. That leaves the draft and the trade market.

In an appearance on “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan this week, Gruden said if he were Washington, he’d choose the trade avenue.

“I don’t think I’d bank on drafting a guy this year,” Gruden said. This year’s draft class doesn’t have a consensus top quarterback, and many scouts believe the top guy this year would have been No. 6 last year. 

As far as the veterans, Gruden likes some more than others.

On Jimmy Garoppolo:

“Garoppolo would help, but I don’t know I’d go after him that hard.”

What about Matt Ryan?

“If Matt Ryan becomes free out of Atlanta, I’d definitely go after Matt Ryan.”

And Derek Carr:

“If Derek Carr becomes free out of Vegas, I’d definitely go after Derek Carr.”

Grant Paulsen then asked Gruden, is Carr a quarterback you give up multiple first-round picks for, to which Gruden replied yes.

 “I would, yes; I would because with these No. 1 picks, you don’t know what you’re going to get,” Gruden said. “You know what you’re going to get with Derek. You’re going to get an established guy with Derek.”

Gruden has more intel than most on Carr, as his older brother, Jon, was Carr’s head coach with the Raiders.

Gruden continued with his praise for Carr:

I think you give up more for Carr than Garoppolo personally. Garoppolo has had some success, won some big games, but I think Carr, overall, at the quarterback position he can do a little more than Jimmy. Jimmy does have some upside, he’s still young. Derek has been pretty durable, pretty productive, come from a great system, great knowledge of the game, pre-snap and post-snap. I just think Derek is a little more seasoned than Jimmy.

Gruden made it clear he likes Garoppolo and if Rivera believes Garoppolo is an upgrade, which he’d clearly be for Washington in 2022, then you have to make that move. Of course, Garoppolo wouldn’t be your first choice, but he gives you a chance to improve and perhaps you can take another swing on a young guy in 2023 or 2024 while competing for a playoff berth in the meantime.

As always, it’s a good discussion with Gruden, as there’s some excellent back-and-forth between Paulsen, Danny Rouhier and Gruden.

 

 

Jaguars sign QB Jake Luton to Reserve/Future contract

The Jaguars are bringing back Luton, who started three games in place of an injured Gardner Minshew in 2020.

Jake Luton is coming home.

The Jacksonville Jaguars shored up their quarterback depth on Friday morning by bringing Luton back on a Reserve/Future contract. The former Oregon State passer was a sixth-round pick for Jacksonville in 2020, and when starting quarterback Gardner Minshew went down with an injury, Luton saw some action down the stretch in addition to Mike Glennon as the team finished 1-15.

He started in three games as a rookie, completing 54.5% of his passes for 473 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. He spent this offseason with the Jags but was released during final roster cuts on Aug. 31. He landed in Seattle, where he spent most of the regular season bouncing between the practice squad and the active roster when starter Russell Wilson was hurt.

Luton was released by the Seahawks on Nov. 15, and he finished the season on Miami’s practice squad. Now, he’s coming back to Jacksonville where he will aim to push C.J. Beathard for the backup spot behind Trevor Lawrence. The Jags likely won’t keep three quarterbacks on the active roster, but he could be a practice squad candidate if he can’t earn the No. 2 role.

Which NFL draft prospect is named as an ideal fit for the Commanders?

Which quarterback was labeled as the best fit for the Commanders?

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Washington Commanders need a quarterback. Will Washington swing and miss on top targets such as Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson? Probably so.

The Commanders will also check in on the availability of Deshaun Watson and Derek Carr, too, but those discussions probably lead nowhere.

That leaves the 2022 NFL draft. Yes, Washington could sign a veteran like Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, or Mitchell Trubisky — all former top-three picks — but everyone would know those players are placeholders for a year, at best.

The Commanders had a large presence at last week’s Senior Bowl. General manager Martin Mayhew, top personnel executive Marty Hurney, offensive coordinator Scott Turner and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese were among those in Mobile, Alabama, to watch six of the top seven quarterback prospects available in the draft.

One player who came away a winner was Malik Willis of Liberty. The athletic quarterback amazed scouts with his arm strength in the inclement weather and athleticism.

Bleacher Report recently previewed six prospects with rising draft stock and named some ideal landing spots for the six prospects. Willis was deemed a good fit for the Commanders.

Best Fits: Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers

Very few prospects have generated as much buzz through the all-star game process in 2022 as Malik Willis (scouting report).

According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, Willis held an average ranking of 35 on big boards on January 23. On February 7—after his performance at the Senior Bowl—his ratings had gone up to 21. Essentially, Willis made a good argument to be taken in the first round.

At Senior Bowl practices, Willis impressed with his arm. ESPN’s Jordan Reid said, “he has the strongest arm of any QB in Mobile” after his performance on Day 2 of practice.

In the actual game, he showed off his wheels with 54 rushing yards on four carries.

Ultimately, Willis might be in the same boat as Trey Lance of the San Francisco 49ers. He has all the tools to be an NFL quarterback, but a year to learn his offensive system and adjust to the speed of the game could be beneficial.

A few teams could afford to do that. The Falcons can start Matt Ryan for one more year. The Commanders could roll with Taylor Heinicke for another season if they needed to. The Steelers could give Mason Rudolph a chance to show he can replace Ben Roethlisberger for a year.

However, all three franchises would benefit from the upside Willis brings to the table.

Willis makes sense for Washington if it fails to land a star. That would likely mean a veteran, such as Trubisky, is signed to start until Willis is ready. While the Commanders love Taylor Heinicke, he will not go into 2022 as the starting quarterback, unless there are injuries.

 

 

Jets OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s medical-licensing issue resolved

Jets OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif said a medical-licensing deadline could keep him from playing in 2022, but that issue has been resolved.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx856p96chh2p4 player_id=none image=https://jetswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

It sounds like Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is good to go for the 2022 season.

Duvernay-Tardif, an impending free agent, wasn’t sure if he would play next season because of uncertainty revolving around his medical license in Canada. But that issue has been resolved, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

It’s unclear if Duvernay-Tardif will stay with the Jets or sign elsewhere, though. Gang Green could certainly use him if it doesn’t think it can find a better right guard in free agency or in the draft. After trading for him and starting him over Greg Van Roten mid-season, the Jets averaged a league-high 6.7 yards per carry on the right side of the offensive line and 5.19 yards per rush overall, per ESPN Stats and Information. Duvernay-Tardif did, however, leave some room for improvement as a pass-blocker.

[listicle id=676553]

[listicle id=676626]

Jaguars sign LB Elijah Sullivan to Reserve/Futures contract

The Jags added some depth at linebacker by signing Elijah Sullivan to a Reserve/Futures contract.

Jacksonville is shoring up its roster heading into the offseason, as the team has signed linebacker Elijah Sullivan to a Reserve/Futures contract.

Sullivan, who was undrafted in 2021 out of Kansas State, landed with the San Francisco 49ers last offseason. He spent training camp with the team and began the season on the practice squad, but he was released on Sept. 7.

He ended up signing with Kansas City’s practice squad, where he spent the entirety of the 2021 season. However, he was released on Jan. 18, and he’ll be spending at least the beginning of this offseason in Jacksonville.

A native of Tucker, Ga., Sullivan earned back-to-back Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades in 2019 and 2020. He appeared in 48 games (starting 24) and totaled 144 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, six passes defensed, two sacks, two picks and two forced fumbles (with one recovery).

He’ll compete for a roster spot at a position where the team already has a good bit of depth with players like Shaquille Quarterman, Chapelle Russell and Dakota Allen.

Commanders land at No. 11 in ESPN ranking of NFL offseason salary cap space, draft picks

Washington is in good shape to fill its two biggest needs this offseason.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Washington Commanders desperately need a quarterback. And an inside linebacker. Fortunately for the Commanders, they are in a good position to fill those needs in 2022.

ESPN recently ranked all 32 teams using draft capital, first-round picks and salary-cap rooms to determine which teams were in the best shape to improve this offseason.

Washington was ranked No. 11:

Draft capital AV sum: 77.9
First-round pick: No. 11
Current cap space: $37.5 million

Washington has the No. 11 overall pick, but at the moment only six selections in the 2022 draft. It does have enough cap space to consider a free-agent move at quarterback, but much remains to be seen.

There is good news and bad news. First, Washington doesn’t have a ton of glaring needs. Quarterback and inside linebacker are positions that must be improved heading into 2022. The other needs, such as cornerback, safety, wide receiver, or guard, aren’t as pressing and you can find depth in the middle of the draft or in free agency.

The bad news is what if you need to trade for a quarterback? For instance, if Russell Wilson became available, what would it cost? Or, what if Washington wanted to move inside the top 10 to land a quarterback, such as Malik Willis?

The more you move to land a quarterback, lessens your ability to find a linebacker or to find depth. But, if you somehow landed Wilson — a longshot — you do whatever it takes.

One thing is certain: head coach Ron Rivera cannot afford another offseason with little impact from his top acquisitions, whether via free agency or the 2022 NFL draft.

Could the Jaguars look to trade LB Myles Jack this offseason?

ESPN identified Jack as one of 20 potential trade candidates in the NFL this offseason.

This is a young Jacksonville roster without many established franchise players. But one of the few players who has earned that distinction is Myles Jack, who was a second-round pick for the team back in 2016.

The team hit the jackpot in that draft, selecting three-time First-Team All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, as well. But of the three players, only Jack remains on the team heading into 2022.

His production has been very solid, and he earned a four-year, $57 million extension in 2019. He has two years left on that deal, which will cost the Jags $10.5 million (with a $13.5 million cap hit) in 2022 before the salary rises to $11.25 million in the final year of his deal.

Though this is far from a massive deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler thinks the Jaguars could look to put Jack on the trade block and shed the deal, with the Los Angeles Rams being a potential suitor.

Rumors persisted about Jack at the trade deadline in November, and the ever-rebuilding Jacksonville could look to shed assets and salary yet again. Jack’s $10.5 million salary is reasonable, and he’s in his prime, turning 27 in September. The Rams need dynamic linebacker help.

A move like this would make some sense for Jacksonville. Jack is coming off a semi-disappointing season after a huge comeback year in 2020. He led the team in tackles with 108 but finished 10 shy of the career-best mark he set last year despite playing in one more game. He only had three tackles for loss with no sacks, and he struggled a bit in coverage, as well, failing to notch a pass breakup or interception in 2021.

With that being said, this is a Jaguars team that has enough holes as it is, and it seems unlikely that they choose to create another one at such an important position by parting ways with one of their few veteran leaders. Jack will almost certainly be back in 2022, but this is certainly something to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses.

6 takeaways from Chiefs GM Brett Veach’s end-of-season media availability

#Chiefs GM Brett Veach held his end-of-season press conference on Tuesday, providing insight on what to expect out of the 2022 NFL offseason.

It might be the end of the 2021 NFL season for the Kansas City Chiefs, but the work is never finished for the front office staff. Chiefs GM Brett Veach addressed the media for his end-of-season media availability on Tuesday, and while he’s as disappointed as the rest of Chiefs Kingdom, he’s turning the chapter and getting prepared for the offseason. He offered an optimistic outlook for the future of the team and gave fans an idea of what they can expect this offseason.

Here are some quick takeaways from what Veach had to say:

Washington signs veteran linebacker to a contract extension

David Mayo is back for another season in 2022.

The Washington Football Team signed an inside linebacker on Friday. No, Washington didn’t fill its biggest offseason need, but it kept linebacker David Mayo in town for another season with a one-year contract extension.

Mayo, who signed with Washington last March, played 16 games for the WFT in 2021. Mayo mainly was a key contributor on special teams but did move into the starting lineup at inside linebacker late in the season with rookie Jamin Davis struggling. Mayo played reasonably well, allowing Cole Holcomb to play his more natural position as an outside linebacker.

In the Week 16 loss at Dallas, Mayo played every defensive snap, and the following week played 66% of the snaps.

Keeping Mayo was a smart move for Washington. He’s cheap, he knows the defense, is a critical part of special teams and can help the younger linebackers. And, most importantly for head coach Ron Rivera, he’s reliable.