2015 January - Pro Football Rumors

AFC South Notes: Chudzinski, Texans, Jags

January 22nd, 2015 at 2:51pm CST by Zachary Links

After blocking interview requests from the Rams and 49ers, assistant Rob Chudzinski could take on a greater role on the Colts‘ staff, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Head coach Chuck Pagano is very high on the former Browns head coach but La Canfora (link) is curious to see whether he re-signs with the club on January 31st when his contract expires of if he’ll seek opportunities elsewhere. More from the AFC South..

One of the Texans‘ top priorities during the offseason will be re-signing their most prominent players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on March 10th, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Houston would like to retain cornerback Kareem Jackson, offensive tackle Derek Newton, and outside linebacker Brooks Reed, but if they’re unsuccessful, they’ll have to find replacements in free agency or the draft. Re-signing quarterback Ryan Mallett is another priority, even though the Texans are expected to pursue another QB who fits with what coach Bill O’Brien and quarterbacks coach George Godsey want to accomplish.
The Jaguars are seeking a pass-rushing Leo defensive end and a run-stuffing, pass-rush threat at Otto linebacker, Hays Carlyon of The Florida-Times Union writes. Luckily for Jacksonville, it’s a good class for that. “It’s one of the best drafts I’ve seen recently for edge rushers,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. “Some are 3-4 guys, some are 4-3 and some can do both. Some juniors that aren’t here are really gifted and will be at the top end. It’s one of the deepest outside linebacker/defensive end groups that we’ve seen in a while.” Louisville’s Lorenzo Mauldin, Oklahoma’s Geneo Grissom, Arkansas’ Trey Flowers, Missouri’s Markus Golden, and Norfolk State’s Lynden Trail could be of interest to the Jags.
Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union looked at three defensive tackles that could appeal to the Jaguars in the draft.

Browns Notes: DeFilippo, Manziel, Hoyer

January 22nd, 2015 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

In his 2015 salary cap outlook for the Browns, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes that the team faces an interesting decision with cornerback Buster Skrine. They drafted a replacement for him in Justin Gilbert but Skrine is the more proven commodity and he came up with four interceptions in 2014. Fortunately for the Browns, they have a good amount of cap space and can afford to hedge their bets by retaining him. Here’s more out of Cleveland…

At today’s introductory press conference, new Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said he isn’t sure if his starting quarterback “is in the building or not,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Brian Hoyer, of course, is set to hit unrestricted free agency, leaving 2014 first-rounder Johnny Manziel and undrafted rookie Connor Shaw on the depth chart at this time.
DeFilippo said hasn’t studied Hoyer much but will meet with him this week, according to Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram (on Twitter).
Head coach Mike Pettine admitted that he has had some “healthy debate” with GM Ray Farmer but says that talk of “friction” between the two is overblown, according to Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald (on Twitter).
DeFilippo said he and Pettine have discussed having an experienced former play-caller on the staff at quarterback or wide receiver coach, according to Cabot (on Twitter). DeFilippo does not have previous play calling experience in the NFL.
Pettine told reporters, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter) that he only offered the offensive coordinator job to one person.

AFC East Notes: Pats, Dolphins, Geno, Jets

January 22nd, 2015 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

As we head towards the Super Bowl, Deflategate is picking up more and more steam. Today, Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the media and, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, he appeared to subtly point the finger at quarterback Tom Brady for the deflated footballs used in the AFC Championship game against the Colts. “I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs,” Belichick said. “They know a lot more than I do. They’re a lot more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that there’s never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Zero. Tom’s personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.” Brady himself will face the media today at 3pm CT after having his availability moved up from Friday afternoon. More out of the AFC East..

Ron Borges of the Boston Herald wonders how much more Patriots owner Robert Kraft can take when it comes to Belichick’s controversies.
The Dolphins will face some difficult decisions thanks to their salary cap situation, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. There are nearly a dozen players among the 58 under contract that may be either cut or have their salaries renegotiated to give the team an ability to conduct business in free agency and the draft. The Dolphins are slated to be about $3.3MM over the expected cap of $140MM, which roughly the same situation the Patriots are in. The Pats, of course, have gotten better returns on their (over)investment than Miami has.
New Jets coach Todd Bowles won’t commit to Geno Smith as his starting quarterback for 2015. “I think it’s an open slate right now,” Bowles told ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “It won’t be fair to say he is or isn’t the quarterback. Geno obviously is a heck of a football player, but there’s things we’ve got to evaluate and judge as a whole team. It’s not just Geno, it’s everybody. He’s the focus because he’s the quarterback, but everybody is going to be judged the same way. It’s an open slate on everybody coming in.”

NFC East Notes: Murray, Washington, Fangio

January 22nd, 2015 at 10:13am CST by Zachary Links

Retaining free agents Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray isn’t an either/or proposition for the Cowboys, as David Moore of The Dallas Morning News writes. The two aren’t pitted against each other in the financial ring. The question is whether the Cowboys can keep Murray and still have enough room under the salary cap to retain its other key free agents and make needed upgrades to the defensive side of the ball. “Obviously it’s tough when you got a guy like Dez and DeMarco up at the same time and you’ve already paid a guy like Tony Romo and Tyron Smith,’’ executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “We’ve really got to manage our resources and this will be a challenge.’’ More from the NFC East..

Last night, it was reported that Vic Fangio passed on Washington‘s defensive coordinator vacancy over their insistence on keeping secondary coach Raheem Morris over his own choice, Ed Donatell. However, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 (on Twitter) hears that candidates for the opening were told they can bring in any assistants they prefer.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) hears that Washington could still end up changing secondary coaches and it’s hardly guaranteed that Morris will remain in that role.
New Washington defensive coordinator Joe Barry spoke with reporters, including Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com, about the virtues of the 3-4 scheme and the versatility that it offers.
Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com pressed the rewind button on the 2013 draft to examine Washington cornerback David Amerson. Amerson showed promise in his rookie season but regressed as a sophomore.
In a chat with readers, David Moore of The Dallas Morning News touched on whether the Cowboys will be able to find a strong pass rusher with pick No. 27.

Rams Notes: Los Angeles, Hackett, OC

January 22nd, 2015 at 9:07am CST by Zachary Links

The perception that St. Louis has failed to adequately support the Rams is getting on the nerves of the Post-Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz. Some have been critical of the city waiting too long to conceive plans for a new stadium. That’s a ludicrous thing to say, in Miklasz’s view, and doubly ludicrous when you consider Los Angeles, a city that has stalled on the issue for decades. Here’s more on the Rams..

Former Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett interviewed for the Rams’ offensive coordinator opening yesterday, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Hackett interviewed for the Jaguars‘ OC opening earlier this winter and was considered a top candidate.
The Rams’ offensive coordinator search continues to drag on as several names initially linked to the Rams have accepted NFL offensive coordinator jobs elsewhere, Miklasz writes. That list includes Kyle Shanahan (new OC with Falcons), Greg Roman (new OC with Bills), and Adam Gase (new OC with Bears). Even with attractive coordinator candidates landing in other places, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Fisher is getting shut out or will fail in his bid to hire someone he covets. At the same time, there are factors that have made the Rams’ opening less attractive than others, and Miklasz lays them out.
While the Rams will continue to look outside, they feel they have a pair of strong in-house candidates in tight ends coach Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.
More from Thomas, who looks at Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion as a possibility for the Rams.

East Notes: Cowboys, Romo, Fangio

January 21st, 2015 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys face a tough decision on whether to bring back right tackles Doug Free and Jermey Parnell, as Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News writes. Free started eleven games for the Cowboys in 2014. Parnell started seven, including the two playoff games while Free was out with injuries. “I think Jermey played really well and I think a lot of teams will throw on the tape and watch him play and probably a lot of people will consider him a starter,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “So we’ll have to make a tough decision there with Doug and Jermey. Hopefully we’ll at least keep one of them.” More from the East divisions..

The Cowboys will use some trickery with Tony Romo‘s contract to carve out extra cap room this offseason, writes David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. Romo is scheduled to make $17MM in 2015 with a whopping $27.7MM cap hit. However, Dallas will convert a large portion of that salary into a signing bonus, allowing the QB to get the money in a lump sum and allowing the team to break it up and spread it out over the remainder of his contract.
Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that Vic Fangio wanted to bring Ed Donatell with him to Washington, but they wanted to keep Raheem Morris instead. As a result, Wright hears, Fangio passed on Washington and joined the Bears.
Mike Jones of the Washington Post (on Twitter) hears that Washington wanting to keep Morris wasn’t a sticking point for Fangio.
Running backs coach Anthony Lynn has been plucked from the Jets to join Rex Ryan‘s staff with the Bills, according to Kimberly Jones of WFAN (on Twitter). He impressed in offensive coordinator interviews, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport expects Lynn to get more consideration next year.
Doug Marrone‘s shocking departure from the Bills earlier this month left the majority of his assistant coaches out of jobs, but at least one of Marrone’s former position coaches doesn’t have any hard feelings toward his old boss. “That’s the business. He’s taking care of himself, his family. That’s the No. 1 thing you do as a man, all right?” Fred Pagac, who served as linebackers coach for the Bills last season, told Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Pagac, 62, went on to say that he’d work for Marrone “tomorrow,” given the opportunity.
Former Vikings tight end coach Jimmie Johnson is expected to join Todd Bowles‘ staff as the new Jets tight ends coach, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). Johnson was with Minnesota from 2006 through 2013.

Extra Points: 49ers, Gase, Phillips

January 21st, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers continued to pursue Adam Gase as offensive coordinator after bypassing him for their head coaching position, a source told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. They were not successful, however, as Gase landed with the Bears earlier tonight. More from around the NFL..

Former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips could draw interest from the Broncos and Raiders as a defensive coordinator candidate, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Raiders are hiring Marcus Robertson as their new defensive backs coach, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The team is still on the hunt for its next defensive coordinator, however. Veteran Charles Woodson pushed for the hire, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter).
Former Raiders interim head coach Tony Sparano interviewed with the 49ers for their tight ends coach position, a league source told Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Bears met with a pair of Chicago natives at the Senior Bowl, according to Adam Jahns of the Sun-Times (on Twitter). Defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat (Iowa) and guard Laken Tomlinson (Duke) met with reps from the team.
Long rumored to be headed across the Bay, former Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver is joining the 49ers as the team’s linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, reports Jim Trotter of ESPN (via Twitter). While Tarver may have some input on the play-calling, the Niners are still on the lookout for a defensive coordinator.

South Notes: Saints, Wayne, Buccaneers

January 21st, 2015 at 8:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Years ago, Saints owner Tom Benson designated granddaughter Rita Benson LeBlanc as his handpicked successor. Tonight, he told Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune that he will instead transfer ownership of the city’s two major pro sports franchises (Saints and the NBA’s Pelicans) to his wife, Gayle, when he dies. As for LeBlanc, her offices at the teams’ Metairie headquarters recently have been vacated and her company-issued Mercedes-Benz and cell phone have been seized. More from the South divisions..

Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne still isn’t sure if he’ll return for another season as Zak Keefer of the Indy Star writes. “Once I hit Nashville, I’ll figure out the rest,” the wide receiver said. “I’ll make my outline and go from there. I don’t have a plan. I’ve never had one. I just gotta make a couple phone calls, say a couple of prayers and see what route the good Lord sends me.” While it’s uncertain whether the Colts want the aging wideout back, Wayne reiterated on several occasions late in the season that he can’t imagine himself suiting up for any other team.
The Saints are just two hours from the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, but no member of the team’s coaching staff is in attendance to scout potential draft prospects, writes Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune. “He has his hands full in New Orleans,” Loomis said of head coach Sean Payton. “It’s just the normal activity that you would do,” Loomis said. “Sean felt like the staff would be better served to stay in New Orleans and work on those aspects as opposed to being here.”
Heavy-hitting linebacker Denzel Perryman could be a target for the Buccaneers in this year’s draft, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes. The University of Miami standout, who is just shy of 5’11”, could potentially be in the mix for Tampa Bay at No. 34. Perryman is often knocked for his pass coverage skllls, but he says he’s determined to show off his improvement in that area.

NFC North Notes: Raiola, Bears, Zimmer

January 21st, 2015 at 8:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the NFC North, where Adam Gase has reunited with John Fox..

Longtime Lions center Dominic Raiola confirmed today that the team has told him he won’t be back for the 2015 season. Raiola added that he’s “obviously disappointed” by the news, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
The Bears announced (on Twitter) that they have reached agreement with Ed Donatell to become their new defensive backs coach. He replaces Jon Hoke, who has been let go. Donatell was released from his Niners contract at the same time as new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and the duo was widely viewed as a package deal.
There’s still a possibility that the Bears could have a holdover or two from Marc Trestman‘s old staff, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Not every assistant was released from his contract following the firing of Trestman and others.
The Vikings have one hire to make to fill out their coaching staff for the 2015 season, but it appears the rest of the group is intact for the long haul, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. Coach Mike Zimmer said the Vikings plan to extend the contracts of most of their assistant coaches through the 2016 season. When asked about his own deal, Zimmer said that it runs beyond the 2016 season.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Bears Hire Adam Gase As OC

January 21st, 2015 at 7:05pm CST by Zachary Links

7:05pm: The Bears have officially announced the hire, according to Jahns (on Twitter).

6:48pm: The Bears have hired Adam Gase as their new offensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a three-year pact, according to Adam Jahns of the Sun-Times (on Twitter).

It has been a strange couple of weeks for Gase, who entered the offseason as one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the NFL. The former Broncos offensive coordinator interviewed in Denver after John Fox was ousted and also met with the Bears before they chose Fox for their own head coaching vacancy. Now, Gase reunites with Fox in his previous role in Chicago.

The 36-year-old Gase served as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator for the last two seasons. Gase worked closely with Peyton Manning to help turn the Broncos into one of the league’s most feared offenses. Now, he travels to Chicago, a team that used to boast a top-end scoring attack. Last season, the Bears were dreadful on offense and it’ll be Gase’s job to get them back on track.

At this juncture, it’s not clear who Gase will work with at quarterback. Incumbent Jay Cutler is there, but after a rough 2014 it’s not clear if he’ll still be in the fold. For what it’s worth, Cutler texted Fox to welcome him to Chicago, so it appears that there is interest in continuing the union on the player’s end.

Gase also met with the 49ers about their head coaching vacancy and spoke with the Ravens and Jaguars about their offensive coordinator positions.