HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Stadium Updates: Raiders, Rams, Chargers

January 16th, 2015 at 7:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at stadium-related news, all of which happens to come from the West divisions:

  • Raiders owner Mark Davis told reporters today, including Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com, that the club is planning to sign a one-year lease to remain in O.co stadium for the 2015 season. Despite rumors that the team could move to Los Angeles, Davis spoke as though he’s committed to Oakland. “We’re working hard to stay here,” Davis said. “We’re not using any other city as leverage. It’s not that way. It’s known that, no matter what we do here, it will not be as valuable as if we went somewhere else. That’s known. But we still want to be here. Finances are not the No. 1 goal of this organization.” As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds, Davis says that he’s willing to contribute $500MM to the cost of building a new stadium in the Bay Area. For reference, the new Vikings stadium is set to cost more than $1 billion, so the city of Oakland would presumably foot about 50% of the bill to get a new building started.
  • Like the Raiders, the Rams have been tied to the LA area — Rams owner Stan Kroenke has been unequivocal in his plans to build a stadium in the Hollywood area, jeopardizing St. Louis’ chance to keep its club. NFL executive Eric Grubman, who oversees the LA market, met with the St. Louis stadium task force on Thursday, and was blunt in his directive for the city, according to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Take the plan and get it done,” Grubman said, referring to the city’s recent unveiling of stadium blueprints.
  • Meanwhile, a third team that’s been linked to Los Angeles — the Chargers — have been growing frustrated with the city of San Diego’s lack of progress on a new stadium, writes Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. Owner Dean Spanos has been working to get city approval for a new building for twelve years, per Gehlken, and the club’s displeased reaction to mayor Kevin Faulconer’s rough stadium agenda could be a sign that the Chargers are aiming to leave San Diego.

Audition Notes: Friday

January 16th, 2015 at 6:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Duron Carter is among the busier men in the NFL right now, as the CFL receiver has worked out for a litany of teams over recent weeks in an effort to secure a contract for 2015. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Carter has is likely finished with the audition circuit after visiting with the Browns earlier today. And despite earlier reports that the Vikings, home to Duron’s father Cris Carter for much of his career, were the favorites to land the young receiver, Goessling reports that Minnesota is the not high bidder for Carter at the moment. Here’s more workout news from around the league…

  • Carter isn’t the only CFL player making the NFL rounds, as defensive back Delvin Breaux met with both the Steelers (Twitter link via Howard Balzer) and the Jaguars (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN). Per Caplan (on Twitter), Breaux has several more visits lined up, and is scheduled to meet with the Browns, Dolphins, Falcons, and Saints, while the Eagles and Jets also maintain interest.
  • The Panthers brought in quarterback Dominique Davis for a workout, tweets Caplan. Davis, 25, was a reserve for the Falcons from 2012-13, and spent time with the Titans and Colts last season.
  • The Titans, like all teams, are aiming to fill out their offseason roster, and worked out the following players today in that vein, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link): LaVon Brazill, David Fluellen, Jacoby Ford, Clyde Gates, Phillip Hunt, Shawn Lemon, Joe Morgan, Keith Price, and Chase Rettig. Brazill is probably the most notable name among the list, as he was set to play a meaningful role in the Colts’ offense before being suspended and migrating to the CFL.
  • Before signing Mitchell Van Dyk yesterday, the Steelers also worked out fellow punters Tom Hornsey and Richie Leone, in addition to defensive tackle Kheeston Randall, per Wilson (via Twitter).
  • The Bills auditioned offensive lineman Matt Armstrong today, tweets Wilson.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Wallace, Jets

January 16th, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Addressing reporters at Jack Del Rio‘s introductory press conference today, Raiders owner Mark Davis announced that CFO Marc Badain had been named team president, and indicated that Del Rio “has all the resources he needs” to go out and hire assistant coaches (Twitter links via Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer). And it appears that Del Rio has taken advantage of those resources to land his first offensive assistant — Michael Silver of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders will hire Falcons assistant Mike Tice to coach their offensive line. The Falcons had previously been reluctant to grant Tice permission to speak to the Raiders, but were convinced to change their stance after Tice pleaded his case, tweets Silver. Oakland is also expected to formally contact Marc Trestman soon about the team’s offensive coordinator position, says Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).

Here’s more from across the AFC, as the week winds down and we look forward to championship weekend:

  • The Broncos have concluded their head coaching interview with Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph, the club announced today (via Twitter). Having now adhered to the Rooney Rule, Denver is free to hire Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak if this Sunday’s meeting between the two sides goes well. With Teryl Austin and Doug Marrone having canceled their interviews, Kubiak is the only candidate currently scheduled to meet with the team.
  • Speaking today to reporters, including Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), Dolphins owner Stephen Ross indicated that he doesn’t think “anyone really knows” whether wide receiver Mike Wallace will be back with the team for the 2015 season. Wallace will count for $12.1MM against the cap in 2015, a significant figure, though not as high as 2014’s $17.25MM cap hit.
  • With the status of players like Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas uncertain heading into the offseason, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton recognizes that he may not be the Broncos‘ No. 1 priority among free-agents-to-be, but he has “made it clear” that he wants to remain with the team, as he tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
  • New Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan has started making changes to the team’s front office, parting ways with senior director of college scouting Terry Bradway and director of college scouting Jeff Bauer, the team announced in a press release. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), personnel executive Rod Graves isn’t expected to return either. Mehta reports (via Twitter) that Maccagnan would like to hire Rams scout Brian Heimerdinger – whom he worked with in Houston – to the Jets’ front office. The new GM is also set to hire former Jaguars GM Gene Smith, as had been previously reported, tweets Mehta.
  • The Jets would like to talk to former Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo about the same position in New York, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel, who is still a year away from becoming eligible for a contract extension, has changed agent, signing with Eugene Parker of Relativity Sports, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal.

Cards Expected To Extend Arians, Keim

January 16th, 2015 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Cardinals have yet to win a postseason game since hiring Steve Keim as their general manager and Bruce Arians as the head coach in 2013, the team has played extremely well during its two seasons, winning 21 total games despite playing in one of the league’s most competitive divisions and having its roster decimated by injuries in 2014. Now, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, team president Michael Bidwill is making it an offseason priority to extend the contracts of both Keim and Arians, ensuring they’re locked up and properly compensated for their strong work.

“Yes, it’s on my radar,” Bidwill said. “I intend to get that done this offseason. We’ve got a bright future, and I’m excited about a third offseason with Steve and Bruce.” Asked about when he intends to open negotiations, Bidwill would only go so far as to say it will happen “sometime after the Super Bowl,” writes Somers.

There’s no real rush to finalize anything with either Keim or Arians right away, since both men remain under contract for multiple seasons. Keim’s deal has two years left on it, while Arians is under club control for three more years, with the Cards holding a team option for the 2017 season. Still, Somers notes that extending those contracts would “make a powerful statement” about the organization’s direction and future.

If and when the Cardinals work out new agreements with their GM and head coach, the deals figure to be more lucrative than the duo’s current contracts. Arians, who was named the PFWA’s Coach of the Year this week, is believed to earning between $3-4MM a year — a new deal would likely bump him up into the salary range of coaches like Rex Ryan and Jason Garrett, who signed contracts this week reportedly worth $5.5-6MM annually.

Coach Notes: Bucs, Bears, Marrone, Coyle

January 16th, 2015 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have parted ways with quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Arroyo stepped in to run Tampa Bay’s offense during the 2014 season during Jeff Tedford‘s absence, but hadn’t been mentioned as a candidate to step into the role permanently since the team officially let Tedford go at season’s end.

Let’s round up a few more afternoon news items and rumors on the coaching front….

  • One coach the Buccaneers tried to interview for their OC opening was Mike Mularkey of the Titans, but Tennessee turned them down. John Fox and the Bears are expected to seek permission to speak to Mularkey about the offensive coordinator position in Chicago, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), so we’ll see if the Titans say no to Fox as well.
  • Following Teryl Austin‘s lead, Doug Marrone has canceled his head coaching interview with the Broncos, which had been scheduled for Saturday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Marrone will wait to see what happens with Gary Kubiak, who is set to talk to Denver on Sunday, and is viewed as the frontrunner for the position.
  • Despite some initial uncertainty at the end of the regular season, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle will remain with the Dolphins for the 2015 campaign under head coach Joe Philbin, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
  • Current and former Falcons coaches are among Jack Del Rio‘s targets for the Raiders, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (Twitter links). Williamson continues to hear that Del Rio has interest in Mike Tice, but Atlanta won’t give the Raiders permission to interview the offensive line coach. Per Russini, Del Rio is trying to hire Mike Smith as his defensive coordinator, but it most likely won’t happen.
  • Russini (Twitter link) is hearing that Mike Shanahan may be in play for the 49ers‘ offensive coordinator job under Jim Tomsula.
  • Former Bills offensive coordinator Nate Hackett is interviewing with the Jaguars today for the team’s OC opening, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that at least two other clubs are also interested in Hackett.
  • We can also add the Jaguars to the list of teams looking to interview Adam Gase for their offensive coordinator opening, tweets Schefter. The Falcons and Rams want to speak to Gase about an OC role as well.
  • If Teryl Austin lands the Falcons‘ head coaching job, Packers safeties coach Darren Perry looks like a candidate to become his defensive coordinator, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Bears Hire John Fox As Head Coach

January 16th, 2015 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

2:21pm: The Bears have officially announced the hiring of Fox and will introduce him to the media at a press conference on Monday.

1:37pm: It’s a four-year contract for Fox, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, who confirms (via Twitter) that it’s a “done deal.”

1:21pm: Fox and the Bears have officially reached an agreement to make him the team’s new head coach, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (Twitter link).

9:48am: The Bears are in negotiations with John Fox to to replace Marc Trestman as their new head coach, according to Chris Mortensen, Adam Schefter, and Field Yates of ESPN.com, who report (via Twitter) that a deal is close, albeit not done yet. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) reported yesterday that the Bears were expected to hire the former Broncos head coach. If a deal is finalized today, it would come just five days after Fox coached his final game with the Broncos, and four days after he and the team agreed to part ways.John Fox (vertical)

According to Schefter (via Twitter), a deal between Fox and the Bears is “all but done,” with the two sides are expected to make things official soon. Fox would then be paired with Jay Cutler for the 2015 season, with the coach’s expected to be a positive influence as the veteran quarterback attempts to bounce back from a poor 2014 campaign, says Cole.

Although the Bears were one of the first teams to make a change once the regular season ended, the team’s coaching search didn’t ramp up right away, since Chicago let go of general manager Phil Emery along with Trestman. Most of the Bears’ head coaching interviews didn’t take place until after new GM Ryan Pace was on board, which allowed them to be well-positioned when Fox became available, since they weren’t far along with any other candidates. In addition to Fox, Chicago also interviewed Teryl Austin, Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Doug Marrone, and Dan Quinn, according to our tracker.

Fox, who was linked to the Bears job almost immediately following his departure from Denver, spent four seasons coaching the Broncos, leading the team to an impressive 46-18 regular season record. His Broncos squads made the playoffs in all four seasons, but only had one extended postseason run, a year ago, when the team won the AFC before getting blown out by the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Fox’s stint in Denver improved his overall regular season record as a head coach to 119-89 (.572), which also includes his nine seasons with the Panthers.

With Fox poised to take over the Bears’ head coaching job, his next step will be putting together his staff, and recent reports have indicated that his top choices may be Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator and Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator. The team wouldn’t have to receive permission to speak to either of those coaches, since Shanahan and the Browns parted ways earlier this month, while Allen was let go by the Raiders earlier in the season.

Assuming the Bears finalize an agreement with Fox today, it would make Chicago the fifth team to reach an agreement with a new head coach this week, coming on the heels of hirings by the Bills (Rex Ryan), Jets (Bowles), Raiders (Jack Del Rio), and 49ers (Jim Tomsula). Only the Broncos and Falcons remain in the market for a head coach, with Gase, Quinn, Austin, and Gary Kubiak among the potential candidates still in play.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Washington’s DC Search

January 16th, 2015 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

After being released from his contract in San Francisco to pursue other opportunities, former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will interview with Washington for the club’s defensive coordinator job, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, who tweets that a meeting could happen on Saturday.

A report earlier this week suggested that Washington intended to hire Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry as its new defensive coordinator. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who originally reported that Barry would likely be hired after Raheem Morris was eliminated from contention, suggests things changed when Fangio became available. Per Rapoport, Fangio’s biggest advocate in Washington is new general manager Scot McCloughan (Twitter links).

As Rapoport points out, Fangio has no ties to either head coach Jay Gruden or GM Bruce Allen, whereas Barry worked with both men years ago in Tampa Bay. So if the team were to hire Fangio, it would be a departure of sorts from the usual operating procedure.

Fangio should have several potential suitors, with a report yesterday indicating that every team with an opening at defensive coordinator had expressed interest in the veteran coach. Still, as we saw yesterday when Washington moved quickly to hire Bill Callahan away from the Cowboys, the team appears ready and willing to shell out the money required for top-notch assistants. Fangio had been one of the league’s highest-paid defensive coordinators in San Francisco, so he likely won’t come cheap.

FA Notes: Cowboys, Houston, Suh, Rams

January 16th, 2015 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Tony Romo and the Cowboys had two of the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons at their disposal in 2014, with Dez Bryant leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns and DeMarco Murray running away with the rushing title. However, both players are eligible for free agency this offseason, and owner Jerry Jones acknowledged yesterday that it’s unlikely both of them return to the team.

“Is it possible [to re-sign both players]? Yes,” Jones said, per DallasCowboys.com. “But if you just look at it from the standpoint of dollars and cents, it probably doesn’t look reasonable.”

Considering Jones has stated in the past that the Cowboys intend to keep Bryant around by any means necessary, including the franchise tag, that doesn’t bode particularly well for Murray’s future with in Dallas. We heard earlier this week that the league’s leading rusher appeared likely to reach the open market.

Here’s more on this year’s free-agents-to-be:

  • There have been “zero talks” between the Chiefs and outside linebacker Justin Houston on a new contract since the regular season ended, a source tells Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com. If Houston and the Chiefs don’t work out a long-term deal within the next few weeks, the franchise tag looks like a very realistic possibility for the NFL’s sack leader.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates examines Ndamukong Suh’s potential free agency, identifying the Raiders, Browns, and Bengals as the best non-Lions fits for the star defensive tackle.
  • In his preview of the Rams‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com identifies tackle Joe Barksdale, quarterback Shaun Hill, and wide receiver Kenny Britt as a few potential free agents the team should consider re-signing.
  • Ravens quarterback Tyrod Taylor sees his rookie contract expire this winter, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency. He spoke to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun about the next step in his career, suggesting that returning to the Ravens or signing with another club could both be “good options.”
  • The NFL will introduce a veteran free agent combine this March, scheduled for a couple weeks after free agency opens, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com, passing along a report from colleague Ian Rapoport. According to a memo sent out by the league, the combine will “serve to isolate and consolidate veteran free-agent talent for more focused evaluation on a comparative basis.”

Coach Rumors: Austin, Kubiak, Broncos

January 16th, 2015 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Teryl Austin‘s decision to pull out of the Broncos‘ coaching search was as much about what seems to be happening in Denver as it was about his own situation, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, hinting that Gary Kubiak looks like the odds-on favorite for the Broncos job if he wants it.

Having said that, Birkett adds in a second tweet that Austin’s second interview with the Falcons on Thursday went very well. According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link), Atlanta has narrowed its list of targets to Austin, Dan Quinn, and perhaps one other candidate, with Quinn expected to get a second interview next week following the NFC championship game.

Here’s more on coaching openings around the league:

  • The Broncos‘ interview with Kubiak is scheduled to happen on Sunday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Schefter, before Denver talks to Kubiak, the team will meet with Doug Marrone on Saturday.
  • If Kubiak leaves Baltimore to take the Broncos‘ head coaching job, the Ravens‘ contingency plan is to promote quarterbacks coach Rick Dennison to offensive coordinator, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. However, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Sun points out (via Twitter), Dennison would also be a strong candidate for OC in Denver under Kubiak.
  • Kyle Shanahan would be another offensive coordinator candidate for both the Broncos and Ravens in that scenario, per Wilson and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (Twitter links). Per Russini, Shanahan turned down the opportunity to interview for the 49ers‘ OC job.
  • Sources tell Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com that Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph would be a top candidate for defensive coordinator in Denver if the Broncos hire Kubiak.
  • New Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio was interested in bringing Buccaneers defensive line coach Joe Cullen with him to Oakland, but Tampa Bay denied the Raiders permission to interview him, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link).

Kubiak In, Austin Out For Broncos’ HC Search

January 16th, 2015 at 9:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens officially announced last Sunday that offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak would remain in Baltimore for the 2015 season, turning down potential opportunities with the Bears and Jets. Since then, however, one more head coaching position has become available, and it appears Kubiak has some interest in it. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Kubiak will meet with the Broncos about their head coaching vacancy, with an interview expected to happen this weekend.

The Broncos are currently in a state of flux, with Peyton Manning still deciding whether or not he wants to continue his playing career, and Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Julius Thomas all eligible for free agency. Additionally, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has left to coach the division-rival Raiders, and offensive coordinator Adam Gase appears likely to land a job elsewhere.

Still, there’s a ton of talent on the roster and it’s an intriguing destination for Kubiak, who previously worked from the Broncos for about a decade, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. According to La Canfora (via Twitter), if Kubiak has interest in Denver’s head coaching job, he may instantly become the frontrunner for the position, since he’s “far and away” John Elway‘s top choice.

So far, the only candidate to formally interview for the Broncos’ head coaching interview is Gase. A meeting with Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was on the schedule for today, but that interview is no longer happening, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Josina Anderson of ESPN (TwitLonger link) reports that Austin has withdrawn as a candidate in Denver’s search, which is interesting — it may suggest that the Lions DC is confident about his chances to land the head coaching job in Atlanta, as the Falcons appear to be narrowing down their search to Austin and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

It’s worth mentioning that speaking to Austin would have allowed the Broncos to adhere to the Rooney Rule, so even if Denver meets with Kubiak this weekend and there’s mutual interest in moving forward, the club still must interview a minority candidate at some point.

Load More Posts