NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • As Jim Harbaugh stares out at beach, Michigan’s no good, very bad offseason continues

    As Jim Harbaugh stares out at beach, Michigan’s no good, very bad offseason continues

    Two weeks ago, Jim Harbaugh stood behind a microphone, wearing a black hat with an arched lightning bolt across its face. His mouth was curled in the opposite direction, pointing upwards and projecting a smile.

    “This is the best damn job I ever had to start out,” the Los Angeles Chargers’ coach told his audience.

    It was the confession of a man who was free and clear after he made it out from under the NCAA cloud of suspicion that hovered over him and the Michigan football team he had ditched in late January. At his new NFL gig in sunny California, Harbaugh no longer had to fret about the potential ramifications of a pair of investigations that ensnared him and the Wolverines. He found an escapeway, racing out west like the Dust Bowl survivors on Route 66 looking to start a new chapter in their lives. In Harbaugh’s rearview mirror was a national championship program awaiting its eventual comeuppance. It started to arrive Tuesday, when the NCAA announced Michigan had agreed to a negotiated resolution that includes a three-year probation, a fine and unspecified recruiting restrictions stemming from a case centered on impermissible coaching and recruiting activities alleged to have been committed by Harbaugh’s staff.

    SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? Michigan football gets punished by NCAA. What does it mean for this year, Sherrone Moore?

    The news spawned another unpleasant headline for a program enduring a rough offseason and an inauspicious introduction to Sherrone Moore’s tenure as its new coach. Moore, who had been elevated from his role as offensive coordinator, took command of a team in transition during the turbulent wake of Harbaugh’s well-publicized departure. Soon thereafter, the entire defensive staff left, along with renowned strength and conditioning director Ben Herbert. Their departures came on the…

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  • Bill Belichick nowhere close to landing any HC jobs this offseason, per report: He was ‘voted off the island’

    Bill Belichick nowhere close to landing any HC jobs this offseason, per report: He was ‘voted off the island’

    One of the most surprising results of the NFL offseason was that, after the coaching carousel had finished spinning, longtime New England Patriots head coach and living legend Bill Belichick ended up without a job. Belichick is just 15 career wins shy of setting the NFL’s all-time record, and he wanted to coach in 2024. But that didn’t happen, and it apparently was not very close to happening.

    Belichick, according to ESPN, finished outside the top three of the Atlanta Falcons’ finalists, and that was the closest he came to landing any of the available — or even potentially available — head-coaching positions. Belichick apparently tried to convince owner Arthur Blank and the Falcons’ front office that he was willing to just be the head coach and not have full control over the organization, but was unsuccessful and then got blindsided when the Falcons instead decided to hire former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

    “He was essentially voted off the island,” a Falcons source told ESPN.

    ESPN also went through the list of the other available head-coaching positions this offseason and provided the apparent reasoning why Belichick was ultimately not the man for the job, even if he was willing to cede organizational power to the front office:

    Philadelphia Eagles: Owner Jeffrey Lurie did not seriously consider moving on from Nick Sirianni, though he did have a conversation with Belichick where coaching for the organization did not come up. “You’ll have to start over again,” an Eagles source told ESPN. “Who would replace him? He hasn’t had a good record of developing coaches. They were afraid that he’ll have changed everything and every person, and [then] you’ll be starting from scratch again. He didn’t demand those changes, but they felt like, if we hire him, we have to give everything to him and trust how he does it.”Dallas Cowboys: Change-averse Jerry Jones decided quickly to…..

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  • Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh was threatened with suspension by NCAA last fall for lawyer’s social media criticism

    Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh was threatened with suspension by NCAA last fall for lawyer’s social media criticism

    The NCAA threatened to suspend former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh last fall if his attorney did not halt his satirical social media comments of the association’s ongoing investigation of the Wolverines football program. 

    In a “letter of admonition” to attorney Thomas Mars obtained by CBS Sports, current NCAA Committee on Infractions chair Dave Roberts wrote in October 2023 that if Mars didn’t halt his posts criticizing the NCAA’s investigative process “the COI will consider appropriate penalties, including immediate suspension of your client.”

    Roberts cited NCAA bylaw 19.4.6-(i) which gives the COI authority to ” … sanction parties and/or their representative(s) for behaviors that inhibit the committee’s ability to effectively manage the docket, ensure a professional and civil decorum in all proceedings or otherwise efficiently solve infractions cases.”

    The letter ends with seemingly a final warning from Roberts that read, “There will not be any further admonitions …” 

    Mars did not respond to the NCAA and continued his critical posts but it seems Roberts took no further action. 

    The letter came during dual investigations of Michigan for NCAA recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period and sign stealing. In a Tuesday release, the NCAA said a negotiated resolution had been reached in the first case. “One former coach,” – supposedly Harbaugh – “did not participate in the agreement, and that portion of the case will be considered separately by the Committee on Infractions …” the statement said. 

    Roberts’ letter was dated Oct. 26, 2023, the week the sign-stealing scandal broke. That came during a bye week in Michigan’s national championship season. 

    Harbaugh was suspended twice last season – first by…

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  • Veteran WR Taylor returns to 49ers, signs one-year contract

    Veteran WR Taylor returns to 49ers, signs one-year contract

    Veteran WR Taylor returns to 49ers, signs one-year contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

    The 49ers have brought back veteran slot receiver and return man Trent Taylor, signing him to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.

    The 49ers and Taylor were in talks about a reunion, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday, and the conversation clearly moved quickly.

    Taylor has been in the NFL since 2017, when he was a fifth-round pick in the first draft class of general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers.

    After four seasons with the 49ers, Taylor played two years with the Cincinnati Bengals and last season with the Chicago Bears.

    Taylor, 29, has appeared in 78 NFL career games. He has 87 receptions for 834 yards and three touchdowns. He had a standout rookie season with the 49ers with 43 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns.

    Injuries sidetracked the early part of Taylor’s career, and he missed the entire 2019 season due to a foot injury and complications from surgeries.

    With Taylor back in the mix, the 49ers fill two important needs, as he supplies the team with an option at slot receiver, as well as competing to handle punt-return chores.

    The 49ers lost punt return Ray-Ray McCloud in NFL free agency this offseason when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

    Taylor has a career average of 9.4 yards on 112 punt returns in his career.

    Rookie Ronnie Bell struggled in the role of returning punts last season when McCloud was out of action for several games.

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  • Clemson offense could shape the College Football Playoff this season

    Clemson offense could shape the College Football Playoff this season

    Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have boasted some outstanding offenses during the Swinney era but things haven’t been the same since the departure of Trevor Lawrence for the NFL.

    Things can be different in 2024. Starting quarterback Cade Klubnik heads into his second year as the starter under center, with improvement from the junior quarterback essential for the Tigers’ success. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley enters year two with the Tigers with expectations that he can help Clemson’s offense the way he did for TCU when they made a historic run to the National Championship. 

    According to Saturday Down South, the Tigers’ offense could shape the CFP in 2024. 

    Clemson didn’t make Garrett Riley the highest-paid assistant coach in college football last season to get worse on offense, but that’s exactly what happened. The Tigers averaged just 5.25 yards per play, down from the 2022 season and continuing a trend of remarkably mediocre Tiger offenses.

    The Tigers gave up more negative plays in fewer games than they did the year prior to Riley’s arrival, were worse on third downs, and had just as many turnovers. The run game wasn’t a strength and the passing game didn’t improve the way fans hoped given the change from DJ Uiagalelei to Cade Klubnik.

    Now, in Year 2 with Riley, Klubnik has to show something. The Tigers chose not to add to the quarterback room via the 2024 class (high school or transfer) and have pushed their chips all in on Klubnik being the guy to reverse the slide.

    While the entire offense will need to perform, most eyes will be on Klubnik and Riley. If these two lead by example and show that they’ve taken the next step, the Tigers’ offense should return to form.

    Story originally appeared on Clemson Wire

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  • Raiders’ Antonio Pierce will not be part of Arizona State’s negotiated resolution with NCAA as case nears end

    Raiders’ Antonio Pierce will not be part of Arizona State’s negotiated resolution with NCAA as case nears end

    Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce will not be part of the negotiated resolution between the NCAA and Arizona State tied to the almost-three-year-old case that’s nearing a conclusion, sources told CBS Sports.

    Pierce isn’t necessarily exonerated in the case. He’s not compelled to sit for an in-person interview with NCAA investigators looking into alleged major recruiting violations at the school, but instead, sources told CBS Sports that Pierce will be submitting a written statement to NCAA. After the statement is reviewed and compared to the NCAA’s findings, Pierce could then be penalized. Pierce’s cooperation with the NCAA is not required because he is no longer in college athletics. 

    Sources previously told CBS Sports the negotiated resolution, which is expected to be made official in the near future, contains a show-cause penalty for former Sun Devils head coach Herm Edwards. Pierce, considered a central figure in the recruiting scandal, could receive a similar penalty. 

    A show-cause penalty means a school could be subject to sanctions if it hires a coach during the length of that punishment. Neither Pierce nor Edwards are expected to return to college football anytime soon, however. 

    This is essentially the NCAA’s scarlet letter in preventing accused coaches from getting jobs. Show-cause penalties were recently strengthened at the NCAA’s annual convention in January.

    CBS Sports reported in February that Arizona State was expected to agree to major violations in the negotiated resolution process. The case began when the ASU staff allegedly entertained recruits on campus during the COVID-19 dead period, which was in violation of NCAA rules. Further postseason penalties are not expected after the school self-imposed a one-year bowl ban in August 2023 in an attempt to mitigate future punishment. 

    A negotiated resolution occurs when schools, involved persons and NCAA…

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  • KeAndre Lambert-Smith enters transfer portal: Penn State’s top WR exits, limiting options for QB Drew Allar

    KeAndre Lambert-Smith enters transfer portal: Penn State’s top WR exits, limiting options for QB Drew Allar

    USATSI

    Penn State receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith has entered the transfer portal as a graduate, he announced Monday. Lambert-Smith ranks as the most experienced wide receiver in the Big Ten with 38 starts to his name. 

    Lambert-Smith led the Nittany Lions with 53 catches for 673 yards and four touchdowns in 2023 and was the only wide receiver on the team to post more than 250 yards receiving. Across his 48-game career, Lambert-Smith posted 1,721 yards and 11 touchdowns at Penn State. Over his final two seasons, PSU posted a 21-5 record with two New Year’s Six appearances. 

    Wide receiver has quickly become a top priority for teams in the transfer portal. 247Sports’ Chris Hummer lists wide receiver as a top need for 16 power-conference programs, including Clemson, Michigan and USC. With the transfer portal set to officially open on Tuesday, Lambert-Smith becomes the early frontrunner for best player available at wide receiver.

    Ironically, Penn State ranked among the programs that needed the most help in the transfer portal at wide receiver. The Nittany Lions averaged just 215 passing yards per game with former five-star quarterback Drew Allar under center; three of the top four receiving leaders on the roster were running backs or tight ends. 

    The Nittany Lions were aggressive early, nabbing former blue-chip recruit Julian Fleming from Ohio State. New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki also remains an expert at using misdirection to free receivers in space. However, the rest of the team is notably bare of proven talent. 

    Penn State could quickly turn to the…

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  • Colts extend Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner, reportedly adding 2 years, $46M to contract

    Colts extend Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner, reportedly adding 2 years, $46M to contract

    The Indianapolis Colts have spent their offseason re-signing players from their 2023 squad, and now it’s DeForest Buckner’s turn. The Colts announced Monday morning they have extended their highly-productive defensive tackle.

    The Colts didn’t include any details about the extension. According to multiple reports, Buckner will be paid $46 million to stay another two years in Indy. His current deal ends after the 2024 season, so he’s tied to the Colts through 2026.

    Buckner, 30, is entering his ninth season in the NFL, and his fifth in Indianapolis. He was drafted seventh overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, and he has more than lived up to the expectations of that high draft slot. Over his career, he’s racked up 166 solo tackles, 32.5 sacks, 42 tackles for loss, 87 QB hits, and six forced fumbles, plus three elections to the Pro Bowl. The Colts acquired Buckner by trade in March 2020, sending their first-round draft pick to the Niners as compensation.

    The Colts have signed defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to an extension reportedly worth $46 million over two years. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

    The Colts, who have now brought back 10 players from the 2023 squad, went 9-8 in 2023, which isn’t a result most teams would willingly want to repeat. But head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard have a good reason to want to try again with the same group of players in 2024: Anthony Richardson. The Colts took Richardson, a quarterback, fourth overall in the 2023 draft. His start was a bit rocky, but they believed in Richardson’s ability to grow into the role.

    Unfortunately, Richardson sustained a shoulder injury in Week 5 and eventually underwent surgery that caused him to miss the rest of the season, so it’s hard to blame the Colts for wanting a do-over on 2023. And by re-upping Buckner, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., cornerback Kenny Moore, and others, they’re setting themselves up well even if Richardson struggles a bit in his return.

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