By: Jeremy Trottier

The 2021 offseason has been relatively interesting so far, with a huge deal of the free agents gone at this point.  With that said, there are still some quality signings out there to be made, and will likely happen as we get closer to training camps in the coming weeks.  Geno Atkins is one of the remaining free agents who is intriguing, as his landing spot is almost completely up in the air, and just depends on team needs come September.  In this article, I will be going over three reasons as to why the San Francisco 49ers should sign Geno.

Defensive Line Rotation

The 49ers have an extremely strong defensive line right now; however, they do lack a true force starting alongside the potential of Javon Kinlaw.  D.J. Jones is solid but does not bring much in terms of production throughout the season.  If the 49ers were able to accrue a line of Nick Bosa, Javon Kinlaw, Geno Atkins, and Arik Armstead, they would definitely be in a great place to really bulk up their rotation.  

This would also allow them to keep Dee Ford, D.J. Jones, and Kentavius Street as backups and after last season, it seems pretty clear they need to be focused on “next man up” football if players go down again.  Even if they do not have as many injuries as last season, keeping quality backups for later weeks so you can rest your starters is a solid plan.

Geno is Still a Productive Player

One of the biggest things people tend to forget about Geno is he really had one bad season to date, and that being 2020 with his shoulder surgery.  Prior to that, he made six consecutive pro bowls and an all-pro team, as well as two pro bowls in the three seasons before that.  The last season he played all 16 games (2019) he had the following stats:

• 4.5 sacks, 47 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss
• 10 QB hits, 10 hurries, 20 pressures, and only 6 missed tackles

It is also worth noting that 2019 was his first season playing defensive end instead of the interior, which really is not his strong suit.  If he is placed back at IDL he should regain his productivity of years past.

Scheme Fit

Personally, looking at how this defense was run under Robert Saleh, I believe Geno would absolutely thrive in this 49ers defense.  Things will likely stay relatively stable with DeMeco Ryan taking over as defensive coordinator, as he worked under Robert Saleh so he will likely continue to use the scheme they have in years past. 

This would allow their 4-3 scheme to stay intact, and them to run Geno as a “pass-rushing IDL” of sorts due to his hugely productive sack numbers over the years.  The 49ers are also extremely blitz-heavy on late downs, having the 3rd highest blitz rate on 3rd downs in 2020, and 19th on earlier downs. 

This would also allow Geno to either produce his own sacks on those late downs or take on two O-linemen and allow the other three previously mentioned players around him to rack up some more sacks as well.  Working inside Nick Bosa would be an absolute dream for the 49ers, and an absolute nightmare for any opposing quarterbacks. 

The post Why San Francisco 49ers should consider signing Geno Atkins appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Intro

Sheldon Richardson entered the league in 2013 as the 13th overall pick in the 1st round by the New York Jets. His career seemed destined for stardom. Richardson won the defensive rookie of the year in 2013, followed by both pro bowl and all-pro first team honors in 2014. However, the early success didn’t last long. His play started to fall as well as the Jets team around him.

Richardson was then traded by the Jets in 2016 and since then he been on three different teams. He now will be looking for this fourth different team in the last six seasons. Richardson can still play and be valuable asset along that defensive line. His skill-set would be best suited for a team contending for a championship at this point.

Below are a few teams that can best use Richardson’s services and be a good fit for both sides.

Teams

Baltimore Ravens – With guys like Aaron Crawford, Derek Wolfe, Braxton Hoyett etc. along the interior defensive-line, Richardson can be added value here. He brings along a ton of experience, including the past two seasons with rival Cleveland Browns and can easily fit across anywhere on the line. He has experience playing the edge spots, that versatility can make attractive to team like the Ravens looking to make that Super-bowl run.

Kansas City Chiefs – Rich get richer? Absolutely! Richardson could be the perfect person to play behind/along side guys like Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Taco Charlton etc. along that defensive-line. Having gone to back to back Superbowls the Chiefs will be looking to re-load and go all-in one more time with it’s currently structured roster.

This would be a great fit for Richardson to use athletic play style under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system. With not much proven depth behind Jones and Nnadi in the interior defensive-line, Richardson can make for serious playing time with the Chiefs.

Atlanta Falcons – Yes, I know the Falcons aren’t the most favorite of SB contenders out there. However, this team still has what it takes with the immense amount of talent it has on both sides of the ball. New head coach, Arthur Smith will infuse new life into the team thus making them a sneaky good pick.

With that said, this is another spot that Richardson can come in and thrive. Dean Pees and his aggressive defense will create havoc for offenses and Richardson can play anywhere along the line. Pees likes to put his play-makers in the best position possible to do what they do best, make plays! Richardson and Grady Jarrett can be fearsome double-headed monster for opposing offenses.

Tennessee Titans – Not the most appealing of options but this is also a good fit if the price is right. Having just over 6m in salary cap space, this might be a tight squeeze to fit in Richardson. However, if the two sides can come to agreement, Richardson can play along side the younger guys in Teair Tart and Jullian Taylor.

This would be a good learning experience for both Tart and Taylor to learn from a guy like Richardson who has been through the wars. The Titans lacked a pass rush in the 2020 season. They accumulated just 19 sacks the whole season! Yes, 19 sacks which was good for 30th in the league. For context, TJ Watt had 15 sacks by himself. Now, Richardson is not a sack master by any means but he can certainly give that line a much needed infusion of power.

Wildcard pick – New York Jets – This would be a return home for Richardson. The Jets are no where near a contender of any sorts but Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas have something building in NY. Richardson can come back to where he started and help the Jets become relevant once again. Richardson teaming with budding star Quinnen Williams would be an awesome sight to see. I don’t think this particular re-union will come to fruition but hey we’ve seen weirder things happen before.

Conclusion

Richardson has fallen off the cliff steeply over the past few seasons. However, given the right scheme and culture fit he can be more than a serviceable player. Motivation is always key for players who seem to move around quite often.

Players are constantly trying to prove that they still have what it takes to be successful and impactful players. Richardson is no different and will look for a bounce back season in 2021.

The post Potential Landing Spots for Sheldon Richardson appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chandler Hyler

During the 2020 NFL season, Atkins not only seen a dip in statistical categories but in snaps played as well. The majority of the time, these two things do play into each other, as fewer snaps are played, it creates fewer opportunities to make plays. That being said, where there is smoke, there is likely to be fire. What I mean by that is the number of reduced snaps had to come from something, was it Atkins was battling back from a shoulder injury or had they seen a drastic drop in his play and production?

Former All–Pro and repeat visitor of the NFL’s top 100 list, Geno Atkins is still looking for a home for the 2021 NFL season. While he may not be the player he used to be, he could still bring in some rotational value for a team looking to upgrade their talent on the interior of their defensive line. Interest has been had for Atkins, but obviously, his market hasn’t been booming, otherwise, he would be preparing to suit up for an NFL franchise. Prior to Atkins being cut, he spent his entire 11 career with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Atkins saw action in eight games of the 2020 NFL Season but ultimately did not start one. Another alarming statistic from the previous season, he only recorded one tackle with zero sacks. In 2019, the former Georgia Bulldog played in all 16 games, while starting in 14 of those. There was a dip in his statistics in 2019 compared to 2018, as he totaled just 4.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits compared to a 10 sack season and 19 quarterback hits in 2018. As for relevancy, this created the concern that during his 2019 season, once he surpassed the great age of 30, that he had begun to meet father time.

As a believer in fresh starts, Atkins still may have some gas left in the tank, he may just need to wipe his slate clean. The Cincinnati Bengals are going in a different direction, and instilling a youth movement in efforts to build around second-year stud quarterback Joe Burrow. Who could be suitors for the former All-Pro, wrecking ball in Atkins?

1. Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas has had major problems with creating pressure on the quarterback and has since the departure of all worldly talent, Khalil Mack. I don’t see Atkins coming in and being the absolute solution here, but I could see a scenario where Atkins at the minimum, improves the issue. With newly hired defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, this unit should see some improvement as a whole. Along with Johnathan Hankins, the Raiders could solidify the interior of their defensive line by adding Atkins. At a minimum, if Hankins and Atkins could create pressure inside and get pressure up the middle, this could cease a quarterback’s ability to step up in the pocket, which creates a better angle for outside pass rushers to get home. The duo of Atkins and Hankins are both big bodies and would have no issues filling run gaps. If Atkins could come in and see valuable playing time with Las Vegas, and he could prove he is still an important commodity to this league.

2. Buffalo Bills

Another team that Atkins would be a schematic fit for would be the Buffalo Bills, as they are currently still running a base 4-3 defense. On one side of the interior of their defensive line, they boast former top 10 pick, Ed Oliver, and opposite to him is Vernon Butler. Atkins could be brought in as a rotational piece, and help keep those guys fresh. One other positive takeaway from bringing Atkins in would be his ability to bring Oliver under his wing. Atkins could teach him some of the things that made him such an unstoppable force for over a decade. Oliver is a highly talented player, and has the potential to be great; with the help from a veteran like Geno Atkins, some valuable knowledge could be forever instilled in the young pass-rusher’s mind. The Bills are also expected to be a highly competitive team next year, and Atkins could have a chance to win him a ring before his career is over.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

This is more of a luxury addition for the Kansas City Chiefs, as they have one of the best defensive tackles in the league in Chris Jones. Jones has been a destroyer since he came into the league, and beside Jones is Jarran Reed, a former second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks. Atkins would be brought in to spell these guys, or in certain packages, sub Tim Ward out, push Jones outside, and line up Chris Jones, Geno Atkins, Jarran Reed, and Frank Clark along the defensive front. That would be a scary front on the goal line and would give the Chiefs flexibility in short-yardage situations, as well as obvious pass-rush situations. Similar to joining the Buffalo Bills, this would give Atkins an immediate shot at winning himself a ring before his career is over.

4. Dallas Cowboys

This Dallas Cowboys defense was historically bad last season. They gave up the second-most yards in franchise history while allowing the most points ever in a Cowboy’s single-season at 473. First-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has his work cut out for him, as they need to add a plethora of talent across the board. In the NFL, it all begins up front, and adding some depth and talent to this defensive line would give Quinn a boost. Atkins could come in and clog up the interior as a big, strong-bodied 3 technique, who has shown he has pass rush prowess. If he can muster some of his old magic, which is yet to be seen, but if the Cowboys could bring Atkins in on a team-friendly one-year deal, it couldn’t make this defense any worse. They need playmakers and then some more playmakers. As it stands today, their interior defensive line is Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill, that duo isn’t really making anyone shake in their boots. Atkins could be a solid presence inside of Gregory and Lawrence, and make the Cowboys defensive line formidable at the least.

Geno Atkins will sign with an NFL team at some point, but it really is to be seen with who, and for what. His value and interest around the league have to be differentiating, as what he brings to the table at this point is unknown. That being said, teams ike the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders make a lot of sense as they both could definitely use the upgrade along their defensive front. It would be interesting to see Atkins go sign with a competitor as well, like the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs, as Atkins has been one of the quiet, yet productive players in the NFL for the past decade.

The post Potential Landing Spots For Geno Atkins appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Dylan Parkes

Two-time pro bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short was released on Tuesday by the Carolina Panthers and is now one of the most interesting free agents out on the open market. 

Short was a guaranteed cut for the Panthers ahead of free agency. He was in the last year of the 5 year, $80 million extensions he signed back in 2017 and would have carried a cap hit of $11,017,000 if the Panthers didn’t release him. His release doesn’t come as a surprise due to his recent run of injuries. 

Both of Shorts’ 2019 and 2020 seasons were cut drastically short due to a horrid run of shoulder injuries. He missed a total of 27 games across two seasons and was never able to stay healthy and replicate his 2015 and 2018 pro-bowl seasons. 

When Short was on the field he was a dominant force up front who could get into the backfield and make impact plays in both the running and passing games. Between 2013 and 2018, Short recorded 32.5 sacks, 58 tackles for loss, 84 quarterback hits and 160 solo tackles. His 32.5 sacks were similar to Ndamukong Suh’s 34 during the 6-year-span when Suh was twice honoured as a first team All-Pro. 

Short, at age 32, doesn’t project to be the same player as he once was. Given his injury history, Short is probably going to command a short-term contract on the open market. He won’t be able to get the big money but he certainly will get a chance to join a team that can legitimately give him a shot of getting his first Lombardi trophy. 

1. Buffalo Bills 

Buffalo would be the ideal spot for Short to land. They were one win away from making the Super Bowl last season despite lacking consistent pass rush from the defensive line. Short has familiarity with Bills head coach Sean McDermott during their time together in Carolina when he had his most productive season of his career when he recorded 11.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits and 36 solo tackles. 

Adding Short to the Bills defensive line rotation would make for an interesting fit. The Bills defense ranked 24th in yards per attempt and allowed the 6th most rushing touchdowns in the NFL a season ago. Adding Short in the middle of the defense would help improve a glaring need in the run game that was aided by how good the offense was a season ago. 

At his best, Short is a game wrecker who can consistently make plays in the backfield and get to the opposing quarterback. He would be an immediate short-term upgrade over the Bills current defensive tackle Ed Oliver and would be a great schematic fit for the Bills in Leslie Frazier’s 4-3 defence.

If Buffalo wants to dethrone Kansas City and make it to Super Bowl LVI they must address the defensive line first. Tampa Bay showed the rest of the league how to beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl and it starts in the trenches. Short’s familiarity with McDermott and their glaring need at the position makes Buffalo the perfect place for him to land. 

2. Dallas Cowboys 

Adding Short to the mix in Jerry World would be an interesting fit that could work out very well for both sides. The Cowboys have an obvious need on the interior of their defensive line and Short would be able to join forces with Demarcus Lawrence and Aldon Smith to form a dangerous pass rushing trio. While the three will have no problem getting after the quarterback, they’ll first need to work out how to stop the run which was the achilles heel of the Cowboys defence a season ago. 

The Cowboys finished in the bottom five in almost every statistical category for rushing defence a season ago. They allowed 158.8 rushing yards per game, 2nd most in the entire league, while also allowing the 3rd most yards per attempt (5.0). On average, the Cowboys allowed opposing running backs to gain 2.3 yards per carry before first contact, which was the most in the league 

by half a yard. On the other side of the spectrum, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers allowed just 1.0 yard on average before contact was made. 

Dallas’ defence was run all over in 2020 and will need to improve considerably if they want to contend in the NFC East this upcoming season. Assuming quarterback Dak Prescott returns, the Cowboys offence will be back to where it was before he went with the broken ankle in week 5. Sophomore CeDee Lamb showed his potential to be an elite receiver in the NFL and if Ezekiel Elliot can return to his absolute best the Cowboys would immediately be right back in the conversation for best teams in the NFC. 

With $19,356,093 available in cap space, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones has the money available to retool the Cowboys roster. He has shown his willingness in the past to make the major move, but this off-season, more than any other — calls for the simple and right move to be made. Short’s addition would be a no brainer for the Cowboys and would immediately fill a major hole on their roster. 

3. San Francisco 49ers 

The San Francisco 49ers took an unexpected decline in 2020 after making the Super Bowl the year prior. They’re high expectations were dashed early in the season when they lost several players through injury and were never at full strength all season. 

Adding Short to the 49ers roster carries some risk due to his own previous injury history. He would join a long list of players recovering from season ending injuries on their roster but would be useful for a number of reasons if he could stay healthy.

Adding Short onto a defensive line that already consists of Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Solomon Thomas, Arik Armstead and JaVonn Kinlaw would create nightmares for opposing offensive coordinators and would give the 49ers an advantage at the line of scrimmage in almost every game. Having a group of 7 players also gives the 49ers new defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans flexibility to rotate the defensive line on early downs to stop the run and keep the players fresh for a deep playoff run. 

With Bosa, Ford, Thomas and Short all returning from injuries, the 49ers would be able to ease them back into action by rotating the front of their defensive line. The front four would all stay fresh and would be able to get after the quarterback on third down — something they used to great effect during the 2019 season when they had 48 sacks. 

Signing with San Francisco makes perfect sense for Short in free agency and would be his best chance to finally get a championship. The 49ers would be immediately back at the top of the NFC contending for the Super Bowl and would have the perfect defence setup to contend with anyone in the NFC.

The post 3 Free Agency Destinations For Kawann Short appeared first on Pro Football Mania.