HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

NFC Rumors: Manning, Brees, Cowboys

January 4th, 2016 at 11:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants could be in store for major changes this winter and spring, but quarterback Eli Manning hopes that the offense remains the same, as Ebenezer Samuel of the Daily News writes.

“Yep, of course,” Manning said when asked whether he wants the offense to remain in tact for 2016. “I feel very comfortable in the offense. We scored a lot of points, we were competitive in most of the games and I thought we had a great game plan. I think with the guys we have and add a few guys, we can be a strong offense.”

Manning threw for a career-best 35 touchdowns this season, along with 4,436 yards, the second-highest total of his career. He didn’t commit to speaking to the front office about his feelings on the system, but he didn’t rule it out, either.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • When asked if he would be amenable if the Saints came to him to talk about a contract extension for this year, Drew Brees said, “absolutely” (Twitter link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com). Brees is due a $30MM cap hold as he enters the final year of the five-year, $100MM deal he inked in 2012.
  • Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee missed the team’s season finale and his absence appears to have cost him a possible $2MM escalator bonus for the 2016 season, as Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram writes. Lee had to play in 80% of snaps this season in order to bump his $3MM base salary to $5MM. Lee said after the game that the decision was his and that he felt trying to force things wouldn’t have helped his team.
  • Vikings tight end Rhett Ellison tore his patellar tendon and he is done for the 2015 season, according to coach Mike Zimmer (Twitter link via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com)
  • Bears linebacker Shea McClellin is slated to hit the open market but he says that he would “love” to be back if the team will have him, Patrick Finley of the Sun Times writes. McClellin added that he wants to stay at inside linebacker, wherever he goes. McClellin played in 12 games, starting 11, in his first year at inside linebacker.

Lions Rumors: GM Search, Polian, Megatron

January 4th, 2016 at 11:25am CST by Zachary Links

The latest from Detroit:

  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press identifies Texans executive Brian Gaine and Jaguars exec Chris Polian as two names to watch for the Lions’ general manager job, along with interim GM Sheldon White. Gaine has been mentioned as a candidate for a promotion in Houston as well.
  • The Lions are scheduling a GM interview with Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Kirchner interviewed with the Jets last year.
  • Calvin Johnson faces some uncertainty this offseason with the Lions, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein writes. Johnson will have a $24MM cap hit with a $15.95MM cash value in 2016 and the team could save $11.1MM on the cap by letting him go.
  • The Lions have requested to interview Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay for their GM job, but he decided to stay put, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). McClay said he recently re-did his contract in Dallas and didn’t want to leave, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
  • Vikings exec George Paton will be declining GM interviews, as well, Birkett tweets. The Lions haven’t formally requested an interview, but he is well respected and seemed like a probable candidate for the job.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Titans Part Ways With GM Ruston Webster

January 4th, 2016 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Titans will not renew the contract of general manager Ruston Webster, the team announced today in a press release. Tennessee will begin conducting searches for a new GM as well as a head coach, according to the team. Interim head coach Mike Mularkey will be among the candidates considered for the coaching vacancy, and will get an interview as part of the search process.

While Webster is no longer in the mix, and Mularkey’s future with the organization is uncertain, the Titans announced that Steve Underwood will serve as the club’s president and CEO on a permanent basis, with the interim tag removed from his title.

“Today, I am glad to announce that Steve Underwood will be continuing in his role as our president and chief executive officer on a permanent basis,” said Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk in a statement. “I have had ongoing discussions with Steve on this issue for a while, and I feel his leadership is vital in order to move us forward. He has brought much-needed stability to our organization, and I look forward to progress that will be made under his leadership.”

Underwood will be leading the Titans’ dual searches for a GM and a head coach, while vice president of football administration Vin Marino will oversee the team’s football operations until a permanent GM is hired.

According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links), Titans college director Blake Beddingfield is worth keeping an eye on, since he’s highly regarded within the organization, and took on an increased role when Lake Dawson was let go. Breer adds that Buccaneers executive Jon Robinson, a Tennessee native, may also be a candidate for the Titans’ GM role.

As for Mularkey, multiple reports earlier today hinted that he may receive stronger consideration for the permanent head coaching position than initially expected. However, if the Titans decide to hire a general manager first, particularly one from outside the organization, that new GM may want to bring in his own head coach rather than sticking with Mularkey.

AFC East Notes: Incognito, Miller, Jets

January 4th, 2016 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

With the NFL offseason now underway for every AFC East team except the Patriots, let’s check in on those three non-playoff teams from out of the division…

  • Bills guard Richie Incognito, who signed a one-year deal with the team last February, called himself “a Buffalo guy,” and says he hopes to remain with the Bills in 2016 and beyond. However, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News details, Incognito confirmed there have been no negotiations yet between the team and agent David Dunn.
  • Potential free agent running back Lamar Miller told reporters today that he would like to remain with the Dolphins next season, but scheme and fit will be important for him. According to James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter links), it sounds like Miller wants to end up somewhere where he’ll get more consistent carries than he did in 2015.
  • Insiders tell Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) that the Jets are expected to target a quarterback in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. New York traded up in the fourth round to snag Bryce Petty in 2015, so it’ll be interesting to see if the team decides to add another young QB this year.
  • Veteran guard Willie Colon said he wants to keep playing in 2016, but admits that’s his mind talking, and his body might have other ideas, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Colon’s contract with the Jets is expiring, so he’ll have to sign a new one with New York or another club to continue his career.
  • Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday takes a look at the future of the Jets‘ defensive line, with Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison both eligible for free agency this winter.

Dolphins Hire Chris Grier As GM

January 4th, 2016 at 10:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

MONDAY, 10:43am: The Dolphins have officially hired Grier as their general manager, the team announced today (via Twitter).

SUNDAY, 2:45pm: Just one day after parting ways with former general manager Dennis Hickey, the Dolphins have found an internal replacement in the form of college scouting director Chris Grier, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Grier, who was widely expected to be tapped as the club’s new GM following Hickey’s dismissal, is likely to be officially named to his new post on Monday.

Grier, who will be entering his 22nd NFL season (16 with Miami), began his career as a Patriots scout in 1994 before working his way through the scouting ranks in the Dolphins organization. This past offseason, he was a candidate for the the Jets and Eagles general manager vacancies. Per Salguero, Grier’s skill in talent procurement is widely respected around the NFL, and he’ll now team with executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum as the club seeks to rebuild.

The first task for the duo will be the hiring of a new head coach, a process that Grier will join immediately once his contract is signed, according to Salguero. That search committee, expected to be lead by Tannenbaum, will also include vice chairman Matt Higgins, president and CEO Matt Garfinkel, and owner Stephen Ross.

It remains to be seen exactly how much of a voice Grier will have in the Dolphins’ new configuration. Hickey, according to reports, had been largely usurped by Tannenbaum, and was essentially acting as nothing more than a scouting director (he also declined to be reassigned within the organization before being fired). Grier, unlike Hickey, was clearly hand-picked by Tannenbaum, so perhaps the two will have a smoother (and more fruitful) working relationship.

2016 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 4th, 2016 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

Several NFL teams are currently hunting for a new head coach, and amidst reports about interview requests and potential candidates, it’s easy to lose track of the latest updates in the shuffle. So we’ll use this space – which will be updated until every team has hired a new head coach – to keep track of the most recent news and rumors. It can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 1-18-16 (1:12pm CT)

Cleveland Browns

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Coach Rumors: Coughlin, Shula, Shaw, McCoy

January 4th, 2016 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Giants have yet to announce a decision one way or the other on head coach Tom Coughlin, but it sounds like we’ll find out shortly whether the club will be in the market for a new coach. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Coughlin is scheduled to meet with Giants ownership at 1:00 pm eastern time, and it appears a decision has been made.

As we wait to find out Coughlin’s fate, let’s check in on a few other coaching-related notes and rumors….

  • Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula figures to draw interest from teams searching for a head coach, but he doesn’t plan to interview while Carolina remains alive in the postseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Since the Panthers aren’t scheduled to play until the divisional round, that would mean any potential suitors for Shula would have to wait until at least January 17th, and possibly later, to interview him, which could reduce interest.
  • Rapoport also provides an update on David Shaw, tweeting that the Stanford coach plans to remain in his current role, despite the possibility of garnering interest from the 49ers and/or Colts.
  • Chargers head coach Mike McCoy is scheduled to address the media later today, and as Ben Higgins of 10News in San Diego tweets, that looks like a positive sign for McCoy, since teams don’t typically schedule presser for coaches that are being fired.
  • The Browns‘ unusual approach to their coaching and GM searches could complicate the process for the team, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Since executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown will have final say on the 53-man roster, rival teams will have the option of blocking their own executives from interviewing for Cleveland’s GM job. The Browns also plan to hire a head coach before landing a GM, so while it may be appealing for a head coaching candidate to have the opportunity to bring in his own personnel guy, that guy would have to be unemployed, or employed by a team willing to let him go.
  • Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is among the candidates the Eagles are expected to consider for their head coaching job, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.

King’s Latest: Mularkey, Manziel, Bradford

January 4th, 2016 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

Even though Mike Mularkey is technically the Titans‘ interim head coach, rather than the team’s permanent solution, that doesn’t necessarily mean the club will conduct a full-fledged coaching search. According to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, the Titans have yet to reach out to any top outside coaching candidates, even as other teams begin to schedule and conduct interviews.

There has been a little more buzz lately suggesting that the Titans are seriously considering sticking with Mularkey, and in his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column, Peter King of TheMMQB.com suggests that Mularkey looks safer than anticipated. Tennessee has yet to announce any sort of decision yet, but we should find out soon whether the club intends to interview outside candidates or simply move forward with Mularkey.

Here are a few more noteworthy tidbits from King’s latest MMQB:

  • According to King, the Browns don’t want Johnny Manziel anymore, “but won’t say so for fear of eliminating [his] trade value.” While King doesn’t expect Manziel to play another snap for Cleveland, it’s worth noting that a new head coach and general manager may feel differently about the former first-round pick.
  • Sam Bradford won’t be motivated to sign with the Eagles over any other team in free agency, says King. If the Eagles don’t use their franchise tag on Bradford, it sounds like the former first overall pick will reach the open market, since agent Tom Condon likes to maximize his client’s earnings, and Bradford “isn’t crazy about Philadelphia” as a city, according to King.
  • Doug Marrone‘s interview for the Browns‘ head coaching job will take place on Tuesday, per King. The former Bills head coach also reportedly has an interview lined up with the Dolphins.

Bucs’ Logan Mankins Considering Retirement

January 4th, 2016 at 9:32am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran Buccaneers guard Logan Mankins admitted after the Buccaneers’ loss to the Panthers on Sunday that he may have played his final NFL game, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Mankins has yet to make a decision, but confirmed that he’s considering the possibility of calling it a career.

“I don’t know,” Mankins said. “I am at the point in my career where I’m going to take a little time and evaluate what I want to do with my family, with myself and my career and see where it goes.”

Asked if Sunday’s game would be his last as an NFL player, Mankins replied, “It could. It might not be. I don’t know yet. A wise guy always use to tell some of the teams I was on to never make a rushed decision after the season. Take a little time to think about it.”

If he does decide to retire, Mankins will finish his playing career with a pretty impressive NFL résumé. The former first-round pick, who turns 34 this March, earned six Pro Bowl berths and played in two Super Bowls, though he didn’t win one — he joined the Patriots the year after they won Super Bowl XXXIX, and then was traded to Tampa Bay prior to New England’s 2014 championship season.

Mankins has one year left on his current contract, so if he does decide to continue playing, the Buccaneers will have a decision of their own to make. The Fresno State alum is on the books for $7MM in 2016, but that entire amount is non-guaranteed.

South Notes: Titans, D. Brown, Colts, Saints

January 4th, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL appears to believe the Titans‘ ownership structure in the wake of Bud Adams‘ passing may not comply with all the league’s rules and provisions, and litigation could be looming between the team and the league, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, the Titans “strongly disagree” with the NFL’s position on the situation, believing there are several other franchises with “more difficult ownership situations” than Tennessee’s.

As we wait to see how the situation in Tennessee plays out, here’s more from around the NFL’s South divisions:

  • Texans left tackle Duane Brown will have surgery this Wednesday to repair a torn right quadriceps, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. Brown, who will miss the playoffs, had another solid season in 2015 and probably isn’t going anywhere. Still, it’s worth noting that he’s now in his 30s, and he barely has any dead money left on his contract, which features $9.5MM+ cap hits for the next three years.
  • Per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter links), the Colts haven’t yet discussed a contract extension with linebacker Jerrell Freeman, who is eligible for free agency this winter. That doesn’t necessarily mean the club won’t make an effort to get something done in the coming weeks or months, but as Holder points out, Indianapolis has explored other options at the position within the last year.
  • Sean Payton‘s accomplishments over the last 10 years with the Saints speak for themselves, and if he decides he wants to pursue another head coaching opportunity this offseason, GM Mickey Loomis owes it to the coach to allow him that opportunity, writes Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Earlier today, we heard that the Saints may seek a second-round pick as compensation for Payton if they decide to let him go, though there’s some skepticism that the team would get more than a mid-rounder.
  • Whether Payton stays or goes, a tumultuous offseason is on tap for the Saints, says Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.
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