2016 January - Pro Football Rumors

Titans To Interview Ray Horton For HC Job

January 15th, 2016 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

3:54pm: The Titans have confirmed that their interviews with Austin and Mularkey have been completed. Horton will be the fourth candidate to formally speak to the team about the job.

4:11pm: Mike Mularkey isn’t the only in-house candidate for the Titans’ permanent head coaching job. According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Tennessee defensive coordinator Ray Horton is scheduled to interview for the club’s head coaching vacancy on Saturday.

Horton is expected to become either the third or fourth candidate to formally interview for the Titans’ job. The club confirmed that it met with Jaguars assistant head coach Doug Marrone on Thursday to discuss the head coaching job, and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was scheduled to meet with the team today. Mularkey, who is considered the front-runner, was also expected to sit down for an interview at some point this week.

In addition to those candidates, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been mentioned as a possible target for new Titans GM Jon Robinson. However, he and other coaches on active playoff teams aren’t eligible to interview this week.

Horton, who served as the defensive coordinator in Arizona and Cleveland prior to joining the Titans, has reportedly received interest from the Browns for their defensive coordinator job under new head coach Hue Jackson.

While the Titans will have the first overall pick this year after finishing with a league-worst 2-14 record, Horton’s defense shouldn’t bear the brunt of the blame for the team’s poor showing. The Titans’ average of 342.2 yards per game placed them 12th in the NFL, while their 229.9 passing yards allowed per game placed seventh in the league.

Dean Spanos, Stan Kroenke To Meet Next Week

January 15th, 2016 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

4:37pm: As noted below, Spanos and Kroenke will indeed meet soon. That sit-down will happen next week, a league source tells Bonsignore (Twitter link).

2:14pm: The Chargers technically have until March 23 to decide whether or not they’ll join the Rams in Los Angeles for the 2016 season, but the team’s decision is expected well before then, writes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Vincent Bonsignore of InsideSoCal.com, the Chargers would like to decide within the next two or three weeks whether a deal can get done with the Rams, meaning there could be some sort of resolution around the time of Super Bowl 50.

While most NFL team owners expect the Chargers to ultimately make the move to Los Angeles, owner Dean Spanos reached out to San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer on Thursday, months after disengaging from stadium talks with the city, according to Acee. Spanos and Faulconer didn’t set a time or date for a subsequent meeting, but the mayor tells Acee that the tone of the call, which lasted about five minutes, was cordial.

“I said very clearly to him I would welcome the opportunity to get together at his earliest convenience,” Faulconer said on Friday. “I told him we can discuss a variety of different options on how to move forward.”

One league source suggests to Bonsignore that it makes sense for the Chargers to commit to San Diego for a year, rather than rushing into an L.A. deal with the Rams: “See where it gets you. Have a vote. Get finality.” In theory, that’s probably good advice, but Spanos and company may not want to fall behind the Rams and let Stan Kroenke‘s club get a leg up in L.A.

So even though San Diego remains a possibility for the Chargers, the team is expected to meet with the Rams soon, and according to Acee, multiple sources expect the Chargers to reach an agreement in principle with the Rams before seriously re-engaging the city of San Diego.

The possibility that Kroenke will play hardball with Spanos and the Chargers doesn’t look like a potential roadblock for the Los Angeles negotiations, according to Bonsignore, who writes that the Rams owner promised his fellow owners that he will “work fairly and honorably” with Spanos. NFL sources tell Bonsignore that the Chargers will essentially have 30 other partners in discussions with Kroenke, plus commissioner Roger Goodell, ensuring that they’ll avoid any pitfalls or surprises and will get a reasonable deal from the Rams.

As we wait to see which direction the Chargers go, let’s round up a few more items related to Los Angeles, the Rams, the Chargers, and the Raiders….

Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times conducted an exclusive Q&A session with Kroenke discussing the Rams‘ relocation and the Inglewood project.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com is unconvinced that the Raiders will end up anywhere expect in the Bay Area, writing that the NFL will be reluctant to approve a move to San Diego if the Chargers head to Los Angeles, since the league won’t want its L.A. project undermined. La Canfora also believes that Texans owner Bob McNair and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would work hard to keep the Raiders out of San Antonio. For what it’s worth, other reporters have suggested the league would be okay with three teams in Southern California.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk also explores the Raiders‘ options, suggesting that San Antonio is likely more of a leverage play than a realistic landing spot for the franchise.

St. Louis Rams Become Los Angeles Rams

January 15th, 2016 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The St. Louis Rams are officially no more, with the franchise having made its move to Los Angeles official today. The club’s official website, which is still located at the old URL for now, refers to the team as the Los Angeles Rams, as does its new Twitter account.

Of course, after the result of this week’s owners vote in Houston, none of this comes as a surprise. This is just a public service announcement to let you know that, beginning today, Pro Football Rumors will be referring to the team by its new name.

On our team lists, located in the site’s top menu and on the right-hand sidebar, the team is now known as the Los Angeles Rams, and you can click on that link to see our archive of L.A. Rams news and rumors. You can also follow all the latest L.A. Rams story using our team-centric Twitter or Facebook feeds.

Alabama DL A’Shawn Robinson To Enter Draft

January 15th, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Four days after winning the national championship as a member of the Crimson Tide, Alabama defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson has announced his decision to leave school early and enter the 2016 NFL draft (Twitter link). Robinson joined running back Derrick Henry as Alabama prospects officially declaring their intent today.

[RELATED: Derrick Henry to enter 2016 draft]

Robinson, who likely projects as a defensive tackle for a team running a 4-3 scheme or a defensive end for a 3-4 defense, is considered one of the top defensive linemen available this spring. A Consensus All-American in his junior year, Robinson recorded 46 tackles (7.5 for a loss) to go along with his 3.5 sacks.

Recently, ESPN’s Todd McShay (Insider link) projected Robinson to go 19th overall in this year’s draft. McShay’s ESPN colleague, Mel Kiper Jr., was even more bullish on the defensive lineman’s prospects, suggesting in his first mock draft of 2016 that Robinson will come off the board at No. 12 overall, to the Saints (Insider link).

Kiper suggests the 6’3″, 313-pound lineman is “an immediate starter who combines great awareness and strength to make plays and hold the point in the run game, as well as the ability to push the pocket.”

Buccaneers To Hire Mike Smith As DC

January 15th, 2016 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that Mike Smith is a “hot name” as a defensive coordinator candidate, with several options on the table for him. Now, one of those options has emerged as the top choice for the Falcons head coach.

Per Rapoport (via Twitter), Smith is set to become the Buccaneers’ new defensive coordinator under head coach Dirk Koetter. Koetter confirmed as much this afternoon during his introductory press conference

Smith, who is one year removed from being let go by the Falcons, interviewed for the Dolphins’ and Giants’ head coaching jobs within the last couple weeks, and was the runner-up for the job in New York, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter). However, with only head coaching job still open, a defensive coordinator job looks like a solid Plan B for Smith, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that Smith is Koetter’s top choice.

As the Falcons’ head coach from 2008 to 2014, Smith led the team to a 66-46 regular season record, earning four postseason berths along the way. The club’s only playoff win under Smith came during the 2012 season, when Atlanta won its divisional contest, then narrowly lost to the 49ers in the NFC championship game. Prior to joining the Falcons, Smith served as the defensive coordinator for the Jaguars from 2003 to 2007.

Of course, Koetter and Smith have some history, with the Bucs’ new head coach having initially come to Tampa Bay from Atlanta. Koetter served as the offensive coordinator on Smith’s Falcons staff from 2012 to 2014.

Koetter announced today that most of the Buccaneers’ offensive assistants will remain on board for 2016, though it’s still unclear who – if anyone – will assume his old position as the club’s offensive coordinator. Koetter is expected to continue calling offensive plays.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bengals Name Ken Zampese Offensive Coordinator

January 15th, 2016 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bengals have officially named Ken Zampese their new offensive coordinator, the team announced today (Twitter link). Zampese, who receives a promotion from quarterbacks coach, replaces Hue Jackson in the role. Cincinnati also confirmed the previously-reported hiring of Jim Haslett as the team’s linebackers coach.

Zampese, the son of longtime NFL coach Ernie Zampese, has been the Bengals’ quarterbacks coach for more than a decade, having taking over the position in 2003. Having first worked with No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer, Zampese has more recently played a big part in Andy Dalton‘s success — the Bengals’ current signal-caller has earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods, and has made the playoffs in each of his five NFL seasons.

The decision to promote Zampese should help Dalton keep progressing in the right direction, and is also a reflection of the Bengals’ focus on continuity. That approach is on display each offseason, when the team generally sits out free agency in favor of re-signing its own players, and it extends to many of the club’s coaching decisions as well. Jackson and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther were both position coaches in Cincinnati before receiving promotions.

The Bengals now appear set to move forward with Marvin Lewis as their head coach, Guenther as the defensive coordinator, and Zampese as the offensive coordinator for the 2016 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Coach Rumors: Giants, Tabor, M. Smith, Haslett

January 15th, 2016 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

Ben McAdoo didn’t announce any decisions on his coaching staff during his introductory press conference this morning, but the new Giants head coach alluded to players improving in their second season in a defensive scheme, suggesting Steve Spagnuolo will be back.

Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that Spagnuolo will, in fact, return as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. A source tell Marvez (Twitter link) that the Giants will also keep secondary coach David Merritt on McAdoo’s staff.

As for McAdoo, Giants owner John Mara said today that the club had initially scheduled a second interview for him on Thursday of this week. However, when the Giants got wind of the Eagles’ strong interest in McAdoo, they pushed that second interview up a day to Wednesday, and ultimately promoted him to head coach (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News).

Here are a few more coaching-related updates from around the NFL:

Browns special teams coordinator Chris Tabor has been retained by new head coach Hue Jackson, the team announced today in a press release. Tabor has been in his current role since 2011, working under Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, and now Jackson.
The Browns are also expected to add Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson to their staff as a running game coordinator, if Minnesota approves the move, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith is a “hot name” as a defensive coordinator and has several options, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). We’ll see if Smith, who interviewed for a pair of head coaching jobs, has interest in returning in 2016 as an assistant.
Jim Haslett will be named the Bengals‘ new linebackers coach, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Haslett, who served as a consultant for Penn State in 2015, was replaced by Joe Barry as Washington’s defensive coordinator a year ago.
Saints offensive line coach Bret Ingalls, offensive assistant Kyle DeVan, and secondary coach Wesley McGriff are leaving the team, with the latter two landing college jobs, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune tweets that Dan Roushar will likely move from tight ends coach to offensive line coach to accommodate new addition Dan Campbell.

Workout Updates: 1/15/16

January 15th, 2016 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

After working out earlier this week for the Jets, free agent offensive tackle Lamar Holmes got a look from another AFC East team, auditioning for the Dolphins, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Holmes, a former third-round pick, started 19 games at tackle for the Falcons in 2013 and 2014. However, he spent most of the 2015 season on the PUP list due to a foot injury, and was ultimately cut by Atlanta in December with an injury settlement, allowing him to explore other opportunities. If he’s healthy, he should get a chance to sign somewhere and compete for a roster spot in 2016.

Here are the rest of today’s workout updates:

In addition to trying out Holmes, the Dolphins also brought in CFL pass rusher Cleyon Laing, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. An Iowa State product, Laing recorded 40 tackles and eight sacks for the Toronto Argonauts this season.
Another CFL star, wide receiver Eric Rogers, continued his NFL tour by working out for the Titans, tweets Caplan. Wilson (Twitter link) adds Laing and quarterback Jerry Lovelocke to the list of players who tried out for Tennessee.
Linebacker Jason Ankrah, who appeared in two games in 2014 for the Texans, auditioned for the Packers, per Wilson (Twitter link).
The Chiefs worked out a pair of tackles, Kevin Graf and Bryce Quigley, according to Wilson (Twitter link). Kansas City remains alive in the postseason, so the team could be considering those offensive linemen as additions to the current roster, but I expect they’re candidates for reserve/futures contracts instead.

Giants Hire Ben McAdoo As Head Coach

January 15th, 2016 at 10:26am CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 10:26am: McAdoo received a four-year contract along with his promotion, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The Giants’ new head coach was officially introduced at a Friday morning press conference.

THURSDAY, 2:05pm: The Giants have officially hired McAdoo as their new head coach, the team announced today in a press release.

“Ben is an outstanding young coach who has great experience and has done a good job as our offensive coordinator these past two years,” John Mara said in a statement. “Jerry [Reese] and I interviewed six impressive candidates, and when we were through with that process, we had another conversation with Ben, as did Steve and Jon Tisch. We were all impressed with his energy, his enthusiasm, his vision and his desire.”

McAdoo is reportedly prepared to promote quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan to be his new offensive coordinator.

WEDNESDAY, 7:22pm: The Giants are closing in on a deal to hire offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo as their next head coach, a source tells Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Former Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin, meanwhile, appears likely to serve as his offensive coordinator on the revamped Giants staff (link).

McAdoo, who was hired as the Giants’ offensive coordinator in 2014, has helped Eli Manning enjoy perhaps the most productive two-year stretch of his NFL career. Although the club has posted a 6-10 record in consecutive seasons, Manning has thrived, averaging 4,423 yards and about 33 touchdowns per season over the last two years, to go along with a 92.9 rating. The Giants finished in the top eight in the NFL in terms of both yards per game (372.3) and points per game (26.3) in 2015.

Manning was vocal in his support of McAdoo and told a New York radio station earlier this month that he felt that McAdoo reminded him a lot of predecessor Tom Coughlin. Manning’s endorsement alone did not get McAdoo the job, but there’s little doubt that it was a major help.

Prior to hiring McAdoo, the Giants interviewed a wide range of candidates, as shown in the 2016 PFR NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker. The Giants also interviewed Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, their own DC Steve Spagnuolo, ex-Bills head coach Doug Marrone, and ex-Falcons head coach Mike Smith. As for right now, the plan is for Spagnuolo to remain on staff as the team’s defensive coordinator, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets.

Apparently, the Eagles were dangerously close to swooping in and stealing McAdoo away from New York. Two NFL sources tell Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter) that the Eagles were set to hire McAdoo. One has to imagine that lit a fire under the Giants and pushed them to turn away from their other candidates.

The Dolphins were 1-3 and lost back-to-back games by a combined score of 68-28 when Philbin was axed in October. Philbin is generally regarded as one of the kinder coaches in the game, but his agreeable demeanor did not save his job in Miami as the team entered the season with very high hopes for 2015.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Tailgate: Best Head Coach Hire?

January 15th, 2016 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

As the NFL postseason begins, there are plenty of topics and storylines to discuss, and PFR’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those stories. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. We’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

With the NFL postseason in full swing, and four intriguing divisional playoff games on tap for this weekend, the league would probably like the focus to be on those games, and on the build-up to Super Bowl 50. Instead, this week’s news cycle has been dominated by Los Angeles relocation and head coaching changes, with several teams announcing new head coaches within the last few days.

In today’s Community Tailgate, we’re looking for your thoughts on those head coaching hires. Did any teams make mistakes by firing their previous coaches, or by not choosing a different replacement? Which hire do you like most? Are there any candidates who didn’t get a shot at a head coaching job this time around that you think would have been better choices for the teams making changes?

Here’s a recap of the changes made so far, via our tracker:

Cleveland Browns hired Hue Jackson to replace Mike Pettine.
Miami Dolphins hired Adam Gase to replace Dan Campbell (interim)/Joe Philbin (permanent).
New York Giants hired Ben McAdoo to replace Tom Coughlin.
Philadelphia Eagles are hiring Doug Pederson to replace Pat Shurmur (interim)/Chip Kelly (permanent).
San Francisco 49ers hired Chip Kelly to replace Jim Tomsula.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Dirk Koetter to replace Lovie Smith.

What do you think of the hires? Which moves do you like the best, or the least? Which coaches that didn’t get a shot should have received stronger consideration? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts!