2015 December - Pro Football Rumors

South Notes: Saints, Pagano, White, Texans

December 30th, 2015 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite plenty of speculation that 2015 could be Drew Brees‘ and/or Sean Payton‘s last year in New Orleans, the Saints quarterback says that he’s not going anywhere and neither is his head coach.

“I think we — a plan was put in place throughout last offseason as to how we were going to build a foundation by which to make a run at it in the future. That includes some new faces, that includes some young players that, I think, will all have a chance to come together and kind of build a team that can make a run at it in the future,” Brees told NFL Network. “Unfortunately, we had high expectations going into this year and we fell a bit short. But I’m confident with the character, the leadership, the talent we have.”

Brees’ and Payton’s futures in New Orleans are a little less certain than the former Super Bowl MVP suggests, but one player who isn’t going anywhere is left tackle Terron Armstead. Payton said this week that he wouldn’t trade Armstead for any other left tackle in the league, and the third-year lineman looks entrenched as one of the Saints’ building blocks, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.

Let’s check in on some more items from across the NFL’s South divisions….

Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com (Twitter link) isn’t so sure that Chuck Pagano would want to remain with the Colts even if the team decides it wants to keep him, but Pagano told reporters today, including Mike Chappell of Fox59 (Twitter link), that he plans to fight to keep his job.
One Pro Bowl receiver – Steve Smith – announced today that he’s postponing retirement and will return in 2016, and another veteran wideout – Roddy White of the Falcons – has a similar plan. As D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes, White has been somewhat frustrated with his role this season in Atlanta, but says he plans on being a Falcon “forever” and wants to play a couple more years.
Several GM jobs could open up next week, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Among the interesting upcoming decisions is one the Texans may have to make, with Florio forecasting that either GM Rick Smith or head coach Bill O’Brien will see an increase in power at this season’s conclusion.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Cole’s Latest: Chip Kelly, Los Angeles, Colts

December 30th, 2015 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has provided updates on a handful of notable stories, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights from his latest video reports….

Chip Kelly has interest in the Titans‘ head coaching job and believes he should have opportunities around the league, possibly in Tennessee, Cleveland, or Miami, sources tells Cole (video link).
About half of the NFL’s team owners – members of the Los Angeles committee, the finance committee, and the stadium committee – are scheduled to meet next week at the league’s New York offices to discuss possible relocation to L.A., according to Cole (video link). The Bleacher Report scribe hears that there’s a consensus building among owners that the Chargers are the favorite to get approval to relocate, but those owners remain unsure about what to do with the Rams and Raiders.
With the Colts potentially preparing to move on from head coach Chuck Pagano, there are those in the organization who wonder whether Andrew Luck will have a strong opinion on who the team’s next head coach will be, says Cole (video link). Luck is entering the final year of his contract with the club, so as he considers signing a long-term extension with Indianapolis, it makes sense that he’d want to have some input on who will be coaching him.

Buccaneers Place Vincent Jackson On IR

December 30th, 2015 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have announced multiple changes to their 53-man roster, and the most notable move will see wide receiver Vincent Jackson land on the injured reserve list, ending his season. In addition to placing Jackson on IR, the Bucs promoted safety Kimario McFadden to the active roster, and confirmed two previously-reported moves, elevating tight end Tevin Westbrook from the practice squad and sending safety Major Wright to IR.

Jackson, whose knee injury has kept him out of the Buccaneers’ last two games, was limited to 10 contests in total this season. After racking up at least 70 receptions and 1,000 yards during each of his first three seasons in Tampa Bay, Jackson saw his production slip this year as he struggled to stay healthy and establish a rapport with first overall pick Jameis Winston. In total, he grabbed 33 balls for 543 yards and three touchdowns.

It’ll be worth keeping an eye on Jackson’s situation this offseason, since he’s due a $9.778MM base salary, with a $12.21MM cap charge, for 2016. Those figures are identical to his 2015 salary and cap hit, but coming off an injury-plagued season, with just one year left on his deal, Jackon’s hold on a roster spot looks much shakier this time around.

Steve Smith To Return To Ravens In 2016

December 30th, 2015 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran receiver Steve Smith has a New Year’s resolution that will be of particular interest to Ravens fans. The star wideout announced today (via Twitter) that he intends to put off his retirement plans for at least one more year, and will return to the Ravens for the 2016 season.

A five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro, Smith announced earlier this year that this season would be his last. However, a torn Achilles derailed his 2015 campaign after just seven games, raising questions about whether he’d want to end his career on such a disappointing note.

Of course, for Smith to return to the Ravens next season, the team will have to want him back, but it doesn’t look like there’s any question that Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh and the rest of the organization are on board with the idea. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets that team officials have suspected for months that the former third-round pick would continue playing.

Despite turning 36 this year, Smith was more effective than ever in the first half of the 2015 season, with 46 receptions for 670 yards in his seven games. The 95.7 yards per game average was the second-highest of his 15-year NFL career.

Smith still has one year remaining on his three-year contract with Baltimore, and the salary and cap hit for 2016 is identical to his 2015 figures — he’ll earn $3MM in salary, with a cap hit of about $4.167MM.

Cowboys Place Dez Bryant, Others On IR

December 30th, 2015 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Dez Bryant‘s disappointing 2015 season will end a week early, as head coach Jason Garrett announced today that the star wideout is being placed on injured reserve (link via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com). In addition to Bryant, defensive tackle David Irving and safety Barry Church will also head to IR, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).

After going through an eventful offseason, which included receiving the franchise tag and eventually signing a lucrative long-term contract with the Cowboys, Bryant promptly had his season derailed by foot and ankle injuries, which limited him to the worst numbers of his career — in nine games, he caught just 31 balls for 401 yards and three touchdowns, all career lows.

According to Garrett, Bryant is expected to have surgery on both his foot and ankle over the course of the next week, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. That means both the Cowboys’ top wideout and starting quarterback could undergo procedures this offseason. Tony Romo indicated earlier this week that he may have a plate inserted to prevent further collarbone injuries.

As for the other two Cowboys who were placed on IR today, both of those moves had been expected. Church broke his right arm during Sunday’s game against Buffalo, while Irving sustained a fractured left wrist.

More Leftovers On Eagles’ Firing Of Chip Kelly

December 30th, 2015 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Chip Kelly‘s dismissal, multiple reports on Tuesday suggested that the Eagles wanted to strip Kelly of his personnel control, and then decided to fire him when he balked. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) has heard that scenario isn’t accurate.

According to both Rapoport and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter links), it doesn’t sound like there was any big event or dramatic moment that led to Kelly’s firing — owner Jeffrey Lurie simply called Kelly in and informed him of his decision.

While the build-up to Kelly’s firing may not have been dramatic, there has certainly been no shortage of reaction and follow-up to the move. We rounded several additional details and reactions to the story last night, but with many more surfacing since then, we’re doing it again. Let’s dive in….

Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) gets the sense that Lurie parted ways with Kelly to get the Eagles’ building back. Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News hears something similar, with a source telling him that Lurie wanted to “take back the team.”
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Kelly still had two years and $12.4MM left on his contract. If Kelly is hired by another team within the next two years, it would save the Eagles some money due to offset language in the deal.
One Eagles player tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links) that Kelly is “definitely someone who doesn’t communicate,” adding that he “wouldn’t make a few changes here and there to make the players better.”
With Kelly gone, Sam Bradford‘s future in Philadelphia is up in the air, writes Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com.
Alex Marvez of FOX Sports identifies interim Eagles coach Pat Shurmur, Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, and Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub as three possible candidates to replace Kelly.
What Lurie and the Eagles need more than a head coach is a smart, football-minded general manager who can fix the roster, says ESPN.com’s Ashley Fox. As David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News notes, Kelly may be gone, but the impact he had on the Eagles’ roster will linger.

Bears Put Alshon Jeffery, Eddie Goldman On IR

December 30th, 2015 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Bears have placed a pair of starting players on injured reserve, officially ruling them out for Week 17. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and defensive lineman Eddie Goldman have landed on IR, according to the team (Twitter link). To fill the openings on the 53-man roster, Chicago has signed defensive linemen Greg Scruggs and Terry Williams.

Jeffery, in the final year of his rookie contract, was slowed by injuries, which prevented him from putting up the type of numbers he had in past seasons. After averaging about 87 receptions, 1,277 yards, and eight touchdowns in 2013 and 2014, the 25-year-old recorded just 54 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Of course, Jeffery’s numbers don’t look too bad when taking into account that he only played nine games this season for the Bears — he actually established a new career-high in yards per game (89.7). As he approaches possible free agency, the Bears will have a tough decision to make, as they consider whether to use the franchise tag on the standout receiver to keep him from hitting the open market.

As for Goldman, the rookie defender, selected in the second round of this year’s draft out of Florida, had a solid first season in Chicago, logging 22 tackles to go along with 4.5 sacks. His ankle injury isn’t expected to require surgery.

Bill Polian Not Interested In Formal Role With Bills

December 30th, 2015 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

Former NFL general manager and current ESPN analyst Bill Polian is happy to offer suggestions and ideas for how to improve the Bills, as he did last week, but he isn’t interested in any sort of formal role in the team’s front office, he tells John Murphy of BuffaloBills.com.

“Anything I could do to help in any way, I would,” Polian said on Tuesday. “But any kind of a formal role is absolutely precluded. Nor am I seeking that. I’m very happy with what I’m doing at ESPN.”

While there were indications last week that Polian might consider a consulting role with the Bills, he made it clear to Murphy that he’ll only talk to Buffalo or any another NFL team about football matters on an informal basis.

“There was a question later on which related to consulting, and which I misunderstood,” Polian said. “The committee on which I serve, the NFL Personnel Development Committee, has members – Charley Casserly, Ron Wolf, Ernie Accorsi – who frequently serve as consultants to teams when they go through the hiring process. And I made it clear that even though some teams have asked me to do that in the past, I can’t do it because of the terms of my ESPN contract. That prohibits me from doing that.”

Given Polian’s history with the Bills and his relationship with team owner Terry Pegula, rumors and reports have frequently linked the Hall of Fame NFL executive to Buffalo. A year ago, there were indications that the Bills talked to Polian about bringing him aboard either in an advisory role or as a top front office executive, but he ultimately decided to stay at ESPN. While Polian doesn’t plan on officially joining the Bills anytime soon, he still wants to see the franchise succeed.

“If anybody asks, sure. If anyone has questions, I’m happy to answer and happy to help in any way I can. And that includes whatever I could do for the community,” Polian said, referring to his conversations with Pegula. “I’m going to make a speech this spring in the community. Things I can do along those lines, I’m very happy to do. I want the Bills to do well. That’s the overarching message — I want the Bills to do well.”

North Notes: Greenway, Lions, Browns

December 30th, 2015 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran linebacker and two-time Pro Bowler Chad Greenway has spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the Vikings, and he wants to return to the team for the 2016 season, according to Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune.

“I want to enjoy this moment, and enjoy the playoffs,” Greenway said. “To me, it rejuvenates you as an athlete and a person to go through this and have this in front of you. I’m probably going to play next year. To go through a year like we’ve gone through and to be part of this has been really fun.”

While Greenway sounds committed to continuing his playing career, he doesn’t want to play for a team besides Minnesota, so the Vikings would have to be willing to have him in 2016. The linebacker, who will turn 33 next month, is in the final year of a contract and is earning a $3.4MM salary to go along with a $5.575MM cap hit in 2015, so I suspect the Vikes would be on board with his return if they could reduce both of those numbers a little for next year.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s North divisions:

As the Lions search for a new general manager and possibly a new head coach as well, it’s crucial that those two figures share a philosophy and can co-exist without any friction, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
It’s difficult to support the idea that the Browns should retain coach Mike Pettine for 2016, Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer writes.
Per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Browns are the latest team to work out standout CFL wide receiver Eric Rogers, who is reportedly in the midst of visiting 14 NFL clubs.
Eddie Goldman‘s ankle injury figures to end his season, but it’s not expected to require surgery, and the arrow is pointing up for the Bears defensive tackle, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune outlines.

Tom Coughlin Unlikely To Remain With Giants

December 30th, 2015 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

While one NFC East team parted ways with its head coach on Tuesday, it doesn’t appear the Giants will emulate the head Eagles and announce a decision on their own coach until next week. However, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, the odds of Tom Coughlin remaining with New York for the 2016 season are “slim, at best.”

The thinking within the Giants’ organization, per Raanan, is that the club could have won a few more games this year if Coughlin had been at the top of his game. In laying out the potential scenarios for coaching and/or front office changes, Raanan suggests that replacing Coughlin and keeping GM Jerry Reese is the most likely outcome in New York, since the team simply doesn’t fire general managers.

If Coughlin departs, whether that means the Giants firing him or the veteran head coach announcing his retirement, the team will have to address what to do with offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. When McAdoo assumed his current role two years ago, he was viewed as a possible long-term replacement for Coughlin, and he has done some good work with Eli Manning. However, the club may not think he’s ready for a head coaching job quite yet, and a new head coach may want to bring in his own offensive coordinator.

Whatever the Giants decide, it seems inevitable that change will be coming to the team within the next week or so. Raanan writes that standing pat is the least likely scenario for the Giants, adding that it’s “close to incomprehensible at this point.”