2015 January - Pro Football Rumors

Washington Hires Bill Callahan

January 15th, 2015 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

3:32pm: Washington has officially announced the hiring of Callahan as the team’s offensive line coach (Twitter link).

1:15pm: Callahan will simply be Washington’s offensive line coach, rather than taking on any offensive coordinator duties as well, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Along those same lines, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets that Callahan won’t be club’s play-caller.

1:02pm: Washington has hired former Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Callahan has agreed to a “very lucrative” three-year contract with the team. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier today that Washington had interest in Callahan, and that the two sides could reach an agreement quickly.

While Callahan officially held the title of offensive coordinator in Dallas in 2014, Scott Linehan was the club’s play-caller, with Callahan focusing more on the offensive line. Word broke today that Linehan has been officially promoted to OC this week in Dallas, so it was inevitable that Callahan would look for an opportunity elsewhere. With no indication that Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay is going anywhere, Callahan figures to be named the team’s offensive line coach.

With the Cowboys, Callahan helped to develop many of the team’s young linemen, including Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin. Dallas’ offensive line was widely regarded as the league’s best in 2014, as the unit paved the way for a career year for DeMarco Murray, and earned All-Pro nods for both Smith and Martin. According to Werder (via Twitter), the Cowboys would’ve liked to make a counter-offer to retain Callahan, but the early bidding got too high for the team.

Cardale Jones To Return To OSU

January 15th, 2015 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, who tweeted earlier this afternoon that he would make a “life-changing decision” today, has announced that decision. In advance of tonight’s early entry deadline, the redshirt sophomore indicated he will return to Ohio State for his junior year rather than entering the NFL draft.

Jones himself acknowledged earlier this week that he may not be ready for the NFL, though the young signal-caller’s stock has certainly soared in recent weeks, as injuries opened the door for him to take over as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback. Jones started three games, leading Ohio State to victories in the Big Ten Championship over Wisconsin, in the Sugar Bowl over Alabama, and in the National Championship over Oregon.

Despite his incredible late-season run, there are no guarantees Jones will even see much playing time at Ohio State in the 2015 season, with Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett still expected to be in the mix. If he had turned pro, Jones would have done so as part of a class that is considered weak at the quarterback position, and would have had the opportunity to earn a rookie salary.

Still, Jones’ draft position was uncertain, given his lack of playing experience at the college level. ESPN’s Todd McShay (Insider-only link) wrote earlier this week that he thought Jones would be a fourth- or fifth-round pick, adding that most scouts viewed him as a Day 3 prospect.

Cowboys Sign Jason Garrett To Five-Year Deal

January 15th, 2015 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 2:48pm: The Cowboys have officially locked up Garrett to a five-year extension, the team announced today (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 5:13pm: It’s a done deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Garrett’s deal is worth $30MM over five years.

4:37pm: The Cowboys and Garrett have officially agreed upon a new contract, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.

4:13pm: According to the Cowboys’ official website, Garrett and the Cowboys are “very close” to finalizing a five-year deal in the $30MM range.

2:25pm: The Cowboys and Jason Garrett are on the brink of reaching an agreement on a five-year contract for the head coach, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter). A new five-year deal for Garrett would keep him locked up through the 2019 season.

Garrett, who took over as the Cowboys’ head coach midway through the 2010 campaign, finished with an 8-8 record in each of his full three seasons with the team. With no playoff appearances or winning seasons on his resumé coming into the 2014 season, Garrett was allowed to coach the club in a final year of his contract, a rarity in the NFL — teams will usually extend a head coach prior to his contract year, rather than letting him play out a “lame duck” season.

In Garrett’s case, perhaps the implied win-or-else nature of the season paid off. Projected by many experts as a sub-.500 team, the Cowboys went 12-4 in 2014, winning the NFC East and a postseason game before falling in a tight divisional playoff contest to the Packers. The 12-win season improved Garrett’s overall record to 41-31 in regular season games, and he’s now 1-1 in the playoffs.

Once the Cowboys officially finalize the details on a new contract for Garrett, the team will presumably move on to locking up its assistants. We heard earlier today that defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli would like to remain with the club, and I imagine Dallas would like to bring back offensive assistants Scott Linehan and Bill Callahan as well. Those coaches figure to draw interest from other suitors around the league, so it remains to be seen whether or not they’ll stick with the Cowboys, but a new deal for Garrett is a good start.

AFC Notes: Rice, Browns, Knighton, Jets

January 15th, 2015 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

A hearing had been scheduled for today for Ray Rice‘s grievance against the Ravens, which alleged that the club owed him $3.5MM for cutting him hours after in-elevator footage of him striking his then-fiancée surfaced in September. However, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the two sides have reached a settlement agreement. While the exact amount that the Ravens are paying Rice isn’t known, the settlement signals the formal end of Rice’s appeals processes and his relationship with the Ravens. The veteran running back has been paid and reinstated, so now it’s just a matter of waiting to see if any clubs will be willing to sign him to a new contract this offseason.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter links) have a pair of updates on the Browns‘ offensive coordinator search, reporting that Raiders senior offensive assistant Al Saunders and Bills senior offensive assistant Jim Hostler will interview for the job. Saunders will speak to the team on Tuesday, according to Cabot, while Hostler’s interview will happen this week, per Ulrich.
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter link), free-agent-to-be Terrance Knighton indicated that he hasn’t gotten from the feeling from the Broncos that they’ll bring him back for next season. With Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio becoming the new head coach in Oakland, the Raiders figure to be linked to the big defensive tackle as he nears free agency.
New Jets general manager Mike Maccaganan is “strongly considering” hiring ex-Jaguars GM Gene Smith to his front office staff, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports has another Jets update, tweeting that Falcons defensive backs coach Joe Fanna will be joining Todd Bowles‘ staff in New York.
Longtime Jaguars fullback Greg Jones, who announced his retirement today, has interest in coaching and said he’d like to eventually become an offensive coordinator (Twitter link via Vito Stellino).
Bills president Russ Brandon spoke to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News about the Bills’ new front office structure, which will involve GM Doug Whaley having final say on the 53-man roster, while head coach Rex Ryan decides on the coaching staff and active gameday rosters.

Greg Jones Retires As Jaguar

January 15th, 2015 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 1:06pm: Jones officially signed his one-day contract with the Jags and announced his retirement today (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 1:00pm: The Jaguars will hold a press conference at 2:00pm eastern time tomorrow to formally announce the retirement of fullback Greg Jones, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jones, who spent most of his 10-year career in Jacksonville, will retire as a Jaguar.

A former second-round pick, Jones spent nine seasons with the Jaguars before playing for the Texans in 2013. Primarily serving as a blocker, the 33-year-old has nonetheless accumulated 272 career carries, racking up 913 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), Jones was the league’s best blocking fullback in 2010, and ranked among the top 10 in that category in each of the next three seasons. For his career, he appeared in 131 total contests, starting 72.

Jones inked a deal with the Saints last summer, but was cut during roster cutdowns at the end of the preseason, and didn’t end up playing for an NFL team in 2014. The most recent update we heard on the Florida State product came in October when he auditioned for the Seahawks.

Coach Notes: Falcons, Gase, Fangio, Callahan

January 15th, 2015 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles officially landed a new job yesterday, and now can add a Professional Football Writers of America award to his list of achievements for the week. The PFWA named Bowles – the Jets‘ new head coach – the Assistant of the Year for 2014 today, as well as recognizing Cards head coach Bruce Arians as Coach of the Year and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as Executive of the Year (Twitter link).

Here’s the latest on a few men who might be vying for those PFWA coaching awards in the 2015 season:

The Falcons are requesting permission to interview Adam Gase for their offensive coordinator opening, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), and John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link) expects Gase to ultimately end up in Atlanta. According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, part of Teryl Austin‘s pitch during his head coaching interview with Atlanta involved bringing Gase aboard as an offensive coordinator, but the Broncos OC will be a strong candidate for the Falcons’ position whether the team hires Austin or Dan Quinn as its next head coach.
The 49ers have officially released several of their assistants, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and defensive backs coach Ed Donatell, from their contracts, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. It doesn’t sound like Fangio will have trouble finding work elsewhere — Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that every team with a defensive coordinator vacancy has expressed interest in the former Niners DC.
As for the Niners, expect Colts assistant Rob Chudzinski to be a legit candidate for their offensive coordinator position, says Maiocco (via Twitter).
Washington will make a play for former Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan as an offensive line coach, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), who reports that an agreement between the two sides could end up happening quickly. Callahan has reportedly received interest from eight suitors though, so Washington will have some competition.
The Cardinals have a meeting set for next week to talk to Dick LeBeau about a senior coaching position on their staff, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

49ers Hire Jim Tomsula

January 15th, 2015 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 12:10pm: It’s a four-year deal for Tomsula, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter).

WEDNESDAY, 6:10pm: The 49ers announced that Tomsula has been hired to become the 19th coach in franchise history.

“After conducting a thorough coaching search, and meeting with a number of outstanding candidates, Jim Tomsula clearly is the right man to lead this team,” said 49ers CEO Jed York. “Jim is a great teacher and a tremendous mentor who conducts himself with great class and integrity.”

4:06pm: The 49ers didn’t have to go far to find their man. San Francisco has tapped defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to be their new head coach, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The two sides are still ironing out contract details, but Tomsula will ultimately be the hire.

The Niners came close to hiring Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but ultimately they decided to stay in-house. As the PFR Head Coaching Tracker shows, the 49ers conducted an exhaustive search to find their next coach. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and Mike Shanahan were among those interviewed. Their own defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, also got heavy consideration prior to the hiring of Tomsula. Fangio remains under contract, but it’s not immediately clear if he’ll stay in SF to serve on Tomsula’s staff.

Tomsula, 46, served as the 49ers’ interim coach for the 2010 season finale before Jim Harbaugh was hired five days later. Now, Tomsula steps in to take over the role after Harbaugh vacated it to join his alma mater.

The 49ers make up Tomsula’s entire NFL resume, having served as their defensive line coach since 2007 under two different coaches in Mike Singletary and Harbaugh. Before the 49ers, all of his coaching experience was in NFL Europe.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Hire Dennis Thurman As DC

January 15th, 2015 at 12:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

THURSDAY, 12:06pm: The Bills have officially announced the hiring of Thurman as their defensive coordinator, according to a team release.

MONDAY, 10:35pm: We learned earlier tonight that despite reports that incoming Bills head coach Rex Ryan would offer him a spot on his coaching staff, Jim Schwartz will not return as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator. Instead, as has been widely speculated, Ryan will bring along his DC from his time with the Jets, Dennis Thurman, to take over the Bills defense, according to Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network (Twitter link).

It’s perhaps a bit surprising that Schwartz is being allowed to leave Buffalo, as he guided a defense that finished second in DVOA in 2014. However, if Ryan decided he wanted to bring in his own coordinator, there wasn’t much of an option for Schwartz, who would surely be disinterested in moving to a position coach role. Instead, the Bills will return to running Ryan’s defensive schemes — because Mike Pettine, a Ryan disciple, was the coordinator in 2013, the club should be familiar with the playbook. The team will be returning to a more traditional 3-4 look, though edge defender Jerry Hughes did act as a stand-up rusher quite often in 2014, and many have opined that the changes won’t be as monumental as perceived.

Thurman, 58, has worked with Ryan since 2002, when both were employed by the Ravens. Ryan brought Thurman to New York in 2008, where he served as the secondary coach until transitioning to DC in 2013 following Pettine’s departure. A former cornerback, Thurman played in the NFL for nine years, mostly with the Cowboys. While he’ll be listed as the coordinator, Ryan will call the defensive plays.

NFC East Notes: Washington, Linehan, Giants

January 15th, 2015 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

There’s still no action on Washington‘s defensive coordinator hunt, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (all Twitter links), who hears that the team does indeed have interest in Vic Fangio, though it remains unclear if an interview is being scheduled. As Jones notes, Washington could still end up hiring Joe Barry, as had been previously reported, but it appears the team has pumped the brakes a little on making a final decision — as more candidates become available, the process of making a hire is perhaps lasting a little longer than expected.

Let’s round up a few more notes from around the NFC East….

As I speculated earlier today, Scott Linehan‘s new deal with the Cowboys will indeed include the official offensive coordinator title, since Bill Callahan is expected to leave the team, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Linehan, who is signing a three-year contract, essentially played the role of OC in 2014, since he called the club’s plays while Callahan primarily worked with the offensive line.
Owner Jerry Jones believes the Cowboys are capable of being major players in free agency, but isn’t sure exactly how active they’ll be, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’d love to have the opportunity to improve that pass rush in the range of something that we could afford and make sense logically,” Jones told reporters.
The Giants have informed Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson that they’re going a different direction with their defensive coordinator hire, a source tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (Twitter link).
Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap previews the Giants‘ offseason, examining the team’s cap situation and potential approach to free agency.

Colts Place Josh McNary On Exempt List

January 15th, 2015 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

10:13am: The NFL has allowed the Colts to place McNary on the exempt list, the club announced today in a press release. Indianapolis promoted wide receiver Griff Whalen from its practice squad to take McNary’s place on the 53-man roster. Defensive end Gannon Conway replaces Whalen on the taxi squad.

10:08am: With linebacker and special-teamer Josh McNary facing criminal charges, the Colts have asked the NFL to place him on the commissioner’s exempt list, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com details. If the league agrees to accommodate Indianapolis’ request, McNary will be ineligible to practice or play for the Colts as they prepare for this weekend’s AFC Championship game.

McNary, 26, has been charged with rape, criminal confinement with bodily injury, and battery resulting in bodily injury. While the Colts linebacker is “unhesitatingly” denying the allegations, a precedent was set earlier this season when Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy were placed on the exempt list while their legal cases were resolved. The league’s new conduct policy calls for the possibility of paid leave if a player is formally charged with a violent crime or sexual assault. That paid leave “may last until the league makes a disciplinary decision and any appeal of the discipline is fully resolved.”

Playing in his second season with the Colts in 2014, McNary logged 272 defensive snaps to go along with his work on special teams, recording 29 tackles and 0.5 sacks. If the league allows the Colts to place him on the exempt list, he’ll be removed from the 53-man roster, allowing the team to sign or promote someone to replace him.