2015 January - Pro Football Rumors

Bills Notes: Harris, Pace, Ryan

January 12th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) tells Bills fans to keep an eye on free agent linebacker David Harris, a favorite of new head coach Rex Ryan. Mehta says Ryan will also want to make a play for outside linebacker Calvin Pace, if the Jets cut him loose. More on the Bills, who are suddenly one of the most intriguing teams to watch for 2015..

A league source tells Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee (via Twitter) that the Bills have interest in 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari. He’s been with the 49ers since the 2010 season.
Bills quarterback EJ Manuel has left his agents at Dimensional Sports, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). Manuel is currently without an agent. The FSU product is under contract with the Bills through 2016.
There’s a ton of buzz about Ryan going to the Bills and amping up their rivalry with the Jets, but Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com says that’s nothing for Gang Green to fear. Buffalo is already an elite defensive squad and the odds of Ryan turning Manuel into an elite quarterback are slim.

Coaching Rumors: Jets, Falcons, McDaniels

January 12th, 2015 at 3:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have set aside the next three days to sign head coach Jason Garrett and retain his coaching staff, as David Moore of The Dallas Morning News writes. Garrett and key members of his staff are set to have their contracts expire now that the season is over. However, executive vice president Stephen Jones said the club will not grant anyone permission to speak or interview with an interested club over the next three days unless it’s for a head coaching position. The latest head coaching news from around the NFL..

The Jets and Falcons are both calling Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles back for a second interview, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Falcons interview will take place on Wednesday, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Bowles is believed to have a major supporter in the Falcons hierarchy in assistant GM Scott Pioli, who’s father-in-law is Bill Parcells. Bowles worked for Parcells in Dallas and Miami.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been in high demand for some time as a head coaching candidate, but it sounds like he’ll be leaving a couple of teams disappointed. McDaniels is expected to stay with New England, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.
Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will interview Wednesday with the Jets for their vacant head coach job, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter). McDermott and new GM Mike Maccagnan both have the same agent, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.
Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has a second head coaching interview with the Falcons on Thursday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Seahawks Place Paul Richardson On IR

January 12th, 2015 at 2:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll announced that the team has placed wide receiver Paul Richardson on the injured reserve, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Taking his place on the 53-man roster will be quarterback B.J. Daniels.

The rookie wide receiver suffered a torn ACL in Saturday night’s victory. The injury, which was first reported by Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), could impact his status for the start of the 2015 season. Richardson, a second-round choice out of Colorado, was Seattle’s top pick in the 2014 Draft. He saw a big boost in playing time after Percy Harvin was shipped to the Jets in the fall. In 15 regular-season games this season, he had 29 receptions for 271 yards and one touchdown. Nearly half of those catches came in the final three regular season games of the year, however.

Daniels is listed as a quarterback, but he offers versatility and the ability to fill in at a number of positions. Carroll noted that the hard-working special teams player can play wide receiver, running back, and contribute on special teams (via Terry Blount of ESPN.com on Twitter).

Carroll says that Kevin Norwood will step up to play more with Richardson out, though he’ll take a “wait and see” approach to who takes over kickoff returning (via Condotta on Twitter).

East Notes: Mariota, Eagles, Washington

January 12th, 2015 at 2:19pm CST by Zachary Links

When he was the head coach at the University of Oregon, Eagles coach Chip Kelly had to be convinced that Marcus Mariota was the right quarterback for him rather than Johnny Manziel, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Some feel that Mariota would be an ideal QB for Kelly today, but moving up from No. 20 to No. 1 would require a lot in the way of assets. The latest from the AFC and NFC East..

New Washington GM Scot McCloughan says that he won’t draft for need but Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com wonders if he’ll give some attention to the team’s biggest needs.
Pepper Johnson is interviewing for the Giants‘ defensive coordinator job today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter).
The Eagles interviewed Texans director of pro personnel Brian Gaine for their GM job on Sunday, a source tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter).
Should the Eagles do whatever it takes to get Mariota? The analysts at CSNPhilly.com (video link) debated the pros and cons of such a move.
Several Bills players, including center Eric Wood and running back Fred Jackson, took to social media to express their excitement over the hiring of Rex Ryan, Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News writes.

AFC North Notes: Gailey, Browns, Kubiak

January 12th, 2015 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

Running back Justin Forsett’s 24 carries for 129 yards represented an impressive performance to close out his storybook campaign, but it’s much more interesting what happened behind him on the Ravens‘ depth chart, writes Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun. In short-yardage situations, it was Fitzgerald Toussaint getting the key red zone carries rather than Bernard Pierce, who played just four snaps and got just one carry. Today’s look at the AFC North..

Former Bills coach Chan Gailey is among the candidates the Browns will consider hiring as their sixth offensive coordinator in six years, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. Gailey, who turned 63 last week, has spent the past two seasons out of football after being fired as Buffalo’s head coach.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) hasn’t heard of an extension or raise for Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. It seems that he just flat out wants to stay in Baltimore, without any incentive.
The Ravens have a number of players set to hit the open market this offseason and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com runs down the odds of each of them returning. Some, like long snapper Morgan Cox (85%) seem pretty likely to stay in Baltimore while others like tight end Owen Daniels (60%) could go either way.

AFC West Notes: Manning, Raiders, Del Rio

January 12th, 2015 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

This might help to explain things. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning played in Sunday’s loss and the past month of the season with a torn right quad, two sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The tear, which was first suffered during Denver’s December 14th win over the Chargers, was confirmed by an MRI (link).

A team source tells Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post that Manning played with a strained quad, not a full tear.
Now that the Denver’s season is over, the Raiders are expected to try to meet again with Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio for a second interview, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Oakland inquired about interviewing him last week, only to be told that the rules wouldn’t allow for it (link).
Manning is due $19MM next year, which would be tough for any player to pass up, writes Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. And, as much as he struggled Sunday and showed cracks throughout the second half of the season, Manning still finished second in the NFL in touchdowns.
The plain and harsh truth is that Manning is done, writes Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. Manning could return for 2015 to take another crack at winning it all with the Broncos, Kiszla writes, but it would be a fool’s errand.
There could be a number of roster changes in store for the Broncos, as Mike Klis and Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post write. “That’s one of the toughest parts of this,” defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. “Right now, if I knew I had another year under my belt, I would be thinking revenge already. But I don’t know how things are going to work. I hope to be here for the rest of my career, but I know how the business part affects things.”

Bills Hire Rex Ryan As Head Coach

January 12th, 2015 at 9:10am CST by Rory Parks

The Bills have officially made Rex Ryan their new head coach, the team announced today in a press release. Ryan, who was expected to be a finalist for the Falcons’ head coaching position and who was rumored to have serious interest in the 49ers’ job as well, will remain in the AFC East, having coached the Jets from 2009 to his firing at the end of the 2014 campaign.

“Following an extensive search, we are pleased today to announce that Rex Ryan is our new head coach. Rex brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the position that we feel will be a tremendous benefit to our players and the entire Bills organization,” Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. “He was very impressive during the interview process, as were many of the candidates to which we spoke, and we feel Rex is the best fit for our team. We look forward to his leadership and expertise in directing our team to the playoffs and bringing a championship to Buffalo for our fans.”

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that Ryan’s contract with Buffalo will be a five-year pact worth $27.5MM. Mehta adds (Twitter links) that Ryan’s top choice was the Atlanta position, but the Falcons never scheduled a second interview with him, and Ryan never felt that GM Thomas Dimitroff was “in his corner.” The Bills, meanwhile, made Ryan “feel wanted,” according to another tweet from Mehta.

According to Metha (via Twitter), Ryan wants to bring the majority of his Jets defensive staff with him, including defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. That list also includes defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and defensive backs coach Tim McDonald, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. However, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets that the Bills have “every intention” of retaining last year’s defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that Ryan has already asked Schwartz to stay on as defensive coordinator.

Ryan, always praised as a master defensive mind, will have a number of talented defensive players to work with in Buffalo, (although, as John Kryk of The Toronto Sun tweets, 2015 will mark the fifth straight year in which the Bills have alternated between a base 4-3 and a base 3-4 defense, assuming Ryan deploys his favored 3-4 scheme, and it has been a while since Schwartz last coached a 3-4 unit). The offensive side of the ball, on the other hand, was frequently the bane of Ryan’s existence in New York, and the Jets’ general lack of offensive success under Ryan played a significant role in his firing. Ryan plans to bring Jets quarterbacks coach David Lee with him to Buffalo, according to a tweet from Mehta, and Schefter tweets that 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman is the most likely candidate to fill the same position with the Bills.

Struggles at the quarterback position, which persisted throughout Ryan’s tenure with the Jets, were ultimately too much to overcome. Although Ryan’s club advanced to the AFC Championship game in each of his first two seasons in New York, former first-round selection Mark Sanchez never blossomed into the franchise quarterback that the Jets had hoped, and 2013 second-round pick Geno Smith fared no better, as the Jets failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2014 and Ryan concluded his Jets career with a 50-52 overall record.. It seems, therefore, that Ryan will be facing many of the same challenges in his new job as he did in his last one, even with the potential addition of Roman to his coaching staff: a strong defense but a major question mark under center, where E.J. Manuel has done little to prove that he is worthy of the 16th-overall pick that the Bills used on him in 2013.

Nonetheless, Ryan does bring a reputation as a player’s coach who can consistently generate maximum effort from his personnel. Although everyone on the Jets knew that Ryan was going to be fired shortly after the team’s final contest of the 2014 season, the team played perhaps its best game of the year in Week 17, beating division rival Miami 37-24 and giving Ryan a Gatorade shower when the victory was secured.

In addition to an attitude and bravado that the Bills have rarely seen on their sidelines, Ryan also brings an obvious familiarity with the AFC East. Before his first season in New York, Ryan famously stated that he was not brought in to kiss Patriots head coach Bill Belichick‘s rings, and now he will have another opportunity to best Belichick several times a season. If he can overcome the quarterback hurdle that plagued him with the Jets – a big “if” to be sure – he might just be able to do it.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported (via Twitter) that Ryan and the Bills were finalizing an agreement.

NFC Notes: Falcons, Bowles, Newton

January 12th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Zachary Links

There is no need for the Falcons to start thinking about another kicker, regardless of Matt Bryant‘s age, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Still, there’s plenty of work for Atlanta to do this offseason. The Falcons, he writes, should consider bringing back defensive tackle Corey Peters in 2015. He’s talented and played well when given the opportunity, though he’ll want money similar to what Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai got. More from the NFC South..

Cardinals free safety Rashad Johnson has nothing but nice things to say about Falcons coaching candidate Todd Bowles. “He’s very aggressive, but at the same time, he knows how to mix it up because teams have learned that he’s a very aggressive guy,” Johnson told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “He’s just very smart about how he brings his pressures.”
Panthers star Cam Newton is a quarterback worth wagering on, writes Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer. Giving Newton a ~$100MM deal would be a risk, but it’s a gamble that is worth taking in Sorensen’s view. Still, he’ll need some help in the form of a tackle (or two) and another receiver.
Exiled defensive end Greg Hardy left a cryptic message for his Panthers teammates on the white board, as Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer writes. Still, Panthers cornerback Josh Norman hopes Sunday was not goodbye. “A guy of that caliber, man, we need that,” Norman said. “Hands down, I would welcome that and relish the chance to play with that guy again.”

AFC Notes: Canty, Ravens, Jets, Bills, Dolphins

January 11th, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ravens defensive lineman Chris Canty is considering retirement following the team’s 35-31 loss to the Patriots yesterday, reports Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The 32-year old veteran has one year remaining on his contract.

“I love being a part of the National Football League, but obviously, there’s another side to it,” said Canty. “You have to think about your future. You have to think, ‘Can your body take the pounding going through a regular season and being able to stay healthy?’ The last couple of years I’ve been pretty banged up, so it’s a situation where I’ll take some time away from the game, spend some time with my family and make a decision when we have to make a decision.”

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

The Ravens could lose defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo, who is a candidate for the Giants’ defensive coordinator opening, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Zrebiec notes that the offensive coaching staff should stay in tact.
The Jets are still looking to fill their head coaching vacancy, and the team has targeted Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, reports Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that as long as Jets owner Woody Johnson is content waiting for Quinn to become available, he will be the team’s next head coach (via Twitter). Quinn will join new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan in this rebuilding project.
Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has not decided whether he would be interested in staying with the team, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). Schwartz will meet with Rex Ryan once his deal is finalized.
Dolphins’ wide receiver Brian Hartline is under contract for 2015, but it isn’t certain the team will bring him back, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “I understand there’s a business side,” Hartline said. “So when there is transition, you have to find out if you’re part of that transition or you’re not. Because of that, there’s probably a little bit of unrest that’s new to me that I haven’t experienced before.” Hartline would like to remain with the team.

Broncos Notes: Manning, Fox, Talib

January 11th, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

In the wake of the Broncos 24-13 loss to the Colts tonight, questions regarding Peyton Manning‘s future began to surface. Manning himself was non-committal about returning in 2015, according to Burt Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). “I need to process this game, and we’ll meet tomorrow,” said Manning.

Here are some other rumors after the Broncos elimination:

Manning is set to make $19MM in 2015, and for that reason Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes he will be back next year (via Twitter). At the same time, he notes that his colleague Marc Sessler has thought Manning could retire after the season since September.
Manning’s full salary will be guaranteed on the last day of the league year in March, reports Joel Corry of the National Football Post (via Twitter). If he retires, Denver will have a $5MM in dead money on its 2015 cap.
The Broncos will save $16.5MM if they move on from Manning this offseason, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
Money aside, Aaron Nagler of SI Now wonders if Manning would even want to start over again if head coach John Fox is fired and offensive coordinator Adam Gase finds employment elsewhere this offseason (via Twitter).
Despite those reports that Fox’s job was on the line today, the Broncos head coach was adamant about staying with the team, according to Around the NFL (via Twitter). “My intentions are to be a Denver Bronco,” said Fox.
Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com notes that with the Broncos out of the playoffs, Gase and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio are now available to sign as head coaches elsewhere right away (via Twitter). The Raiders have been interested in Del Rio, and Gase has drawn interest from a number of teams.
As he did upon the Cowboys’ loss to the Packers earlier, Field Yates of ESPN looks into some important offseason decisions facing the Broncos (ESPN Insider Link). Among the most important free agents, Yates writes the team needs to bring back Demaryius Thomas and Terrance Knighton, make a decision on Julius Thomas, and add to their offensive line and linebacking crews.
Corry also notes that the team could move on from oft-injured cornerback Aqib Talib, who has a cap number of $7MM in 2015 (via Twitter). That will leave $4MM in dead money on Denver’s cap sheet.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com put together a list of the Broncos free agents heading into this offseason and their current average salaries, and also addresses some salary cap and contract issues that the team will face with or without their quarterback..