Category: NFL News

Football is a team sport, but two roles in particular have a heavy sway on a team’s success: quarterback and head coach. If you possess an elite signal-caller or play-caller, odds are you’ll still need a solid supporting cast to contend for a title. But at least you’ll have a running start. Just ask the Chiefs and Patriots, who built — or still maintain — recent NFL dynasties thanks to impeccable QB-HC pairings.

There is little debate, going into 2023, which of the NFL’s QBs belong in the uppermost tier: Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen are among the bona fide studs under center. But what about the head coaches? Which chief of staff makes the biggest difference with his strategy, his experience, his leadership?

Here’s our pecking order of all 32 head coaches going into this season:

32. Matt Eberflus (Bears)

Season: 2nd with CHI, 2nd as HC
Career record: 3-14 | Playoffs: N/A

It’s not all Eberflus’ fault he debuted with a stripped-down roster, but if you’re gonna be a defensive HC in today’s NFL, you’d prefer not to shepherd one of the league’s worst units on that side of the ball. A big leap from QB Justin Fields would help.

31. Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals)

Season: 1st with ARI, 1st as HC
Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A

He’s a unique and energetic character, to be sure, and that may help Arizona weather its slow-burn rebuild. But his defensive approach is quite passive, as sore Eagles fans will be quick to note, and he could be working with a barren roster for years.

30. Josh McDaniels (Raiders)

Season: 2nd with LV, 4th as HC
Career record: 17-28 | Playoffs: N/A

Josh McDaniels
USATSI

We know he can run a Patriots offense, which is probably why he basically remade the old Patriots in Las Vegas this offseason. But adversity has tended…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

The days of the base defense with three linebackers on the field are most definitely over. Last season, defenses played nickel (five defensive backs) on 12,630 opponent passing attempts. Defenses played dime (six defensive backs) on 2,715 opponent dropbacks. With just 3,206 opponent dropbacks against four defensive backs last season, base defense is no longer base defense — nickel is the new base, and has been for some time.

With that in mind, it’s also clear that the requirements for NFL linebackers have changed. Running backs motioning out of the backfield, and the advent of the 3×1 formation, have altered team needs at the position. The old-school forward-motion run-stopper is of limited use at best, unless he can also cover from the flat to the seam, and blitz everywhere from the second level to various gaps at the line of scrimmage.

It’s a new day for linebackers, and as such, we’re seeing different types of players define the position. Now, you need to be built like a safety while still hitting like a 250-pound middle linebacker from the 1970s. It’s not an easy gig, and that’s one reason for the supposed “devaluation” of the position. Linebackers are rarely thought to be the personifications of their defenses as they were in previous eras. Now, it’s mostly about cornerbacks and edge-rushers. If you want to stand out in the public eye like Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert… well, good luck with that.

Still, it’s an important position, and as the goalposts have moved, players have redefined themselves to bend with the times. Thus, the 11 players you’ll see on this list.

The criteria to make the list of the 11 best linebackers in the game today represented a focus on a multi-faceted approach to the game.

Beating blocks and getting through run fits on a consistent basis is crucial. If you can’t stop the run well, it’s going to be tough to get anywhere near this listicle.

Pass coverage is also crucial. Can you be a true half-field defender at…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

ESPN put together their list of the 50 biggest NFL draft steals of the last decade. They laid out a very clear set of rules as to what qualifies a player to be a steal which included not having any first-round picks. So that means Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt can’t qualify despite being the No. 30 overall pick.

But two former Steelers did make the cut. Checking in as the No. 20 biggest steal of the last decade was running back Le’Veon Bell. Here’s what they had to say about Bell:

The first rookie to lead the Steelers in rushing since 1989, Bell provided a major boost in both the passing and run games right out of the gate. His notable “slow to/fast through” running style was somewhat new to the NFL; Bell could come to nearly a complete stop and then suddenly explode up the field. It helped him become a three-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler during his six seasons in Pittsburgh.

Then at No. 41 ESPN has defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Pittsburgh drafted Hargrave at pick No. 89 in the 2016 NFL draft. Here’s what they had to say about Hargrave as the pick:

Hargrave was knocked hard in the NFL draft process for short arms, small hands and an FCS level of competition at South Carolina State. But he has emerged as one of the premier defensive tackles in the game, adding 11 sacks and 30 pressures to his résumé in 2022 alone. Hargave just cashed in with an $84 million contract with the 49ers, further solidifying his status as a legendary draft steal.

It’s an interesting comparison to see how two guys who were drafted and took their careers in very different directions as well as how they were handled by the Steelers. Bell was the star for Pittsburgh yet it wasn’t enough and his greed pushed him out of the league too soon. Hargrave was never treated with the respect he deserved with the Steelers but he bided his time and cashed in as a free agent.

More Steelers Wire News!

Pat Freiermuth offers bold prediction for Steelers season

Who will lead the…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Indianapolis Colts veteran cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, Colts defensive end Rashod Berry, and free agent defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor have all been given indefinite suspensions as part of the NFL’s latest investigation into gambling allegations a league press release announced Thursday. The league found Rodgers, Berry, and Taylor were all found to have bet on NFL games during the 2022 season. They are all eligible to petition the league to be reinstated once the 2023 season ends. As a result, the Colts waived both Rodgers and Berry shortly after the news broke.

Rodgers’ wagers included a $1,000 prop bet on the Over/Under of rushing yards of a Colts running back, per ESPN.

Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere was also suspended Thursday for six games instead of indefinitely because he bet on non-NFL sports while at the Titans facility. Part of the league’s gambling rules state that no NFL employee can gamble in any club or league facility/venue including a team’s practice facility. 

A year after former Falcons and current Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for all of 2022 due to bets placed on NFL games, the NFL has now suspended nine additional players this offseason, including Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams. Earlier this month, reports indicated the NFL was preparing for a second wave of suspensions, with Rodgers among players implicated.

A fourth-year cornerback and kick returner for the Colts, Rodgers took “full responsibility” for his alleged gambling shortly afterward, apologizing via social media. Now he’s set to miss all of 2023 for what Sports Handle reported as “pervasive wagering activities.” There is reportedly evidence that Rodgers used an acquaintance to place some bets on his own team during the 2022 season.

The NFL does not permit players to bet on any NFL games, to place bets on any other sports from team facilities or…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

We found another thing Brock Purdy would’ve been atop the NFL at in 2022 had he scraped together a larger sample size.

NFL analytics guru Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis put together a list of the best completion rates by quarterbacks inside the 10-yard line last season. His qualifying number was at least 20 pass attempts, which left a list of 26 quarterbacks.

Atop that list was Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who completed 68 percent of his throws inside the 10. The worst in the group was Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who managed to connect on only 33 percent of his attempts within 10 yards of the end zone.

Purdy didn’t get an opportunity to make 20 throws inside the 10. He only had eight such chances, but he completed all six of them for touchdowns. His 75 percent completion rate would’ve been the best in the NFL last season:

That sample size is, of course, very small. However, even a regression over more attempts puts him on track to continue to sit near the top of the league in completion rate when the windows get smaller.

Part of the reason Purdy was so good inside the 10 (and inside the red zone in general) is because of his ability to extend plays. It’s also helpful to have a player like Christian McCaffrey to find out of the backfield in those spots.

Converting red zone trips into touchdowns will be essential for Purdy to continue having success in 2023. Having an efficient QB near the goal line gives head coach Kyle Shanahan a ton of options with how he can call plays down there. If Purdy maintains his level of efficiency on those throws it’s going to be really tough to stop the 49ers when the get deep into the red area.

More Latest 49ers news!

How 49ers could windup in QB (Kirk Cousins) market next offseason

4 ways 49ers roster can improve its preseason ranking from ESPN

Rams to sign former 49ers CB Ahkello Witherspoon

Story originally appeared on Niners Wire

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Training camps will be here in around month, which means the blur that is the NFL offseason — the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency, pro days, the NFL Draft as well as organized team activities and minicamps — are all in the past. That makes right now a great time to evaluate which teams crushed the offseason and which ones fell behind after the league’s wheeling-and-dealing period. The rankings below are weighted on which teams did the best to position themselves as Super Bowl contenders while also having a coherent vision going forward given the cap space and draft capital each team had entering the 2023 offseason.

The latter part of the equation, the plan forward and actions executed to pave the way forward on the respective roster-building paths, is critical in how these rankings panned out. The Detroit Lions had some of the best draft capital of any team in the league, four picks in the first two rounds, but their team isn’t that much more improved after the draft than it could have been. Meanwhile, the top of this list is led by contenders who maximized their cap space and draft picks to become more formidable going into 2023 and beyond. Now that the table has been set, dig into the CBS Sports cumulative offseason rankings from best to worst. 

We begin with teams ranked 17-32 in our list. To see 1-16, click here.

…..

[ad_2]

Read More

I’m not much of a gambler. I can say for certain that I’ve never made a bet on a sports-betting app while at the Tennessee Titans’ headquarters, a place I routinely frequent as a part of my job.

Legally in this state, though, I could have. And I’d have had no clue – until recently – that doing so would have set off all sorts of alarm bells. Given the location tracking used by betting sites, they’d have probably looked into it and figured out I wasn’t a Titans player or employee. But how can you know? Could have caused real problems.

A hypothetical, but that’s beside the point.

Point is, I didn’t know.

And that means I can’t help but feel for Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere.

On Thursday, the NFL revealed the Titans’ starting right tackle will be suspended six regular-season games “for betting on non-NFL sports at the club facility.” Indefinite suspensions were announced for three other players, except those players were found to have bet on the NFL. Harsh punishments made sense in those instances.

With Petit-Frere, though, it’s more difficult to see what he did wrong.

He is allowed to bet on sports as a resident of Tennessee. He is allowed by the NFL to bet on sports outside of his own league. It’d be OK in the league’s eyes for him to do that at home or at nearly every location in Tennessee. He just isn’t allowed to do it at the Titans’ facility or while traveling with the team.

More: NFL suspends three more players for entire 2023 season for gambling violations

It’s a distinction so seemingly arbitrary – and a violation so careless in nature – that you’ve got to believe Petit-Frere when he says he didn’t know he was breaking the rules.

“I have always strived in every stage of my life to follow the rules,” he said in a statement to ESPN. “I did not knowingly break the rules. Even after attending a league presentation, I was unaware about the specifics around placing bets from a team facility.”

If true, that’s on…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Training camp is less than a month away, yet there are still talented players that are available for any NFL team to sign. As the league reaches a “slow” part of the calendar, teams aren’t in a rush to sign free agents — and vice versa — since this is the time players and coaches are away from the facilities. 

As the top free agents remaining are looking for a team, they still are feeling out their offers with training camp on the horizon. For all the updates on the top free agents available, here’s a rundown on their search for their next team. 

Quarterback

Wentz wants and intends to play this coming season and has been keeping fresh by spending time in Tampa working with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden. Wentz has reportedly been throwing and studying film with Gruden as he waits for his next opportunity. 

Wentz would be open to a backup role and he is in no rush to sign with a team, despite receiving some interest. Instead, he planned to wait to see what develops, which seems like it could continue into training camp considering teams will largely be off for the next month.  

…

..

[ad_2]

Read More