2015 January - Pro Football Rumors

Washington Hires Scot McCloughan As GM

January 8th, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 5:30pm: At long last, it’s official. Washington announced that they have hired McCloughan as GM, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.

12:31pm: Washington and McCloughan have now finalized an agreement that will make the veteran exec the team’s new GM, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). As noted below, it’s a four-year pact, tweets Breer, who adds in a second tweet that McCloughan will report to Allen, which comes as a bit of a surprise. Still, McCloughan will have final say over the club’s 53-man roster, according to Breer (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 8:22am: The deal between Washington and McCloughan is expected to be finalized this morning, tweets Florio.

TUESDAY, 8:41pm: Not so fast. McCloughan’s deal with Washington hasn’t been completed yet as he is still discussing jobs with the Jets and Raiders, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Meanwhile, the negotiations with Washington have some non-financial details that need to be ironed out. One of those issues likely has become whether McCloughan will have control over the roster and the draft. Currently, Allen has those powers.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation that spoke with Dom Consentino of the Star-Ledger, the Jets have had conversations with McCloughan, but not about their vacant job at GM.

Meanwhile, Albert Breer of the NFL Network (on Twitter) hears that Washington and McCloughan hope to have their deal finalized by tomorrow morning.

1:31pm: Former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan will be returning to an NFL front office for the coming season, according to Michael Robinson of NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that Washington is hiring McCloughan as the team’s new general manager. Per Robinson, a press conference to formally announce the move is expected before the end of the week.

Rumors of McCloughan’s foray back into a front office position started to pick up steam yesterday, when Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that Washington had reached out to the veteran executive about a top football position in the organization. We later heard that two other clubs had spoken to McCloughan about joining their respective front offices. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweeted earlier today that one of those teams was the Jets.

Bruce Allen currently holds the general manager title in D.C., and will receive a promotion to president once McCloughan comes aboard, tweets Michael Silver of NFL.com. A report yesterday suggested that McCloughan wasn’t interested in a proposal from the Raiders that would have seen him work under GM Reggie McKenzie, since he wanted control of football operations. It appears he’ll get that control in Washington — Allen’s say in football decisions figures to be reduced in a “promotion” similar to the one Eagles executive Howie Roseman received last week.

Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link) hears from a source that there’s no deal in place yet between Washington and McCloughan, but multiple other reporters have corroborated Robinson’s account. Per Albert Breer of NFL Network (Twitter link), McCloughan has agreed to join the organization, and the two sides are currently negotiating the contract. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that it should be a four-year deal for McCloughan.

Meanwhile, according to Silver (via Twitter), Raiders owner Mark Davis spoke to McCloughan one final time last night, offering him a title of president of personnel under McKenzie, which didn’t interest McCloughan.

Minor Moves: Thursday

January 8th, 2015 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll round up today’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day, starting with a pair of signings left over from last night:

Veteran linebacker Ricky Sapp has signed with Washington, according to a Twitter announcement from the team, which also confirmed the previously-reported signing of Austin Spitler. Sapp, who inked a future/reserves contract, was released from the Texans’ injured reserve list in November.
The Steelers have signed safety Jordan Dangerfield and wide receiver L’Damian Washington to futures deals, per Scott Brown of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Dangerfield spent some time on Pittsburgh’s practice squad during the 2014 campaign.

Earlier updates:

Quarterback Ricky Stanzi has signed a reserve/futures deal with the Giants, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter). Stanzi, cut by the Jaguars in August, worked out for the Giants in September and finished the season on the Texans’ practice squad.
Besides signing kicker Zach Hocker, the Dolphins also added wide receiver Michael Preston on a reserve/futures contract, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Preston, who was waived by the Titans at the end of the preseason, worked out for a handful of teams during the season, including Miami in September.

Steelers Extend OC Todd Haley

January 8th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have signed offensive coordinator Todd Haley to a two-year contract extension that keep him under team control through the 2016 season, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Bouchette writes that the deal was completed “quietly,” so it’s not clear if an agreement was reached this week, or while the Steelers’ Super Bowl hopes were still alive.

Haley absorbed some criticism – notably from rapper Snoop Dogg – early in the season when the Steelers got off to an up-and-down start, but his offense recovered nicely, ultimately finishing second in the league with 411.1 yards per game. The unit, which put up 94 total points in a pair of back-to-back midseason contests against the Colts and Ravens, also ranked second in DVOA, per Football Outsiders.

With Haley locked up, the Steelers will work toward securing another key piece of their offense beyond the 2015 season, with the team expected to try to negotiate an extension with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger this offseason. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review took a shot this week at estimating what a new contract for Big Ben would look like, and predicted an agreement in the range of five years and $100MM.

Malcom Brown To Enter Draft

January 8th, 2015 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Texas junior defensive tackle Malcom Brown has elected to enter the 2015 NFL draft, he told coach Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong (Twitter link via the Longhorn Network). Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net had reported last month that Brown was leaning heavily toward forgoing his final year of NCAA eligibility and turning pro.

In his third season at Texas, Brown compiled 69 tackles, and led the defense with 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss. He was a consensus All-American, as well as ESPN’s Big 12 defensive player of the year.

The 2015 draft class figures to see a number of defensive tackles come off the board early, with Brown expected to be a first-round pick. CBSSports.com ranks him as the fourth-best defensive tackle in the class, and the No. 25 overall prospect. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Todd McShay praises Brown’s motor and versatility, projecting him to come off the board with the 22nd overall pick.

Browns Notes: Shanahan, Manziel, Carter

January 8th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The big news out of Cleveland today is the departure of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who reportedly asked to be released from his contract. With quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains also leaving the Browns, the team will revamp its coaching staff yet again heading into the 2015 season. Here are the latest updates on Shanahan, the newly-opened OC job, and other Browns-related topics:

According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), it’s not a surprise that Shanahan and the Browns decided to part ways, since he has heard there’s been “major friction” between the two sides. Per La Canfora, last Friday, after Shanahan approached the club about his issues and concerns, the team granted him permission to leave, even if it was a lateral move to another offensive coordinator position.
A source tells Pat McManamon of ESPN.com that the split between Shanahan (and Loggains) and the team was caused by the fact that the offensive coaches didn’t see eye to eye with the front office on Johnny Manziel. According to McManamon, the front office wants Manziel to be the starter, and Shanahan and Loggains weren’t convinced the club could win with him. Said one source: “They are both smart to get out now.”
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com counters that report, tweeting that Shanahan “really liked” Manziel, and didn’t depart because of the rookie signal-caller.
Cabot adds (via Twitter) that as of a couple days ago, the Browns hadn’t contacted Charlie Weis about their offensive coordinator job, but she acknowledged that could change soon. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier this week that Cleveland had “reached out to guys like” Weis.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) adds the Browns to the list of teams planning to work out CFL wideout Duron Carter, the son of longtime Vikings star Cris Carter.

Bears Hire Ryan Pace As General Manager

January 8th, 2015 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bears have hired Saints executive Ryan Pace to be their new general manager, the team announced today (via Twitter). New Orleans’ director of player personnel will replace Phil Emery, who was let go along with head coach Marc Trestman following Chicago’s regular season finale.

The Bears’ hiring of Pace is a bit of a surprise, after the team also spoke to Brian Gaine of the Texans, Lake Dawson of the Titans, and Chris Ballard of the Chiefs. Ballard was viewed by many observers as the favorite for the job, while at least one report indicated that Gaine would likely be the favorite of Ernie Accorsi, who is serving as an advisor for the Bears during their hunt for a new GM and head coach.

Although Ballard and Gaine were strong candidates, Pace is a highly-respected veteran executive is his own right, spending 14 years working with the Saints, including six as the team’s director of pro scouting before he became the club’s director of player personnel. The Jets were also interested in interviewing Pace for their GM opening, but he declined the opportunity to speak to the team about the position.

With Pace now installed as their general manager, the Bears can move forward with their search for a head coach, which had been delayed slightly because the team wanted a GM in place first. As our head coaching search tracker shows, Chicago spoke to Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase during last week’s bye, and also talked to Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles today. The Bears had originally been scheduled to interview Bowles on Saturday, but perhaps were willing to move it up since Pace’s hiring was imminent — Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the new GM sat in on the team’s interview with Bowles today.

In addition to those candidates, former head coaches Doug Marrone and Mike Shanahan have been mentioned as possible candidates, and the Bears have requested an interview with Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, who won’t speak with any teams until Baltimore is eliminated from the postseason. It’s possible that Chicago will add some new names to its list of targets, now that the club has found its GM.

Mueller Releases Report On Rice Investigation

January 8th, 2015 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Investigator Robert Mueller released his full report on the NFL’s investigation into the Ray Rice incident today, and concluded that no one from the league possessed or watched the in-elevator footage of Rice hitting his then-fiancée prior to it becoming public.

“We found no evidence that anyone at the NFL had or saw the in-elevator video before it was publicly shown,” reads the press release from Mueller. “We also found no evidence that a woman at the NFL acknowledged receipt of that video in a voicemail message on April 9, 2014.

“We concluded there was substantial information about the incident – even without the in-elevator video – indicating the need for a more thorough investigation,” the statement continues. “The NFL should have done more with the information it had, and should have taken additional steps to obtain all available information about the February 15 incident.”

While Mueller chides the league for not pursuing information and evidence more aggressively, the report clears commissioner Roger Goodell and his staff of any more serious violations, and casts doubt on an Associated Press that suggested a female league employee confirmed receipt of the video in April. In the wake of the report’s release, Giants co-owner John Mara and Steelers owner Art Rooney II, who were overseeing the investigation, issued a statement reiterating their support of Goodell.

“This matter has tarnished the reputation of the NFL due to our failure to hand out proper punishments,” the statement reads. “It has been a wake-up call to all involved and we expect the changes that have been made will lead to improvements in how any similar issues are handled in the future…. It is clear to us that Commissioner Goodell was forthright in the statements he made to the owners about this matter, and we have every confidence that Roger Goodell is the right person to lead the league as we move forward.”

While it may come as no surprise that an NFL-led investigation conducted by a former NFL employee exonerates the league from any serious wrong-doing, it further strengthens Goodell’s position as a commissioner who isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Jeromey Clary Announces Retirement

January 8th, 2015 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Longtime Chargers offensive lineman Jeromey Clary has announced his retirement, according to a press release from the team. Clary spent the 2014 season on the team’s reserve/PUP list after undergoing hip surgery.

“Honestly, it has been a long time coming now with the two hip injuries,” Clary said. “San Diego was a great place to play, and I couldn’t have asked for a better organization to play for. All the coaches and all the players I was with, and the friendships I’ve built … I’m honored to have played for an organization like this. It means the world to me. I’ve processed this decision a lot and gone through it a lot, and to be honest with you, I’m really excited about the future. I look forward to getting back to Texas and being around my family.”

Clary, 31, was selected by the Chargers in the 2006 draft out of Kansas State. Although he was a sixh-round pick, Clary soon became a mainstay in San Diego’s lineup, starting 93 of the 103 games he played for the team during his career, primarily at right tackle. In his final season with the Chargers, the veteran lineman accepted a pay cut that reduced his base salary from $4.55MM to $1.6MM. He’d be eligible for unrestricted free agency in March if he were continuing his career.

Amari Cooper, T.J. Yeldon To Enter Draft

January 8th, 2015 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we learned that Alabama safety Landon Collins would be entering his name in the 2015 NFL draft, and it appears two noteworthy teammates will join him. According to ESPN’s Alex Scarborough and Chris Low, junior wide receiver Amari Cooper and junior running back T.J. Yeldon will also forgo their remaining college eligibility and enter the ’15 draft.

Of the two, Cooper is the bigger name — he is widely considered the best wideout available among 2015 prospects, and is considered likely to come off the board within the first few picks this spring. He racked up an incredible 1,727 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 124 receptions in 2014 for Alabama, averaging 123+ yards per game. Both ESPN.com and CBSSports.com consider Cooper a top-five prospect, though the first mock draft from ESPN’s Todd McShay has the young receiver coming off the board at No. 6, to the Jets.

As for Yeldon, his yards per carry slipped to 5.0 in 2014 after he topped 6.0 as a freshman and sophomore, but the 21-year-old still had a strong junior season, compiling 979 yards and 11 TDs on the ground. He grades as ESPN’s sixth-best running back and 49th-best overall prospect, while CBSSports.com isn’t quite as bullish, ranking Yeldon seventh among RBs and 80th overall.

Coach Notes: Philbin, Ryan, Bowles, Trestman

January 8th, 2015 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced last month that the team would be retaining head coach Joe Philbin for the 2015 season, and the next step is to lock up Philbin with an extension. As Aramando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins will indeed make an extension offer to Philbin, to ensure that he doesn’t enter 2015 as a lame-duck coach, and to make sure his price tag doesn’t go up if Miami has a strong ’15 campaign. Of course, if the Dolphins take a step back next season, Philbin could still be dismissed — Ross and the team would just have to eat the remaining cost of his deal.

Here are a few more Thursday coaching updates from across the league:

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle is hearing that Rex Ryan‘s first choice is the 49ers, followed by the Falcons (Twitter link). However, it’s not clear if Ryan would be atop the Niners’ list as well.
The Falcons pushed their interviews for Teryl Austin and Todd Bowles back to Friday and Saturday, respectively, due to the passing of Molly Blank, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. That’s why Bowles is meeting with the Bears today instead of Saturday.
Meanwhile, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says (via Twitter) that the Raiders have been “knocked off” Bowles’ list, while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears the Cardinals defensive coordinator is making a “very strong impression” in his head coaching interviews. Bowles met with the Jets yesterday, and had the Bears on tap today, before he moves on to the 49ers on Friday and Falcons on Saturday.
Following Kyle Shanahan‘s departure from the Browns, Marc Trestman‘s name has come up as Cleveland considers new candidates, and the former Bears head coach would be interested in talking to the team, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
The Jaguars, on the other hand, aren’t leaning toward Trestman to be their new offensive coordinator, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
The Giants have requested permission to interview Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for their defensive coordinator position, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Noting that the contract of Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver expires in less than two weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) says Tarver is a DC target for some head coaching candidates around the league. The Raiders would like to keep him, but Tarver could choose to pursue a DC job under a new head coach for another team, depending on who lands where.