Deshaun Watson
- Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline says the indication from sources is that the Dolphins will involve themselves in trade talks for Texans QB Deshaun Watson if Houston officially makes him available.
- According to Adam Beasley and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins are seen as the frontrunners behind the scenes as Watson is a big fan of the culture HC Brian Flores is building.
Eric Bieniemy
For the third straight season, Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy is exiting the NFL’s hiring cycle without a head coaching job. Like the rest of the NFL world, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is flabbergasted.
“It amazes me, honestly,” Mahomes said on the Dan Patrick Show. “The first year, you kind of were like, ‘All right, it’s just his first cycle through.’ Then last year, the interviews, you’re like, ‘For sure he’s gonna get a job.’ Then this year.”
In Mahomes’ opinion, it’s clear that Bieniemy is deserving of a head coaching job.
“If you look at his track record and the way he’s able to coach us, the way he’s able to lead men — people say that, but to be able to lead a locker room of people from every different background, every different race and everything like that, and be able to be the lead of the locker room is a special talent. It’s a talent, and he’s able to do that,” he said.
The fact that Bieniemy splits play-calling duties with Chiefs HC Andy Reid is often used to discredit what otherwise would be a prominent position coordinating the league’s most explosive offense. That didn’t stop four other teams from hiring specific candidates who didn’t call plays in their prior gigs, but Mahomes said it’s moot anyway because Bieniemy has a not-minimal role in their success.
“The way he’s able to go about calling plays throughout the game — I understand we have coach Reid, and coach Reid calls plays, but there’s a ton of input from coach Bieniemy and he calls a ton of plays in our game plan,” Mahomes said. “It just gets overlooked. I mean, who knows what it is? It’s a loss for everybody else in the NFL and a gain for us. Hopefully, he gets his chance, because he’ll succeed at wherever he is. But if he doesn’t, we’re glad enough to have him back again.”
NFL Draft
- The Athletic’s Dane Brugler says Florida QB Kyle Trask withdrew from the Senior Bowl due to an ankle injury.
- Notre Dame WR Ben Skowronek suffered a “significant foot injury” on Wednesday and could be out for an extended period. (Tony Pauline)
- University of Houston WR Marquez Stevenson said NFL teams have acknowledged his speed at the 2021 Senior Bowl: “They think I’m a really good player, and the teams were calling me ‘Speedy’ before I approached their tables for interviews. They know what’s going on. I can do everything the other guys can do, and there’s nothing they can do that I can’t do.” (Aaron Wilson)
- Vanderbilt DL Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a torn Achilles during his pre-draft preparation which is a major blow to his draft stock as a potential Day 2 or Day 3 pick. (Brugler)
- There’s a chance Odeyingbo could take the extra year of eligibility being offered by the NCAA and return to school. He’s looking at an eight-month recovery timeline and falling from potentially a second or third-round pick to a Day 3 pick if he stays in the draft. (Tony Pauline)
- Alabama RB Najee Harris elected to participate in the Senior Bowl despite an ankle injury against the advice of his agency. (Joe Schad)
- Georgie DL Malik Herring confirmed he tore his ACL at the Senior Bowl this week. (Anthony Dasher)
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