2017 January - Pro Football Rumors

Rex Ryan Remains Interested In Coaching

January 31st, 2017 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

When Rex Ryan was hired as the coach of the Bills, he said that Buffalo would be his final stop as a head coach. Two years later, he’s out of a job, but he’s not necessarily ruling out a return to a head coaching gig if he gets the right opportunity, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes.

“The one thing about (being on TV) is that you don’t lose,” Ryan said. “You’ll remember every damn loss. But the wins? You don’t necessarily remember. So, it takes a lot out of you. I’m tired of getting f—ked. Unless it’s a real situation, there’s no sense of getting into it again.”

After being discarded by Buffalo, Ryan appears to be a better defensive coordinator candidate than a head coaching possibility. Despite that, Ryan says he is not interested “at all” in a DC job “at this time.”

Interestingly, Ryan says that he would not close the door on someday returning to the Jets in some capacity. Coach Todd Bowles has been retained for a third season, but as Mehta notes, there’s no telling what Woody Johnson could do in 2017 if things do not go according to plan.

In the meantime, Ryan says he’ll do some television work. His next assignment will have him serving as a panelist on ESPN for Super Bowl weekend.

49ers To Hire Adam Peters As VP Of Player Personnel

January 31st, 2017 at 11:48am CST by Zachary Links

New 49ers GM John Lynch was said to be eyeing Adam Peters as his top assistant. Today, he got his man. Peters, who spent the previous eight seasons in the Broncos’ scouting department, agreed to sign on as the 49ers’ vice president of player personnel, a source told CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco.

Peters just completed his first season as the Broncos’ director of college scouting and he has previous experience as a regional scout, national scout, and assistant director of college scouting. Before joining Denver, Peters served as a scout for the Patriots. Peters comes with a strong track record as well as personnel experience, both of which Lynch lacks.

The Niners were also looking at former Bucs GM Mark Dominik as an option, but that’s likely not happening now that Peters has been hired. Assistant GM Tom Gamble, meanwhile, appears to be staying with the team.

ProHockeyRumors.com Has The NHL Trade Deadline Covered

January 31st, 2017 at 9:15am CST by Tim Dierkes

The NHL trade deadline is only a month away, and our sister site Pro Hockey Rumors is all you need to stay on top of the breaking news and rumors. With Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog available, will the Avalanche shake up their core? After more than two decades with the Coyotes, will Shane Doan get one last chance at a Stanley Cup with a new team? Will the Lightning move star goalie Ben Bishop at the deadline? And is this the year the Red Wings finally choose to rebuild? Visit Pro Hockey Rumors today and follow us on Twitter @prohockeyrumors!

Goldman Sachs May Bail On Raiders

January 31st, 2017 at 4:26am CST by Zachary Links

On Monday, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson announced he will no longer contribute $650MM to the Raiders’ proposed $1.9 billion stadium in Las Vegas. Soon after, the Raiders issued a press release declaring that Adelson’s withdrawal would not affect their proposed move. Without Sands Corp., the Raiders were banking on the financial help of Goldman Sachs to get the stadium built, but the investment banking company is now having second thoughts about its involvement, according to a source who spoke with Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.

Adelson “has a longstanding business relationship with Goldman Sachs,” as Shelburne notes, but it’s not immediately clear whether that is playing a role in the firm’s trepidation. Without a significant outside contribution, it’s hard to see the Raiders getting a state of the art stadium built in the desert, and that could prevent them from making their long-rumored move. It is rumored that the Raiders are eyeing a domed facility near the Las Vegas strip that would seat 65,000 fans.

This is just my speculation, but Goldman Sachs may be exercising caution with regards to lending deals in the sports world after the Fed criticized its arrangement to help facilitate the $4 billion purchase of the UFC. According to Bloomberg, sources allege the UFC’s cash flow projections were doubled in order to make the company appear more creditworthy than it truly was. Following a stern warning from Federal Reserve bank supervisors, Goldman Sachs could be feeling the heat from the increased scrutiny. With the watchful eye of regulators, the firm will only want in on the deal if it can show profitability in a reasonable timeframe. Alternatively, this could be a power play from Goldman Sachs as the Raiders run out of financing options.

Extra Points: Raiders, 49ers, Falcons, Bears

January 30th, 2017 at 9:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson decided Monday to rescind his offer to help the relocation-minded Raiders pay for a stadium in Las Vegas, but that’s not going to faze the franchise. The Raiders issued a statement in response to Adelson’s choice to withdraw support, saying: “The Raiders deeply appreciate the efforts of the Adelson family to bring the Raiders to Las Vegas. We know this project could not have advanced to this point without them. The Raiders remain steadfast in honoring Mark Davis’ commitment to Governor Sandoval and the State of Nevada to pursue relocation to Las Vegas” (via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com).

Without Adelson, who had planned to give the Raiders $650MM toward a proposed $1.9 billion facility, the team plans to invest $1.15 billion and accept operating responsibilities, Sandoval’s office told the Associated Press (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle). The Raiders could receive help from Goldman Sachs to make that happen.

Now the latest from the NFC:

Rookie general manager John Lynch declared Monday he’ll “aggressively pursue” people he has relationships with to join him in the 49ers’ front office (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com). That won’t include rumored candidate and longtime NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, whom Lynch played for in Denver from 2004-07 and who’s the father of soon-to-be 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. Lynch expects to listen to the elder Shanahan’s advice, but he’s not going to take an official role with the 49ers, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.
Kristin Campbell, the agent for Falcons running back Devonta Freeman, publicly pushed for a lucrative contract extension for her client Monday afternoon. Campbell has since spoken again on Freeman’s future, telling D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she and Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff “are on the same page” and will engage in extension talks during the offseason. Campbell will seek top three running back money for the 24-year-old Freeman, a back-to-back Pro Bowler. “Who was the last running back to go to back to back Pro Bowls?” Campbell said. “Adrian Peterson. Adrian is considered one of the most prolific backs of the past 10 years, wouldn’t you say?” Peterson’s current contract pays him an average of $14MM per year, which easily tops his position.
Wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson turned down a new contract to return the Bears for a second season and is mulling taking a position with a different team, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Johnson could return to New Orleans, where he coached from 2006-11, Biggs suggests. The Saints are in the market for a WRs coach, having lost John Morton to the Jets over the weekend.
The Bills will hire Phil McGeoghan to coach their receivers, relays ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). McGeoghan, who was the Dolphins’ assistant receivers coach from 2012-15, spent last season coaching East Carolina’s wideouts.
Contrary to a report from last week, the Eagles and personnel executive Rick Mueller have not yet parted ways. Mueller is working from home and will join the Eagles at next month’s scouting combine, though his contract is up in May, per Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link).

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/30/17

January 30th, 2017 at 8:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective club’s offseason 90-man rosters:

Kansas City Chiefs

DT Montori Hughes (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
RB Darren Reaves

Raiders Lose Sheldon Adelson’s Backing

January 30th, 2017 at 7:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

If the Raiders are going to move to Las Vegas, they’ll have to do it without financial backing from local casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. The 83-year-old Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO announced Monday he’s not going to put $650MM toward a potential $1.9 billion Raiders stadium in Las Vegas.

“It’s clear the Raiders have decided their path for moving to Las Vegas does not include the Adelson family,” Adelson stated (via Richard N. Velotta of the Las Vegas Review-Journal). “So, regrettably, we will no longer be involved in any facet of the stadium discussion.”

The final straw for Adelson came last Thursday, when the Raiders submitted a lease proposal that would see them pay $1 per year to play in the potential Vegas facility. That submission included no mention of Adelson, which he said “sent shock waves through our community.” Adelson is also “deeply disappointed for the disregard the Raiders showed our community partners, particularly UNLV, through the proposed agreement.”

Adelson’s decision to exit the Raiders’ stadium plan could be a death blow to the Mark Davis-owned franchise’s relocation hopes, according to the chairman of the Clark County (Nev.) Commission, Steve Sisolak.

“This is not a wrench in the wheel; the wheel fell off,” Sisolak told Riley Snyder of the Nevada Independent (Twitter link).

However, despite Sisolak’s pessimistic outlook, the Raiders have expressed confidence in the past about erecting the stadium without Adelson’s help. In fact, the team informed the NFL earlier this month that it would turn to Goldman Sachs for help if Adelson were to renege. Now that he has, the Raiders – who plan to combine with the league to commit $500MM to the stadium (with another $750MM coming in public money) – will have to seek the global investment company’s aid.

The league’s owners are scheduled to vote on the Raiders’ relocation plan in March. If 23 of Davis’ 31 colleagues approve, and if he finds a replacement for Adelson, the Raiders will head to Sin City in the near future.

Lynch, McDonough On 49ers’ GM Job

January 30th, 2017 at 7:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers’ Sunday decision to pluck all-time great NFL safety John Lynch from the broadcasting booth and hire him as their general manager elicited stunned responses from those who follow football. It turns out not even Lynch expected to land the job.

“Two weeks ago I never thought I’d be doing this,” he told reporters, including Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, on Monday (Twitter link).

Lynch didn’t even conduct an interview with the 49ers, who reached out to 11 other candidates after firing ex-GM Trent Baalke at the outset of January. But Lynch managed to secure a six-year contract to end up in San Francisco, and he revealed that he negotiated his own deal, tweets Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Lynch added that will report solely to CEO Jed York. That means he won’t have to answer to executive vice president of football operations/chief strategy officer Paraag Marathe, whose status as York’s right-hand man caused some issues during the 49ers’ GM search.

In his new position, Lynch’s goal is to emulate the success close friend and fellow Stanford alumnus John Elway has enjoyed as the Broncos’ GM since they hired him in 2011.

“I strive to attack this job in same way he has,” said Lynch, who will interview Broncos director of college scouting Adam Peters to become the 49ers’ player personnel director (Twitter link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle).

Of course, the main figure Lynch will work with in the Bay Area is soon-to-be head coach and current Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The 37-year-old recommended Lynch to York, per Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area Newspaper Group (Twitter link), and there’s clearly a mutual respect between the pending GM-head coach tandem.

“I thought he was the catch of this head-coaching cycle,” opined Lynch (via Branch, on Twitter).

Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough, who was a finalist to become San Francisco’s GM before Lynch swooped in, offered even loftier praise for Shanahan on Monday.

“Sitting there talking to him, Kyle reminded me a lot of coach Belichick when I interviewed with him back in ’92,” McDonough, who then worked as a scout with the Browns, told Maiocco. “Same type of look in their eye. The same type of passion. You just know whatever Kyle Shanahan does, he’s going to be successful in life. If he’s given the time there and they bring in the right players, there’s no doubt in my mind, he’s going to have success.”

McDonough noted that the Lynch- and Shanahan-led 49ers will have their work cut out to improve a two-win roster. However, he believes the organization has the right people in place – including the “very engaging and really intelligent” Marathe.

“That roster right now is very thin,” he said. “I really believe in John Lynch’s intelligence and drive. Their drive matches each other, Kyle and John.”

Continued McDonough: “John Lynch is a guy I actually scouted coming out of college (Stanford). If you’re going to lose a competition to someone, you’d want to lose it to someone like John Lynch. He’s a phenomenal human being. He’s highly, highly intelligent and 100-percent class.”

Greg Hardy Attempting Comeback

January 30th, 2017 at 6:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Disgraced former NFLer Greg Hardy was attempting to become a mixed martial artist last fall, but he’s now looking to get back on the gridiron. Hardy has submitted an application for a spot in the newly formed, four-team Spring League, reports the Associated Press. If approved, he’d join ex-NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II and perhaps former pros Johnny Manziel and Ray Rice, both of whom have received invitations to participate in the league – which isn’t affiliated with the NFL.

Like Rice, Hardy is a controversial figure because of a domestic violence incident. Once a star defensive end, Hardy’s stock began plummeting when he was found guilty in 2014 of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, though her decision not to testify against him led to the dropping of charges. Then a member of the Panthers, Hardy sat out all but one game that season after commissioner Roger Goodell placed him on the league’s exempt list.

Hardy joined the Cowboys as a free agent in 2015, but he served a four-game suspension to begin the year and, while productive in 12 games, was an off-field headache and public relations nightmare in Dallas. Nobody signed Hardy last year as a result, and he was indicted on a felony count of cocaine possession in November.

Despite his myriad off-field issues, Hardy is certainly talented enough to play in the NFL, evidenced by his 40 sacks in 75 games. Some scouts from around the pros will be on hand to observe Spring League games, which will take place in April and could include Hardy. The 28-year-old won’t earn a salary if the Spring League accepts him. Landing another NFL contract, although unlikely, would certainly offset that.

49ers To Interview Broncos’ Adam Peters

January 30th, 2017 at 6:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

First-time general manager John Lynch isn’t going to break into his new role in San Francisco without some quality help around him. With that in mind, Lynch has targeted current Broncos director of college scouting Adam Peters as a candidate to join the Niners’ front office, per reports from NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

The 49ers will interview Peters to become their director of player personnel, according to Florio, who notes that the Broncos could have blocked the Niners’ request. However, Broncos GM John Elway – Lynch’s fellow Stanford alumnus – opted against doing so as a way to reward Peters for his work with the franchise. Peters has only been serving in his current role for a year, but he has garnered extensive front office experience with both the Broncos and Patriots – two eminently successful franchises.

Even if they hire Peters, the 49ers could still tab Mark Dominik for an executive role, per Florio, who reported earlier Monday that “buzz is building” on the team adding the ex-Buccaneers GM to its front office.