HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Bills Unlikely To Hire Brad Childress As OC

January 17th, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Bills’ search for an offensive coordinator is seemingly down to one known candidate. While Greg Olson and Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress were the reported front-runners for the job as of Sunday, it now appears the latter is no longer in contention, according to the Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci (Twitter link).

Brad Childress

It’s unclear whether the Bills are honing in on Olson, thereby leading to a lack of interest in Childress, or if Childress declined any overtures from the club. Either way, Olson will interview with Buffalo on Thursday as it seeks a replacement for ex-offensive coordinator and now-Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn.

The Bills’ new sideline leader, Sean McDermott, has already tabbed Leslie Frazier as his defensive coordinator. Now, with Childress and newly minted Broncos assistant Mike McCoy out of the running, Olson looks to be in the lead to serve as McDermott’s offensive chief. Olson last worked as the O-coordinator in Jacksonville, which fired him in October.

Kansas City, meanwhile, now appears poised to keep the tandem of Childress and Matt Nagy intact. Nagy would have been in line to become the Chiefs’ sole offensive coordinator had Childress gone to the Bills. Along with head coach Andy Reid, Childress and Nagy guided KC’s offense to a 13th-place DVOA ranking in 2016.

NFC Notes: Romo, Elliott, Seahawks, Graham

January 17th, 2017 at 10:31am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Quarterback Tony Romo could ask for his release this offseason, and the Cowboys should grant it, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If that were to happen, Romo would be able to pick his next employer (perhaps Denver) and negotiate a good deal for himself, and that team wouldn’t weaken itself by giving up a draft pick(s) for the soon-to-be 37-year-old. On the other hand, Florio notes that the Cowboys have the right to seek compensation for Romo via trade, though he points out that the club could otherwise designate Dak Prescott‘s backup as a post-June 1 cut and save $14MM in cap space in 2017.

Speaking on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wasn’t willing to elaborate on what he’ll do with Romo in the coming months. “We’ve got a lot to think about here, but that’s in the future,” he said (via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). Jones did opine, though, that Romo has enough left in the tank to lead a team to a Super Bowl.

More from Dallas and another NFC city:

  • Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is unhappy with the pace of the NFL’s investigation into domestic abuse claims against him, he said after the team’s divisional-round loss to Green Bay on Sunday. “I do want closure,” Elliott told reporters, including Archer. “I would rather it not drag on this long. If there was something to find, which there’s not, they would’ve found it by now. The police did a very thorough investigation. I will tell you this — it just seems like they’re dragging their feet right now. Who knows, man? I’m just ready for it to end.” The league has been investigating Elliott since July, and it reportedly regarded him as “Public Enemy No. 1” as of November. That didn’t seem to affect Elliott on the field, as the rookie easily led the league in ground yards (1,631) and finished third in rushing touchdowns (15).
  • Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll revealed Monday that cornerback Richard Sherman played this season with a “significant” MCL injury. Sherman’s knee problem wasn’t disclosed during the year via the injury report, however, and now the NFL is “looking into” the situation, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While Seattle was clearly in violation of league policy, its unclear what type of punishment the franchise could face. Last September, of course, the league took a fifth-round pick and a week of OTAs away from the Seahawks for 2017 after they violated its rules regarding contact practices in the offseason.
  • The Seahawks would open up $10MM in spending room and incur no dead money by releasing tight end Jimmy Graham, but they’re likely to keep him for the last year of his contract, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. An extension is even a possibility after what Carroll called “a terrific year” for the longtime Saint. “We’re always looking at all of those,” Carroll stated Monday. “We know how that’s going, and those conversations come up when we can get to them. I’m glad you reminded us, but (general manager) John [Schneider] is on that.” Graham bounced back from a subpar 2015 campaign, one that ended early because of a torn patellar tendon, to finish second on the Seahawks in receptions (65), targets (95), yards (923) and touchdowns (six).

Texans Hope To Retain Romeo Crennel

January 17th, 2017 at 9:22am CST by Connor J. Byrne

With offensive coordinator George Godsey now out of the organization, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien is going to have at least one new high-level assistant on his staff next season. He could end up on the search for a defensive coordinator, too, as Romeo Crennel‘s contract is up. Crennel intends to coach again next season at the age of 70, and the Texans want to retain him, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Romeo Crennel

“Romeo’s done a great job,” O’Brien said Monday. “I know we’d love to have him back. I haven’t sat down with any coaches yet, but I can tell you Romeo’s a great coach. He means a lot to me personally, and we’d love to have Romeo back.”

Crennel has been atop the Texans’ defense since 2014, and the unit has ranked between sixth and eighth in DVOA all three seasons on his watch. Houston also led the NFL in yardage allowed in 2016, which was no small feat given that end J.J. Watt – the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year – only played in three games and went on injured reserve in late September. The Crennel-led, Watt-less Texans had other stars emerge, including end Jadeveon Clowney and cornerback A.J. Bouye (like Crennel, he’s also without a contract), while linebacker Whitney Mercilus‘ excellence continued.

If the Texans aren’t able to work out a deal with Crennel heading into 2017, it’s possible he could join another staff. However, as PFR’s Coordinator Tracker shows, only the Redskins and Chargers are currently without defensive chiefs. The likelihood is that the 49ers will also be on the lookout for a coordinator after they hire a new head coach. For Crennel, taking over another team’s defense would mean doing so for a fifth franchise. Along with Houston, he has been a D-coordinator in Cleveland, New England and Kansas City.

Related:

Cowboys Unlikely To Re-Sign Ronald Leary

January 17th, 2017 at 8:36am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Guard Ronald Leary sought a trade out of Dallas last offseason because he was poised to serve as a backup in 2016. The Cowboys weren’t willing to oblige, which ended up being a plus for both them and Leary. After starting left guard La’el Collins went on injured reserve in late September, Leary took his place and thrived as part of an elite offensive line. The timing was great for Leary, who’s scheduled to hit the open market in March.

Ronald Leary

While Leary is open to staying in Dallas, the 27-year-old realizes Collins’ return to health will likely prevent that, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“Going into the season I didn’t think I was going to be playing at all,” Leary said Monday. “As far as free agency, that’s one thing I’m just going to let it play itself out, see how things work out and talk with my agent and see how things go from there.”

Leary, who entered the NFL in 2012 as an undrafted free agent from Memphis, has spent his entire career with the Cowboys. He started in 35 straight appearances over his first three seasons, but he dealt with a groin injury in 2015 and Collins usurped his No. 1 role. With Collins on the shelf for most of this season, Leary made 12 starts in 13 games and ranked an impressive 25th in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards.

Given that the Cowboys have Collins and standout Zack Martin in the fold at guard, their 34-31 divisional-round loss to the Packers on Sunday stands to go down as Leary’s last outing with the club. Evidenced by the four-year, $29MM extension Jets guard Brian Winters landed Monday, Leary is on the verge of cashing in someplace. That could be New Orleans, which pushed to acquire him last spring. Regardless of where he signs, Leary’s departure will likely net the Cowboys a compensatory draft pick, which would make their refusal to trade him a year ago look even better.

Bjoern Werner Retires

January 17th, 2017 at 7:59am CST by Connor J. Byrne

After three disappointing seasons, free agent defensive end Bjoern Werner‘s NFL career is over. The 26-year-old revealed on German television that he’s retiring because teams aren’t showing interest in him, in part because of knee problems, per Scott Horner of the Indianapolis Star. Werner has undergone eight knee operations in the past eight years.

Bjoern Werner (vertical)

A former star at Florida State, where he racked up 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 2012, the German-born Werner entered the pros as the Colts’ first-round pick in 2013. He was never able to live up to his status as the 24th overall selection in Indianapolis, where he appeared in 38 games and totaled 6.5 sacks. Four of those sacks came in his second season, as did a career-high 15 starts. Werner started only once as a rookie and not at all in 2015, when he also went without a sack in 10 games.

On the heels of his less-than-stellar third season, the Colts waived Werner last March. He then inked a deal with the AFC South rival Jaguars in the spring, but they released him at the end of August. Werner auditioned for the Lions and Saints during the season, though he wasn’t able to land a contract with either team.

Extra Points: Texans, Broncos, Cowboys, Bills

January 16th, 2017 at 9:28pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Texans head coach Bill O’Brien will return to the organization next season, but will he opt for the same starting quarterback? O’Brien wouldn’t commit when asked if he was going to stick with quarterback Brock Osweiler in 2017.

“Before I talk about those types of things, I have to evaluate it myself,” O’Brien told ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop. “I’ve got to talk to our coaching staff, get their input, personnel people, get their input. So I wouldn’t be a good head coach if I stood up here and said, this is what I’m planning to do. The game is less than 48 hours ago. We’re going to evaluate everything.”

Osweiler finished his first season in Houston with 2,957 yards, 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. It seems like offensive coordinator George Godsey may have earned the brunt of the blame for the team’s offensive woes, as the coach and the organization parted ways earlier today.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…

  • Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos are set to interview two coaches for their special teams coordinator vacancy: Richard Hightower and Greg McMahon. Hightower joined the Bears last offseason as their assistant special teams coach, and he previously spent time coaching the 49ers, Browns, and Redskins. McMahon served as the Saints special teams coordinator from 2008 through 2017. The longtime coach was let go by the organization in early January.
  • The Raiders have promoted midwest scout Trey Scott to the position of Assistant Director of Player Personnel, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Scott has spent the past four seasons with the organization, and he previously spent time working with the Redskins.
  • The Cowboys announced the signing of 12 players today, but the team isn’t done making moves. ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets that the team is still trying to finalize deals with practice squad players Rico Gathers and Andy Jones. Gathers, a tight end, was a sixth-round pick in this past year’s draft. Jones, a former undrafted free agent, spent much of the season on the Cowboys practice squad.
  • Bills safety Aaron Williams has dealt with mulitple neck injuries, but his dad told John Wawrow of the Associated Press that the former second-rounder intends to keep playing. “He’s leaning toward coming back,” Anthony Williams said. “We’ll take it slow and go from there.” The 26-year-old has been productive when he’s been on the field, but he’s been limited to only 10 games over the past two seasons.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/16/17

January 16th, 2017 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

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 clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

Coaching Notes: Bradley, Kelly, Bears, Titans

January 16th, 2017 at 6:13pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers and new head coach Anthony Lynn want Gus Bradley to be their defensive coordinator, reports Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter). It was reported last week that the new Los Angeles franchise was looking at Bradley for the gig, and that interest made more sense following reports that former defensive coordinator John Pagano wouldn’t be returning.

However, Bradley isn’t in a rush to sign a deal. The former Jaguars coach is waiting to see whether the 49ers will hire Seahawks offensive line/assistant head coach Tom Cable as their head coach. The duo coached together in Seattle from 2011 through 2012, and we can assume that Bradley would be interested in joining Cable’s 49ers staff. Alex Marvez of the Sporting News reports (via Twitter) that Bradley is a “top choice” for Cable’s hypothetical staff.

Let’s take a look at some more coaching notes from around the NFL…

  • Chip Kelly headed into his interview with the Jaguars believing he’d get offered the offensive coordinator position, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). In fact, the former Eagles and 49ers head coach already has some “assistant hires” ready to go. Rapoport notes that there’s a good chance Kelly gets the gig.
  • The Bears have hired Jeremiah Washburn to be their offensive line coach, reports Marvez (via Twitter). Washburn spent last season as the Dolphins assistant offensive line coach, and he also spent time coaching with the Lions and Ravens.
  • The Titans have added a pair of coaches to their staff. Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com reports that the team has added former Temple passing game coordinator Frisman Jackson as their new wide receivers coach. The team has also hired Craig Aukerman to be an assistant special teams coach. Aukerman served as the Chargers special teams coordinator last season.
  • The Browns hired Blake Williams as their linebackers coach and Jerod Kruse as an assistant defensive backs coach, reports Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com (via Twitter). Williams, the son of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, spent last season working under his dad in Los Angeles.
  • The Broncos have added John Benton to their coaching staff as an assistant offensive line coach, reports Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post. Benton has coached in the NFL for 13 years, and he spent last season working for the Jaguars.

Redskins To Interview Greg Manusky For DC Job

January 16th, 2017 at 5:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Add another name to the growing list of Redskins defensive coordinator candidates. ESPN.com’s John Keim reports that the team will interview outside linebackers coach Greg Manusky for the vacancy. The position opened up when the team fired former defensive coordinator Joe Barry in early January.

Greg Manusky (featured)Manusky certainly has the experience, as the 50-year-old has served as defensive coordinator for three different teams. The former player got his first coaching gig with the Redskins and Chargers in the early-2000’s, and he was hired as the 49ers defensive coordinator in 2007. During Manusky’s four seasons in San Francisco, the 49ers defense turned into one of the most feared units in the league. The squad struggled during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, but the 2009 defense proved to be one of the best in the league. The defense took a step back in 2010, and Manusky was allowed to seek another gig following the hiring of head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Manusky ultimately returned to San Diego for the 2011 season as the team’s defensive coordinator. His defense ultimately allowed 377 points, which was good for only 22nd in the league. Following the campaign, the coach was fired. Manusky was subsequently hired as the Colts defensive coordinator in 2012, and he spent four years in the position. The team made the playoffs in three of those seasons, but Manusky’s defense only finished in the top-10 for points allowed once during his tenure. The coordinator was fired following the 2015 season, and he soon caught on as the Redskins outside linebackers coach.

As our coordinator tracker shows, the Redskins have a number of candidates for the opening, including former Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, former Browns head coach Mike Pettine, former Bills defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and 49ers linebackers coach Jason Tarver.

Texans, OC George Godsey Agree To Part Ways

January 16th, 2017 at 4:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Following the team’s season-ending loss to the Patriots this weekend, the Texans are starting to make some changes. According to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (via Twitter), the organization and offensive coordinator George Godsey have “mutually agreed to part ways.”

George Godsey (vertical)“I’m grateful for the tireless work ethic and contributions George has made to our team over the last three years,” head coach Bill O’Brien said in a statement (via Berman on Twitter). “I wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

After starting his career with Central Florida and the Patriots, the 38-year-old spent that past three seasons in the Texans’ organization, and he spent the past two years as the team’s offensive coordinator. The Texans offense was average in 2015, but that wasn’t necessarily a reflection on Godsey. The coordinator was forced to use four different starting quarterbacks during that campaign, including Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden. Despite the inconsistency at quarterback, the squad still managed to finish 19th in the league in total offensive yards and 21st for offensive points.

Following the offseason signing of quarterback Brock Osweiler, there was optimism that the Texans offense would take another step forward in 2016. That wasn’t the case. The offense finished with the fourth-fewest yards in the league, and most of the blame could be attributed to the performance of the quarterback. Osweiler finished the season with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. His 2,957 passing yards was the fewest in the NFL among quarterback’s with at least 500 attempts, and the 26-year-old was benched for Tom Savage late in the season. As a result of the Texans weak passing game, the team’s wideouts predictably suffered. Star receiver DeAndre Hopkins ultimately finished the season with 78 receptions, 954 yards, and four scores – his lowest totals since his rookie season.

Of course, there was some positive to take out of the Texans 2016 offensive performance. The team finished with 1,859 rushing yards, the eighth-best mark in the league (although they did finish 19th in yards-per-carry). Lamar Miller also had a bounce-back season in Houston, rushing for 1,073 yards and five touchdowns.

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