Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) celebrates with teammates after setting the Jaguars single season record for sacks during second quarter action. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL Sunday, December 31, 2023. The Jaguars went in at the half with a 9 to 0 lead.

Jaguars apply franchise tag, retain pass rusher Josh Allen

The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on pass rusher Josh Allen, who would make $24 million next season unless he works out on a long-term contract with Jacksonville before the NFL deadline on July 17.

Allen, the No. 7 overall selection in 2019, played the 2023 season on his fifth-year option and posted career highs with 17.5 sacks and 33 quarterback hits in 17 games.

The 26-year-old was voted to his second Pro Bowl and head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke let him know before the end of last season they were committed to keeping him in Jacksonville.

“Yeah, Josh will be a Jaguar,” Baalke said in January. “I know Josh wants to be here, and I know we want him here. Can we come to a number that works for everybody? That’s the key.”

Two edge rushers — Panthers outside linebacker Brian Burns is the other — were tagged on Tuesday.

A long-term deal didn’t happen despite a meeting with Allen’s representatives in Indianapolis last week.

Only five “edge rushers,” comprised of defensive ends and pass-rushing outside linebackers, are scheduled to make more than Allen’s franchise tender in 2024.

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid player at the position group next season with an annual average salary of $34 million on a $170 million contract that raised the bar significantly last summer.

Montez Sweat, acquired by the Bears in October, is scheduled to make $24.5 million per year on a new $98 million agreement with Chicago. Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns ($25 million), Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers ($27 million) and Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt ($28 million) are the only other players in the same range.

–Field Level Media

Dec 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams (31) catches the ball during warm ups before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Jaguars to release CB Darious Williams

Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams will be released in a surprise move after a productive season that included four interceptions and 19 passes defensed.

According to multiple reports Tuesday, Williams is being cut to help Jacksonville retain other free agents.

Williams, who turns 31 this month, was set to make $9 million in 2024. Cutting him gives Jacksonville another $11.5 million in salary cap space, which is needed to retain pass rusher Josh Allen.

Jacksonville signed Williams to a three-year, $30 million contract in March 2022. He had 53 tackles in 17 starts last season and is already projected as a potential target of the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens, who signed Williams as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

Allen is the top free agent priority of the Jaguars after the 26-year-old recorded 17.5 sacks in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;  Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws during pre-game warmups against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Jags GM: Trevor Lawrence, Josh Allen not going anywhere

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and edge rusher Josh Allen will be with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the long term, general manager Trent Baalke said Thursday.

Baalke told reporters that the team is prioritizing both franchise cornerstones — Lawrence with a contract extension and Allen with a new deal.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Lawrence signed a four-year, $36.7 million rookie deal that has one year remaining, plus a fifth-year $10.89 million team option before he could hit free agency in 2026.

Allen, the No. 7 overall selection in 2019, played the 2023 season on his fifth-year option and is eligible for free agency when the new league year begins in March.

Lawrence, 24, had a tough rookie year during Urban Meyer’s chaotic season as head coach, then showed growth under Doug Pederson in 2022, leading the Jaguars to a 9-8 record and a playoff victory. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and threw for 4,113 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

In 2023, however, end-of-season injuries plagued Lawrence and helped to doom the Jaguars’ playoff chances, and he couldn’t improve on the 2022 numbers.

Baalke said it wasn’t cause for worry, calling 2023 another “learning year,” and that the team will pursue a long-term deal.

“As far as Trevor and the long-term relationship with this team, there’s no doubt in that,” Baalke said. “We are going to get something done (at) the appropriate time.”

A deal with Allen, 26, is a more pressing need. He gained his second Pro Bowl nod in 2024 after racking up 66 tackles, 33 quarterback hits and a franchise-record 17.5 sacks in 17 games.

“Yeah, Josh will be a Jaguar,” Baalke said, adding the two sides have yet to talk money.

“I know Josh wants to be here, and I know we want him here,” Baalke said. “Can we come to a number that works for everybody? That’s the key.

“… You have to respect these guys that put themselves in this position. They work hard, they deserve the good money. … We just have to come together and sit down at the table and work things out.”

If Allen and the Jaguars don’t reach a long-term deal in the next few weeks, they could apply the franchise tag to him.

From Feb. 20 until March 5 at 4 p.m. ET, teams may designate franchise or transition tag players. Franchise tag players may not negotiate with other teams and will earn the average of the top five salaries at the position from the current season.

–Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts to his second touchdown to regain the lead against the Chiefs.

Bills QB Josh Allen wants OC, HC back in 2024

Business is about to get more expensive for the Buffalo Bills.

A salary cap crunch created by the ballooning cap hit of quarterback Josh Allen is among chief concerns entering the offseason. Allen and the Bills lost in the divisional playoff round for the third consecutive season and bowed out without reaching the Super Bowl for the fifth straight year.

“Still doesn’t feel real that we’re not practicing today,” Allen said Monday when asked how he’ll spend his offseason.

The Kansas City Chiefs eliminated the Bills from the playoffs in a 27-24 dogfight in Buffalo on Sunday.

Allen finished a two-game postseason run this month with four touchdown passes and three TD runs. A potential game-tying field goal by Tyler Bass sailed wide right, but Allen said Monday the collective missed opportunities in all phases add up to his team heading home while Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs get ready for another AFC title game.

“I believe in what we have going on here and the people in charge,” Allen said, adding he fully embraces bringing back offensive coordinator Joe Brady. “All signs are pointing up with this team.”

Allen said he’s witnessed growth from head coach Sean McDermott and wants to continue playing for him.

“Losing is never fun. The reason why you play this game is you don’t want to feel this way. When you feel this way, it makes winning that much more special. We’re not going to run from this. We’re going to take it on the chin,” Allen said. “Continue to learn. Get better. … We’re just like (fans), we want to win. We’re going to keep fighting and keep working as hard as we can until we are that one team. Long road ahead, long offseason.”

The cost is going up for Allen in particular. His cap figure this season was $18.6 million, but leaps to $47.1 million in 2024. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who didn’t speak with the media following the loss, brings a cap charge of nearly $28 million. But the Bills could save in the neighborhood of $20 million by trading Diggs after June 1.

“This feeling right here is what you’ve got to remember going forward,” tight end Dawson Knox said. “We’ve won the division four years in a row. We’ve made the playoffs five years in a row. But this feels nowhere near satisfying. … This feeling of coming up short, is important to just marinate and motivate you for next year.”

As the cap stands, Buffalo projects to be at least $42 million over the 2024 threshold. Unrestricted free agency awaits key contributors with expiring deals, including defensive tackle Ed Oliver, defensive end Leonard Floyd, safety Micah Hyde and cornerback Rasul Douglas, a trade deadline acquisition from the Green Bay Packers.

–Field Level Media

Dec 10, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after a game  at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes battles Josh Allen, Bills in playoff road debut

Two-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes will finally face rabid, boisterous and unfriendly fans in a postseason setting.

In his sixth season as an NFL starting quarterback, Mahomes plays in his first playoff road contest on Sunday night when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round at Orchard Park, N.Y.

Mahomes has played in 12 home games and three Super Bowls during the postseason. But he’s never once had to get on a plane and fly to play in a raucous road environment while leading the Chiefs to five consecutive AFC championship game appearances.

Until now.

“It kind of is what it is,” Mahomes said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of games at home, at Arrowhead Stadium, and things have fallen that way. Now we get to go on the road to a hostile environment, and one I have not played in with fans in the stands. But it’s what you want to do when you grow up watching these games.”

Mahomes’ lone visit to play the Bills occurred during the 2020 season when stadiums were empty due to COVID-19. Kansas City won 26-17.

Since that contest, the Chiefs and Bills have met five times, all in Kansas City over a span of 34-plus months.

The Chiefs twice eliminated the Bills from the playoffs — 38-24 in the 2020 season AFC title game and again the following season, 42-36 in overtime in the divisional round.

But Buffalo’s 20-17 win this season at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 10 proved big, eventually leading to the Bills being the No. 2 seed and relegating Kansas City to No. 3.

Buffalo is relishing the opportunity to battle the Chiefs in its stadium after all the frequent flyer miles earned with trips to Kansas City.

“(Mahomes) might wanna come here, man, the many times we played there, he might need a change of scenery,” Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver said. “He might be happy to come here. Never know.”

Temperatures in the Buffalo area are projected to be the mid-20s, which is certainly better weather than both teams dealt with in the wild-card round.

Kansas City’s 26-7 home win over the Miami Dolphins was the fourth-coldest game in NFL history with the temperature at minus-4 degrees at kickoff.

The Bills’ had their game moved back a day to Monday because of a massive snowstorm. Workers cleared the field but left snow packed throughout the stands for the 31-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Buffalo star quarterback Josh Allen didn’t seem bothered by the elements as he passed for three touchdowns and scored another on a scintillating 52-yard run.

Now he’s looking to finally beat close friend Mahomes in a postseason game. Allen knows the task will be tough.

“They’ve been at the top of the mountain, they know what it takes to get there,” Allen said after Wednesday’s walk-through. “We’ve yet to do that. As a competitor, as a player, to be in a situation like this is something that you dream about.”

Mahomes knows a loss would make it a very difficult 18 holes of golf when he and Allen get together in the offseason.

“When you compete against your friends, you almost want to win even more because of it,” Mahomes said. “Josh is a great dude. I respect the way he plays football and just the guy that he is. But when two guys that are ultra-competitive that are friends off the field go up against each other, we obviously both want to win.

“We see each other in the offseason, and you want to have a little bit of those bragging rights.”

Stopping Mahomes will be more difficult for the Buffalo defense if linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle) and safety Taylor Rapp (calf) are unavailable. Bernard was hurt against the Steelers, while Rapp was injured in the regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins. Bernard (143 stops) was Buffalo’s leading tackler in the regular season.

Both players sat out Wednesday as did linebacker Baylon Spector (back), cornerback Christian Benford (knee), receiver Gabe Davis (knee) and punter Sam Martin (left hamstring). Buffalo signed Matt Haack to the practice squad as insurance in case Martin can’t play.

Nose tackle Derrick Nnadi (triceps) was the lone Kansas City player to sit out Wednesday. Standout cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (calf) was limited.

–Field Level Media

Saints head coach Dennis Allen looks on during the second half against the New York Giants at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Saints’ Dennis Allen expects to return in 2024

Dennis Allen expects to return as head coach of the New Orleans Saints next season.

Allen guided the Saints to a 9-8 record and missed out on the playoffs in a tiebreaker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) for the NFC South division title. New Orleans beat the Buccaneers and Falcons in consecutive games to keep its playoff chances alive until the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears to eliminate the Saints.

Asked Monday if he would be back as Saints’ head coach for a third season, Allen said: “That is my expectation — yes.”

“What I said to the team: I was proud of the way our guys continued to fight. I was proud of the way we finished the season,” Allen said. “But I was pissed we put ourselves in that position.”

“9-8, 7-10, 9-8 (the past three seasons), it’s not good enough. Everyone in the building is part of the culpability of that. And so we have to look at, what do we need to change? There’s things that have to be different. That’s part of what we have to do this offseason as an organization. We have to look at, what are we going to do differently? We’re all part of the problem. Now how are we going to figure out how are we going to be part of the solution. That’s what this offseason is going to be about.”

Allen, 51, was the Saints’ defensive coordinator from 2015-21 and followed Sean Payton as head coach in 2022.

Two teams in the division are searching for new coaches.

The Panthers relieved Frank Reich midway through his first season in Carolina and finished with the worst record in the NFL. The Falcons fired Arthur Smith as head coach at the end of his third 7-10 season.

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;  Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith looks on against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Coaches get heated after Saints pile on late TD, spank Falcons

Testy words were fired before cooler heads prevailed when losing coach Arthur Smith and Saints counterpart Dennis Allen met for the usual postgame salutations moments after New Orleans’ 48-17 win over the Falcons went final on Sunday.

Frustrated by the Saints scoring a touchdown in the final minute with a 24-point lead, Smith gave Allen his blunt assessment of that decision, saying “that’s f—- BS.”

Allen apologized to open his media session after the game, which ended Atlanta’s season with a 7-10 record for the third time in Smith’s three seasons as Falcons head coach.

“You can do whatever you want,” Smith said. “I just gave them my opinion about it.”

Offensive guard Cesar Ruiz took the blame for the decision by the offense not to following instructions and take a knee as the final 60 seconds ticked off the clock. Instead, Ruiz said the offensive line wanted to get running back Jamaal Williams his first rushing touchdown of the season.

“Whatever heat comes with that, put that on the (offensive) line,” he said.

New Orleans (9-8) won to keep its playoff chances alive and tuned in to root for the Green Bay Packers to lose at home to the Chicago Bears in the late afternoon slate of games Sunday.

In Allen’s first statement to reporters after the game was final, he explained the Saints’ players made the decision to get Williams the late score.

“That’s not who we are, not what we’re about,” Allen said.

–Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is tackled after scrambling out of the pocket.

Bills QB Josh Allen (neck, finger) making progress from injuries

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was a full participant during Wednesday’s walkthrough despite dealing with injuries to his neck and what the team listed as a “throwing finger.”

Allen sustained a stinger in his neck late in last weekend’s victory over the New England Patriots.

The AFC East title is on the line Sunday night when the Bills visit the Miami Dolphins but Bills coach Sean McDermott isn’t overly concerned about his quarterback.

“Still sore, we’ll continue to take it one day at a time,” McDermott said of Allen’s neck soreness. “But I anticipate him playing.”

The only Buffalo player to miss practice with a designated injury was defensive end Leonard Floyd (rib). Safeties Micah Hyde (neck) and Damar Hamlin (shoulder) were limited participants on Wednesday.

For the Dolphins, cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) missed practice and coach Mike McDaniel doesn’t expect him to play on Sunday. That would rate as a second big blow for the Miami defense after star linebacker Bradley Chubb tore the ACL in his knee during last week’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Other Miami players who sat out Wednesday were offensive tackle Terron Armstead (knee, back, ankle), running back Raheem Mostert (knee, ankle), receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) and defensive end Zach Sieler (illness).

Star receiver Tyreek Hill was a limited practice participant, partly due to his ankle injury. Hill also departed practice after a big fire broke out at his home.

Outside linebacker Jerome Baker (knee) was limited after the Dolphins began his 21-day activation window.

Among other limited Miami players were running back De’Von Achane (toe, ribs), guard Robert Hunt (hamstring) and safety Jevon Holland (both knees).

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (quadriceps, left shoulder) and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee) were full participants.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) looks on during the first half against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers rule out WR Keenan Allen, DE Joey Bosa

The Los Angeles Chargers have ruled out wide receivers Keenan Allen and Josh Palmer and pass-rusher Joey Bosa for Sunday’s game at the Denver Broncos.

The team announced the news Friday. Allen (heel) will miss his third straight game and Bosa (foot) will miss his sixth straight. Palmer sustained a concussion in last week’s 24-22 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Allen, 31, leads the Chargers with 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games.

Palmer, 24, has 32 receptions for 537 yards and two scores in nine games (five starts).

Bosa, 28, has recorded 6.5 sacks and 20 tackles in nine games (five starts) this season.

Linebacker Kenneth Murray (shoulder) and Tanner Muse (knee) and defensive tackle Nick Williams (shoulder) are doubtful for the Week 17 contest. Tight end Nick Vannett (back), cornerback Deane Leonard (heel) and guard Zion Johnson (knee) are questionable.

The Chargers (5-10) lost 24-7 to the Broncos (7-8) in the first meeting of the AFC West rivals in Week 14 in Inglewood, Calif.

–Field Level Media

Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) singles to the referees during the second half in a game against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers star WR Keenan Allen (heel) ruled out vs. Bills

Star receiver Keenan Allen will miss his second straight game with a heel injury when the Los Angeles Chargers host the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

Allen didn’t practice all week and the team formally ruled him out on Thursday.

Allen also missed the club’s humiliating 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 14.

The 31-year-old has enjoyed a big season in his 11th NFL campaign. Allen has a league-high 108 receptions while accumulating 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.

Cornerback Deane Leonard (heel) is doubtful for the Chargers.

For Buffalo, safety Micah Hyde (neck stinger) was ruled out. He is missing his second straight contest.

–Field Level Media