Tag: Daren Bates

Panthers HC Dave Canales explains why Xavier Legette was on gunner drills

First-round pick Xavier Legette was in on gunner drills during rookie minicamp. HC Dave Canales explained why.

In 2019, the Carolina Panthers—to quite a bit of criticism—occasionally assigned their first-round pick Brian Burns to gunner responsibilities during actual regular-season games. Well, some fans may have experienced a rough flashback to that on Saturday—with this year’s first-rounder Xavier Legette practicing the role during rookie minicamp.

So, is this something worth keeping an eye on?

Head coach Dave Canales was asked about the wide receiver’s involvement on special teams drills following the outing.

“Special teams is a premium for us,” he replied. “This is something, that on game day, we just don’t get a lot of players. Something that our players have to get used to is that when they come into the NFL, we have these many helmets today. So if something happens, they all gotta be ready to contribute.

“That’s how we were able to build great teams in Seattle. Doug Baldwin is a starter early on—he was playing on teams, on cover units. And he can get in the vice. And just making sure Xavier has that starting point. He’s such a natural athlete. Watching him take his first couple steps, it was really cool. And (special teams assistant) Daren Bates is doing a really good job there down with the gunners.”

Take a breath, Panthers fans.

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New Panthers assistant coach Daren Bates finally gets his updated head shot

Daren Bates, the new special teams assistant for the Panthers, finally got his updated head shot.

Carolina Panthers assistant Daren Bates gets the picture.

The former NFL linebacker-turned-coach, who will help out on special teams beginning in 2024, was one of the handful of fresh hires made to the team’s staff this offseason. And with a new job comes new perks, including something Bates was desperately in need of . . .

Well, Bates is spot on. The photo in that graphic was taken ahead of the 2016 campaign, when he suited up for the then-Oakland Raiders.

That season was one of nine in the NFL for the once-undrafted free agent. The Auburn University product also picked up stops with the St. Louis Rams (2013 to 2015), Tennessee Titans (2017 to 2020), Houston Texans (2020) and Atlanta Falcons (2021).

Bates then began his coaching career as an assistant with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023.

So, naturally, he wanted himself an updated head shot . . .

The quest took its next step on Feb. 20, when Bates tweeted the following:

Oh, and The Raw Room podcast, hosted by Bates and fellow NFL veterans Jalen Collins and King Dunlap, had a little fun with it . . .

Nevertheless, the journey continued. In fact, as today, we may be able to say that it has officially ended . . .

Panthers.com

Now that’s a head shot!

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Panthers hire ex-Titans LB Daren Bates as special teams assistant

Former Titans LB Daren Bates has landed his second coaching job.

Former Tennessee Titans linebacker Daren Bates has landed another coaching gig after getting his feet wet during the 2023 campaign.

The Panthers announced on Thursday that Bates has been hired as the team’s special teams assistant. This is Bates’ second coaching gig after serving as an assistant coach with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023.

Bates played with the Titans for four seasons from 2017 to 2020 and was an integral part of Tennessee’s special teams unit over that span. He also chipped-in with 54 defensive snaps during his time in Nashville.

Prior to his stint in Tennessee, Bates was an undrafted free agent signing of the St. Louis Rams in 2013 and spent three years there before moving on to play for the Oakland Raiders for one season.

His last stop in the NFL was with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, when he played for former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who was the head coach at the time.

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Panthers announce hirings of 5 coaches on Thursday

The Panthers rounded out their coaching staff on Thursday by announcing five additions.

On Thursday, the Carolina Panthers announced six hirings.

One of which is an addition to their front office, in new director of coaching development Scott Cooper.

As for the other five, who are all coming to the team’s coaching staff, let’s give you a quick look at each:

 

Missing the cut: Which Tiger had the best chance to be the cover athlete for NCAA Football 17?

Rudy Ford, Kris Frost, and Carlton Davis each had a great shot at being a cover athlete for NCAA Football 17… if EA Sports had released the game.

Many sports video game fans across the country (including myself) were excited to learn that the NCAA Football franchise is on track to return to our lives in the summer of 2024, which will be re-named “EA Sports College Football.”

Plans for the game were threatened to be delayed due to a lawsuit from The Brandr Group, citing that the franchise’s $500 million pool, which would give each athlete represented in the game $500, was considered to be “far below market value.”

Despite the setback, EA Sports remains on schedule to release the game next summer.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring back an authentic college football experience for fans and athletes that have shown such passion for the franchise, and we’re looking forward to delivering it in Summer 2024,” an EA spokesperson tells On3’s Pete Nakos.

It has been ten years since the release of the last game, NCAA Football 14. It has us at Auburn Wire thinking… which Auburn athletes missed out on being a cover athlete for the famous video game franchise?

Our pick for the hypothetical cover of NCAA Football 15 was [autotag]Chris Davis[/autotag], and we selected [autotag]Cameron Artis-Payne[/autotag] to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 16. Now, it is time to share our selection for NCAA Football 17.

The 2015 season was not kind to Auburn, especially in SEC play. Auburn ended the year with a 7-6 record and a Birmingham Bowl win over Memphis. When it came to production, the Tigers relied heavily on their defense. [autotag]Rudy Ford[/autotag] led the team in several categories, which leads him to be our candidate to represent Auburn on the cover of NCAA Football 17 if the game had been released.

Ford made 116 stops in 2015, becoming the first Tiger to record 100 or more tackles since [autotag]Daren Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Neiko Thorpe[/autotag] accomplished the feat by making 104 and 102 tackles respectively in 2011. Ford also pulled down two interceptions and forced two fumbles.

Other cover athlete candidates from the 2015 season include [autotag]Carlton Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kris Frost[/autotag]. Frost was second in tackles with 96, while Davis led the team in interceptions with three. Offensively, [autotag]Peyton Barber[/autotag] rushed for 1,017 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

Here are some of the best images from each cover candidate from Auburn for the hypothetical “NCAA Football 2017” video game that would have been released ahead of the 2016 football season.

A.J. Brown on Jalen Hurts’ Eagles contract extension: ‘Get it done’

A.J. Brown said he and Jalen Hurts are a package deal and urged the Eagles to pay the quarterback what he’s worth.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown didn’t hide his feelings on a recent podcast appearance about playing with quarterback Jalen Hurts.

While talking with NFL veterans Daren Bates and Jalen Carter on their Raw Room Podcast, Brown emphatically said Philly needs to pay Hurts what he’s worth when his contract negotiations come to light.

As it stands, Brown said that he goes where Hurts goes, and that the two are a package deal. The kicker: “So you talk about pressure? Howie, get it done!”

Everyone had a good laugh out of Brown’s blunt assessment of the situation, but Hurts’ contract negotiations don’t appear to be a laughing matter.

Hurts is easily the best quarterback Brown has ever played with, so it makes a ton of sense that the elite wide receiver would want him to stay in Philly.

The two just won the NFC and made a Super Bowl together, and the Eagles should be conference favorites again this fall.

Rosen said recently that the Eagles want to keep Hurts in the fold “long term,” so we’ll see if Brown’s encouragement speeds up the process.

Janoris Jenkins says Saints were ‘hands down’ best organization he’s been with

Janoris Jenkins: Saints ‘hands down’ best organization he’s played for

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Don’t go looking for hard feelings between Janoris Jenkins and the New Orleans Saints. The veteran cornerback was released on the eve of free agency while the Saints navigated an unexpected COVID-19 salary cap crunch, but “Jackrabbit” looks back on his year-plus in black and gold fondly.

Jenkins reflected on his time in New Orleans during a guest spot with his former Rams teammate Daren Bates on the “Raw Room” show (the video does contain coarse language). When asked about an earlier comment in which he said the Saints were the best organization he’d played for, Jenkins was quick to double down.

“Hands down,” Jenkins said. “Because they understand football, and they understand players. They don’t look to kill their guys, beat their guys down, have their guys prove a point, like around camp time. Now they work, don’t get me wrong. They know how to take care of their players.”

The feeling is mutual; Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said as much in a recent WWL radio spot, singling Jenkins out as one of the players they would have retained had the salary cap not taken a pandemic-fueled nosedive.

“They’re gonna show you respect, from the top to the training staff,” Jenkins added. He also praised the Saints coaching staff for its punctuality and attention to detail in all phases: training camp, walkthrough practice sessions, and the film room.

It’s a strong endorsement for New Orleans, who have cultivated a solid reputation among former players around the league under Sean Payton’s stewardship, and it’s doubly impressive considering Jenkins spent four years with the Giants — one of the NFL’s historically best-run franchises, which clashes with the Saints’ reputation as loveable losers. Things have changed in a big way for both franchises. Emmanuel Sanders is another veteran who became a salary cap casualty this summer, but he’s spoken often about enjoying his experience working with Payton and the team.

Still, don’t expect Jenkins to take it easy on the Saints when he and his new Titans teammates host New Orleans on Nov. 14. Jenkins is one of many former Saints players scheduled to face their old team; other familiar faces include Sanders, Sheldon Rankins, and Justin Hardee. He’ll provide another tough hurdle to overcome in the 2021 season, but at least he isn’t carrying a vendetta.

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Titans adding Jeremy McNichols to active roster, choose 4 protected PS players

Could Jeremy McNichols’ promotion to the 53-man roster be a bad sign for Darrynton Evans?

The Tennessee Titans have chosen the four players they will protect on the practice squad ahead of the Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

For this week, the Titans are switching it up after protecting the same four players in the previous two weeks. Wide receiver Cameron Batson, inside linebacker Daren Bates, kicker Tucker McCann and quarterback Trevor Siemian will be protected.

While Siemian and McCann have been protected before, both Bates and Batson have not. Of the four, only Batson has seen game action this season.

Batson, who was one of two players elevated from the practice squad on Sunday, made his 2020 debut in Week 2 and made the most of his opportunity.

The 24-year-old hauled in two catches for 26 yards and added one run for 11 yards. He also moved the chains twice on his three touches.

One of the Titans’ protected players from the last two weeks, running back Jeremy McNichols, is being added to the active roster this week, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

McNichols has been elevated from the practice squad on game day in each of the first two weeks. In Week 2, he totaled two carries for seven yards.

The move to elevate McNichols could mean bad news is coming for rookie running back Darrynton Evans, who has missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

There is still no word on who McNichols will be replacing on the roster. We’ll likely get an official update from the team on Wednesday.

Titans add LB Daren Bates to practice squad

Bates spent the past three seasons with the Titans.

The Tennessee Titans are set to add a familiar face to their practice squad, as the team is bringing back inside linebacker Daren Bates, according to multiple beat writers.

Bates spent the last three seasons with the Titans, serving as a special teams ace and captain before becoming a free agent in 2020. He was most recently signed by the Houston Texans, but was cut just days later.

The addition of Bates to the practice squad will have to come with a corresponding move, as Tennessee already has the maximum of 16 players on it. The only inside linebacker currently on the practice roster is Malik Jefferson.

Bates was originally an undrafted free-agent signing of the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams out of Auburn in 2013. He spent three seasons there before moving on to play for the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders in 2016.

The Titans begin their 2020 campaign on Monday night against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.

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Titans to hold tryouts for 5 linebackers, including Daren Bates

The Titans are bringing in a familiar face for a tryout.

The Tennessee Titans are set to hold tryouts for five different inside linebackers, including one familiar face.

Per the transaction wire, the Titans bring inside linebacker Daren Bates in for a tryout, as well as four others: James Burgess, Jordan Kunaszyk, Tuzar Skipper and Tim Williams.

Bates, who was originally an undrafted free-agent signing of the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams, where he spent three seasons, played with the Titans for three years and served as a special teams ace and captain.

Bates was also a notable presence in the locker room, serving as a hype man for the Titans. He hit the free-agent market in 2020, but spent a lengthy time there before finally catching on with the Houston Texans, who cut him just days later.

Prior to joining the Titans in 2017, the 29-year-old also played one season with the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders in 2016.

More likely than not, he stands the best chance of being signed out of the five players listed should Tennessee decide to make a move, as the team is already familiar with him.

The Titans currently have five players at inside linebacker on their 53-man roster, and one on the practice squad in Malik Jefferson.

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