Same Faces, New Places: 10 Movers and Shakers for 2017
Sports has always remained a fluid industry. It's the nature of the business. Athletes change cities, coaches come into town and the cycle of life repeats itself. We call it same faces, new places.
With a fresh year on the horizon, exploring which coaches and athletes could find a new home in 2017 becomes a timely discussion. Sourcing media reports and free-agency news, we devised a list of potential names moving on in 2017.
Josh McDaniels
1 of 10
The NFL has enjoyed a lasting fascination with retread head coaches. As sure as Tom Brady is going to win football games, franchises will always dig back and find former head coaches to patrol their sidelines.
With NFL coaching changes starting to ramp up—Jeff Fisher is out in Los Angeles, as is Gus Bradley in Jacksonville, per the Jaguars’ Twitter account—Josh McDaniels is starting to draw attention.
McDaniels famously was hired to coach the Denver Broncos in 2009. He would go on to use a first-round pick on Tim Tebow and lose his job after only 28 games in charge.
Now back with the New England Patriots as the team’s offensive coordinator, McDaniels has once again stolen headlines. He seems to be a target for any team looking for a head coach, as Will Brinson of CBSSports.com indicated when discussing the Jaguars’ job.
If these reports turn out to carry a bit of truth, McDaniels will once again be a head coach in 2017, keeping our “same faces, new places” narrative intact.
Nerlens Noel
2 of 10
The Philadelphia 76ers and Nerlens Noel seem to have reached an impasse only a few games into his return from injury.
Noel expressed maximum levels of frustration after logging eight minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers, per ESPN.com. Sixers head coach Brett Brown responded by keeping Noel out of the team’s plans for the foreseeable future, as reported by CSN Philly’s Jessica Camerato.
The situation has clearly broken down, begging the question: Could a trade be the only logical way out? Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp wrote about a few potential destinations for Noel, including Portland and Toronto.
No matter what city he calls home next, Noel appears to be out of Philly.
Darrelle Revis
3 of 10
Once a perennial defensive back for the New York Jets, Darrelle Revis now seems like a logical choice to find a new home in 2017. Continued struggles this season, melded together with a robust $17 million annual salary, put No. 24 in a tough spot.
To make matters worse, apparently football isn’t a passion for Revis at this point. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Revis is “done.”
Listen, no one really knows for sure what Revis is thinking besides the man himself. All we do know is the Jets are on the hook for big bucks when it comes to this man. Combined with his struggling play on tape, this could lead to a second New York exit.
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Jose Quintana
4 of 10
When the New York Yankees come calling, it's hard to say no. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Bronx Bombers have their collective eye set on landing Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana.
For the 27-year-old, if he is moved to New York, it presents a golden opportunity for a reset. Quintana is coming off a season where he went 13-12, posting a 3.20 ERA.
He has enough quality materials in his arsenal to become an asset for the Yankees. With Chicago appearing to be in full-blown rebuild mode, this move makes a whole lot of a sense.
If it's not New York, the odds of Quintana sticking around the Windy City appear to be low. Check back in a few weeks to see what gets finalized.
Eddie Lacy
5 of 10
The Green Bay Packers started the season with a big, powerful runner manning their backfield. Today, they have a converted wide receiver dominating snaps in Ty Montgomery—and he's producing.
Eddie Lacy's persistent ankle injuries forced him onto the injured reserve in October and he hasn't seen the field since. All of this comes on the heels of the final year of Lacy's rookie deal.
Will Green Bay bring him back into the mix next year and pay him for his past efforts? Running back as a position has tapered off into superstars and "get-it-done" guys. With Montgomery now averaging 6.5 yards per carry, it seems like Green Bay has a solution it is comfortable with.
This doesn't mean Lacy is definitely gone. But it does muddy the waters. The NFL draft and free agency could provide Green Bay with a better bargain for its dollar than a returning No. 27.
Manny Machado
6 of 10
How could a genuine superstar like Manny Machado be on this list? He'll only get better as the face of the Baltimore Orioles. ESPN's Buster Olney argues that if there was ever a time to deal Machado, the clock is about to strike midnight.
It all comes down to finances and his willingness to stay in an O's uniform.
Machado is going to get paid—and handsomely. Last season he hit 36 home runs, drove in 96 RBI and posted a .294 average. He's also only 24 years old. By the time he hits free agency, Machado will be 26. Any sort of missteps or struggles by the Orioles in 2017 could be used to push Machado out of the door in return for a handful of prospects.
This isn't set it stone—no candidate on this list is—but it does make sense. Stay on the lookout for what unfolds next.
Jay Cutler
7 of 10
Jay Cutler has continued to frustrate anyone who cheers for the Chicago Bears. Watching him play has been a mix of the good and bad for eight seasons now.
When Cutler went down with a season-ending injury earlier this year, questions about his next destination arose. "There's a very good chance that Cutler is no longer with the Bears next year," Will Brinson of CBSSports.com wrote.
Financially speaking, Cutler will cost them only $2 million of dead money in '17. Mixed with where the Bears are to date, this makes ridding themselves of Cutler logical.
If Chicago wants to keep a quarterback in place while it hunts for a franchise guy, Matt Barkley could be the best option on the table. The 26-year-old has completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 1,163 yards, tossing six touchdowns and seven interceptions as Chicago's go-to guy.
The numbers aren't pretty, but Barkley has shown promise on film—take a look at what he did against the Packers in Week 15.
It's going to be interesting to watch where Cutler winds up in 2017. Assuming the money is right and the Bears decide to rebuild, he could be out of Chicago in no time.
Colin Kaepernick
8 of 10
Things are weird in San Francisco right now. The team sits at 1-13 (losing 13 in a row), the roster is depleted and head coach Chip Kelly might be on his way out, as Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab detailed.
All of this has created a space where the roster needs to be completely retooled. It starts at the quarterback position. To think Colin Kaepernick was one play away from winning Super Bowl XLVII is mind-boggling.
He’s now a stopgap “end-this-season-already” option for one of the worst 49ers teams we’ve seen in a long time. Kaepernick sees the writing on the wall, as he decided to void his contract earlier in December, per NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport.
Despite reports that he might stick around for 2017, regime change and personnel alterations could prove that theory to be false.
Even with inconsistencies and struggles managing the offense, he has thrown 13 touchdowns to just three interceptions and looked stunning at times. It’s not crazy to think that there should be a place for a dual-threat, strong-armed passer in this league in 2017.
Ryan Braun
9 of 10
Does the need for Ryan Braun outweigh the risk of trading for him? It's a burning question any general manager looking to add a proven, veteran commodity must answer.
CBSSports.com writer Dayn Perry examined this notion in full and made great points on why (and why not) Braun would be worth the price of admission. Perry points to Braun's consistency at the plate when healthy as a reason to make a move.
The biggest concern is Braun's past PED use, despite staying out of trouble in recent years. "However, in the event that Braun failed a second test, he'd be suspended for a full 162 games," Perry explained.
Does a franchise in need of a power surge turn to Braun? It certainly looks like 2017 could become a big year for his baseball future, no matter what goes down.
Adrian Peterson
10 of 10
It's hard to fathom a Minnesota Vikings team without Adrian Peterson in the backfield. But in 2017, this thought could manifest into a reality.
Peterson is 31 years old. He's a young man by nature's definition. However, as a running back, he's reached an age where typically players start to dwindle.
On top of that, Peterson's contract could push him out of Minnesota. Jason Fitzgerald of Sporting News reported if Minnesota parts ways with Peterson in the offseason, the team could free up $18 million in cap space. That's a good chunk of coin for a 7-7 team faced with a talent deficit.
Is Peterson worth the money? Will the team restructure his deal? In due time we'll know these answers. For now, it's safe to put the Vikings' all-time leading rusher on this list.
All stats, box scores and information via Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.
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