HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

NFC Coaching Notes: McVay, Vikings, Eagles

January 16th, 2017 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean McVay becoming the first 30-year-old ever hired to coach an NFL team will come with the expected responsibility of calling plays. The new Rams coach will take on that task presumably since he made himself an attractive candidate by doing so in Washington.

“There is not a chance I would let anyone call the plays, at least at first,” McVay told Peter King of TheMMQB.com. “It’s something I really want to do and feel comfortable doing.”

King described the Redskins’ setup as McVay calling the plays but Jay Gruden having final say over the game plan. In Los Angeles, McVay will take on both responsibilities for an offense coming off a season during which it averaged just 262.7 yards per game — more than 40 fewer than every other team. The McVay-led Washington attack finished third at 403.4 per game.

Here’s more from the NFC coaching circuit.

  • The Vikings hired UCLA offensive coordinator Kennedy Polamalu as their running backs coach, Alex Marvez of the Sporting News tweets. The 53-year-old uncle of Troy Polamalu, Kennedy served as OC for both USC and UCLA during this decade but previously worked as an NFL running backs instructor. He coached the Browns’ and Jaguars’ backs from 2004-09. Minnesota also interviewed running backs coaches Marcel Shipp and Skip Peete for this position, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Caplan adds previous Vikings RBs coach Kevin Stefanski will likely transition to another coaching position with the team next season. A Vikings coach since 2006, Stefanski served as the team’s tight ends coach during the 2013 and ’14 seasons.
  • Former Rams wide receivers coach Mike Groh is expected to interview with the Eagles to coach their wideouts, Tim McManus of ESPN.com reports. The 45-year-old Groh also served as Los Angeles’ passing-game coordinator. The son of former Jets coach Al Groh, Mike Groh spent the previous three seasons instructing the Bears’ wide receivers.
  • Former 49ers special teams coach Derius Swinton is expected to log another interview this week, doing so with the Saints. After meeting with the Broncos, Swinton will likely meet with the Saints this week, Nick Underhill of The Advocate reports. Just 31, Swinton served as an assistant special teams coach for the Rams, Chiefs, Broncos and Bears from 2009-15 prior to taking over San Francisco’s specialty units.

Latest On 49ers’ HC, GM Searches

January 16th, 2017 at 2:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have spent by far the most time interviewing high-level personnel this offseason, and now the team is entering its third week without a head coach or general manager. But some clarity could be coming on both fronts.

Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan and Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst have emerged in front for the HC and GM jobs, respectively, as the team searches to fully move on from Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke. Gutekunst impressed the 49ers in his interview and is a frontrunner as of now, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets, before adding Shanahan could have a say in this matter.

Recent Packers promoted executives Gutekunst and Eliot Wolf were among the nine candidates to interview for the 49ers job, and Alex Marvez of the Sporting News confirms Breer’s report about positive buzz coming out of the Gutekunst-49ers summit (Twitter link). Marvez adds the 49ers are have pared this list down and bring in finalists for secondary interviews this week. It can be assumed the 43-year-old Gutekunst, an 18-year Packers employee, is one of the finalists. One of the candidates, Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough, preferred Shanahan throughout this process, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes (on Twitter).

As for Shanahan, he appears to have a relatively clear path to his first HC job. The 49ers do not plan to restart the interview process after highly touted candidate Josh McDaniels withdrew his name from consideration. The 37-year-old assistant is “by far” the 49ers’ top option, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets, and although he cannot be hired until after the Falcons’ season concludes, he can be brought in for a second interview after the NFC championship game if Atlanta advances to Super Bowl LI. That could be to discuss the GM job if the 49ers hold off on making that decision this week. He’s viewed as the favorite over Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable, something the 49ers have recognized privately in recent days, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes.

Redskins Set DC Interview With Jason Tarver

January 16th, 2017 at 1:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Washington’s brass met with Rob Ryan on Monday for their defensive coordinator opening and will add another name to the list, albeit a lower-profile one. Former Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver will interview for the DC job as well, Master Tefatsion of the Washington Post reports.

Currently the 49ers’ linebackers coach, Tarver hasn’t been connected with any of the DC jobs this offseason. But the 49ers did consider him for their DC position, one that eventually went to Jim O’Neil, last year.

Tarver spent three seasons as the Raiders’ DC from 2012-14, and the 42-year-old assistant served in a lengthy previous 49ers stint in the 2000s. While affiliated with two NFL teams and three colleges in 20 years of coaching, Tarver has never coached outside of northern California. However, he did work with current Redskins GM Scot McCloughan during the initial 49ers stint.

He adds to the list of prospective Redskins DCs, with Ryan and Mike Pettine also residing on that list. Tarver’s Raiders defenses ranked 18th, 22nd and 21st, respectively, from 2012-14 during the Dennis Allen regime.

 

Seahawks Notes: Shead, Sherman, Willson

January 16th, 2017 at 1:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seahawks starting cornerback DeShawn Shead will undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Injured during the Seahawks’ divisional-round loss to the Falcons, Shead is looking at a “standard recovery” of around eight months, per Rapoport.

However, Pete Carroll described Shead’s injury as “significant”, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter), and one that will require “a really long time” to overcome. So while this could be Carroll just not wanting to put a timeline on it, his tone indicates Shead could miss some time next season. He did not express that kind of concern about Tyler Lockett‘s availability after his late-season broken leg, so another Richard Sherman counterpart could be required in the starting lineup come the 2017 season.

The 28-year-old Shead started a career-most 15 games for Seattle this season, intercepting one pass, deflecting 14 and making 80 tackles. He will be a restricted free agent. Seattle should not have to worry about placing a $2.8MM second-round tender on Shead now that he’s suffered this injury, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets.

Here’s more coming out of Seattle.

  • Speaking of Sherman, the cornerback played this season with a “significant” MCL injury, Carroll said (via Condotta, on Twitter). Carroll described the injury as weighing on Sherman mentally. The sixth-year cornerback was not listed on the injury report for a knee malady this season, Condotta notes (on Twitter). Sherman’s name appeared on the “Not Injury Related” section of missed-practice reports this season, but the Seahawks are admitting now he was injured, creating a minor controversy. Sherman appeared on the DNP report in 11 separate weeks, Michael Cohen of SeattlePI.com tweets, with 10 such weeks being listed as NIR and the other for an ankle ailment. The All-Pro talent is under contract with the Seahawks through 2018.
  • Luke Willson, though, is an impending UFA and said he hopes to stay with the Seahawks next season. Although, the tight end said he hasn’t talked with the team about a new deal, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. Willson’s fourth season as a Seahawk ended as his worst statistically. He played in just 11 games and caught only 15 passes for 129 yards for an offense that featured a re-emerging Jimmy Graham.
  • Carroll sounded like he believed the current cast of offensive linemen could improve as opposed to being set on seeking upgrades, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com tweets. After a season that featured Russell Wilson battling injuries and the offensive front struggling to secure a pocket for the franchise passer, Kapadia argues standing pat here would be a mistake. The Seahawks spent the least amount of money on their offensive line this season, and Pro Football Focus graded the NFC West champions’ unit as the worst in the league.

Jaguars Interviewing Chip Kelly For OC Role

January 16th, 2017 at 12:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chip Kelly is in Jacksonville today interviewing for the team’s offensive coordinator position, Hays Carlyon of 1010XL reports (on Twitter). The Jaguars are interviewing multiple OC candidates, with Nathaniel Hackett expected to receive one as well, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This is a second summit between the Jaguars and Kelly. Before taking the interim tag off of Doug Marrone‘s head coach title, the Jags interviewed Kelly for that position. So, there seems to be a lot of interest on the Jags’ part in the twice-fired head coach. Kelly has not interviewed for a job with another team this offseason.

The Jaguars agreed to retain Hackett, who took over the OC job from Greg Olson after the team fired Olson during the season. However, it appears Hackett will have to vie with other candidates to become the full-time Jags OC. This marks the first official interview the Jaguars have conducted for the OC job.

Despite being fired after only one season with the 49ers, Kelly did help Colin Kaepernick have a better season than he did in 2015. Although, the coach’s career arc has pointed downhill since his debut campaign with the Eagles that ended in the playoffs. But the Jaguars saw Blake Bortles regress this season and could be looking for an unorthodox voice to help the former No. 3 overall pick. Kelly, who was eyeing NFL OC jobs shortly after being fired, has evidently piqued the revamped Jags decision-making group’s curiosity.

New Jaguars executive Tom Coughlin attempted to hire Kelly as an offensive assistant before he took the job at Oregon, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com points out (on Twitter). Kelly’s Eagles went 4-1 against Coughlin’s Giants.

Mutual Interest Between Texans, A.J. Bouye

January 16th, 2017 at 12:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both Bill O’Brien and A.J. Bouye expressed interest in having the breakout corner return on a second Texans contract. The fourth-year cornerback stands to be a coveted commodity on the UFA market, but the third-year coach identified him as a player to retain.

“From people I talk to around the league, he’s a top corner. We’d love to have A.J. back,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Entering the season a relatively unknown talent, the former UDFA finished as 2016’s No. 3 overall cornerback in the opinion of Pro Football Focus — behind only Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. As a result of this campaign, Bouye figures to be a sought-after prize for a team in need of a corner. That could make a Texans return tricky if the 25-year-old reaches free agency. But Bouye expressed a desire to return, with the obvious caveat of uncertainty about the upcoming process.

“I would like to be back,” Bouye said. “It’ll mean a lot because it’ll show that they wanted me and saw what I did this year and there are better things that are going to happen in the future from an individual and team standpoint. I’ve been through a lot here with the organization, a lot of ups and downs, and they never gave up on me. I’m appreciative of that. I’d like to be back, but we’ll see what happens.”

Bouye made 62 tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up 16 others. The No. 8-ranked player on PFR’s free agent list, Bouye joins a UFA cornerback crop that as of now includes Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne, Stephon Gilmore and Dre Kirkpatrick. Malcolm Butler will be a restricted free agent.

The Texans spent almost all of their free agency and draft capital on offense last year but still boasted the No. 1 defense without J.J. Watt for the most part. Although Bouye stands as by far the top free agent for a Texans team that is projected to possess more than $25MM in cap room, the possibility he could command an eight-figure-per-year deal may price him out of Houston. Houston has Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph on its 2017 books for $16MM combined.

Tamba Hali Plans To Play At Least One More Season

January 16th, 2017 at 11:09am CST by Sam Robinson

The morning after another sobering Chiefs playoff exit, Tamba Hali set a loose timeline for his own career. The longtime Kansas City pass-rusher intends to play at least one more season, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter).

Paylor adds Hali would like to play four more seasons, despite seeing his sack total decline considerably in 2016. Signed to his third Chiefs contract last March, he’s on Kansas City’s books for two more years.

Hali has battled injuries in recent years but has been available for the Chiefs when needed, having never missed more than a game during a season. And the AFC West champions required the veteran’s services this season due to Justin Houston‘s long absence. But the 33-year-old blindside rusher’s role decreased in his 11th season, with Dee Ford playing nearly 300 more snaps than the veteran’s 599. The former first-round pick finished with just 3.5 sacks — the second-fewest he’s registered in a season. Although, Hali still graded out as the Chiefs’ best edge defender in the opinion of Pro Football Focus.

Hali signed a three-year deal worth $21MM last year and stands to see his cap number balloon from $3.8MM this season to $8.58MM in 2017. The Chiefs’ method of backloading contracts included Hali’s, helping to give the franchise scant cap room with which to work as of now after it re-signed Hali, Derrick Johnson and Jaye Howard in the most recent free agency period.

Next season, the Chiefs figure to shift Hali to a pass-rushing specialist role as Ford and Houston stand to comprise the team’s first-string outside linebackers.

Josh McDaniels Withdraws From 49ers’ HC Search

January 16th, 2017 at 10:10am CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers’ search for a head coach looks set to feature one less name and potentially the one upon which the franchise was fixated. Josh McDaniels is set to bow out of the race to focus on the Patriots’ playoff run, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports also reports (on Twitter) it’s “very unlikely” McDaniels takes this job, with the 40-year-old coach set to remain with the Patriots for at least one more season. Tom Curran of CSNNE.com tweets McDaniels is indeed staying, so Tom Brady will have his OC back in the likely event he returns for his age-40 season in 2017.

McDaniels confirmed he will stay with the Patriots. “At this time, best for family and myself to remain here in New England,” he said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

This leaves Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable as the finalists, with the remaining candidates having accepted HC positions elsewhere.

Deep into his second stint as the Patriots’ offensive play-caller, McDaniels has reservations about moving his family across the country for a job that has obviously not been stable over the past few years, La Canfora tweets. The CBS reporter refers to this (Twitter link) as a personal decision for the OC, who interviewed with the 49ers, Rams and Jaguars only to see the latter two franchises go with coaches whose teams had been eliminated. McDaniels will have coached in five straight AFC championship games since resuming his Pats post, but the 49ers were interested and willing to wait.

The reporter adds (Twitter link) the franchise is “very high” on Shanahan, who would figure to have a prestige edge on Cable due to the disparate successes of the coaches’ units this season. San Francisco is “honing in” on Shanahan, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). And the team no longer has any competition for the Atlanta play-caller’s services. But Cable making it this far into an expansive search despite Seattle’s struggles up front — with rookie-deal players and patchwork veterans — points to the former Raiders HC having impressed during his interview.

McDaniels at one point during this process viewed the 49ers job as the top position on the market, even though the franchise has cycled through coaches at a historic pace. San Francisco will have a fourth coach in four years and has now interviewed five coaches for the position.

Redskins Meet With Rob Ryan For DC Job

January 16th, 2017 at 9:50am CST by Sam Robinson

Rob Ryan‘s tenure with the Bills lasted less than one season, but he will have a chance to join the Redskins’ staff. Washington added the brash veteran to the list of defensive coordinator interviews, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets.

He joined Gus Bradley and Mike Pettine on the Redskins’ DC interview list, one that did not include Wade Phillips despite the teams being connected. Nor did it include Bengals DC Paul Guenther, whom the team requested permission to interview. Ryan certainly qualifies as a big name, even if his recent jobs did not end well.

This is the first interview opportunity for Ryan as he attempts to rebound from a Buffalo experiment gone awry. The Bills fired both of the Ryan brothers, with Rob making it just 15 games compared to Rex‘s 31 with the franchise. It marked the second straight year the veteran DC failed to finish with his employer, with the Saints relieving Ryan of his duties during a historically bad 2015 campaign.

Rob Ryan has officially served as the DC for four teams, but his role with the Bills — while not given that title — included similar responsibilities. Buffalo finished 19th in total defense for a second straight season.

The Redskins are still seeking to fill the spot made available by the team axing Joe Barry, and the search is coming up on the two-week mark.

Bills To Interview Greg Olson For OC Job

January 16th, 2017 at 9:25am CST by Sam Robinson

Greg Olson has a chance to land on his feet quickly despite being dismissed from his previous position midway through the season. The Bills are interviewing the former Jaguars OC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Buffalo is interviewing Olson for its OC position. A report emerging Sunday pegged Olson and Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress as the frontrunners for this job. The 53-year-old assistant is gunning for his sixth OC job after having worked with the Lions, Rams, Buccaneers, Raiders and Jaguars since 2004. After hiring Leslie Frazier to run his defense, Sean McDermott looks to be making a concerted effort to surround himself with experience at the coordinator spots.

The Jags fired Olson this season, which comprised the second year of his second stint with the team, after the offense sputtered compared to its 2015 performance. At the time of Olson’s dismissal, the team ranked 28th in passing DVOA. Jacksonville finished 3-13 in one of the more disappointing seasons in franchise history, but the coaches in charge have either been hired or retained as coordinators or are deep in the running for such a position.

Gus Bradley is the priority candidate to latch on with the Chargers as DC, and the Jaguars retained both DC Todd Wash and OC Nathaniel Hackett, whom they promoted to fill Olson’s position. Mike McCoy previously resided as the Bills’ frontrunner here, but the Broncos hired him back as OC, inducing a more expansive search.

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