2017 January - Pro Football Rumors

Trent Baalke Confirms He’s Been Fired By 49ers

January 1st, 2017 at 3:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Appearing on the 49ers’ pregame show today, Trent Baalke confirmed he’s been fired as the club’s general manager, accordin g to Kevin Jones of KNBR. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported last night that San Francisco is expected to part ways with both Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly, although Kelly has not yet been informed of his termination.

“It was the right thing to do. This is a class organization,” Baalke said. “You know, I’ve been here since 2005 and I have a lot of respect for the organization as a whole, and the ownership, the fan base. It’s difficult, but it’s the right thing to do.

“It didn’t surprise me,” Baalke said. “We’ve done some awful good things. Some very successful seasons. Unfortunately regret we weren’t able to bring a championship to the Bay Area, which they so deserve. I think The Faithful has been great. Wish this organization nothing but the best moving forward. I do see a bright future for them.”

The Baalke-Jim Harbaugh partnership dominated during the early 2010s, rocketing the franchise to relatively similar heights to which the teams of the 1980s and ’90s soared. San Francisco glided to three straight NFC championship games, came within a Baltimore goal-line stand of winning a sixth Super Bowl title and went 36-11-1 in that three-year span. Harbaugh’s departure after a tumultuous 2014 season marked the beginning of a rapid conclusion of this freefall under the 52-year-old Baalke’s watch, with the 49ers going 7-24 in the Jim Tomsula/Kelly seasons.

Jets To Retain Todd Bowles, Mike Maccagnan

January 1st, 2017 at 3:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets have officially announced that head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan will return for the 2017 season.

Both decision-makers were largely expected to be retained for the 2017 campaign, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com recently reported that Bowles and Maccagnan would receive “mulligans” from ownership. Clearly, the 2016 season didn’t go as planned — instead of building upon a solid 2015, New York regressed to a 5-11 record, last in the AFC East. The Jets ranked dead last in DVOA heading into Week 17, and were porous on both sides of the ball, placing 31st in offense and 26th on defense.

The Jets figure to be active this offseason in terms of clearing cap space — currently, the club projects to be nearly $5MM over the cap in 2017, meaning Maccagnan and staff will need to release several veterans in order to be in compliance. Meanwhile, New York’s coaching staff could also undergo changes, and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is expected to be the first coach fired.

Vance Joseph A Candidate For Broncos HC?

January 1st, 2017 at 1:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Given reports that Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is likely to retire at season’s end, general manager John Elway & Co. could soon be conducting a head coaching search. Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could be a strong candidate for the position, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Joseph, 44, interviewed for Denver’s vacant head coaching position during the 2015 offseason when he was still the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. Though the Broncos ultimately hired Kubiak, the club maintained strong interest in bringing Joseph in as defensive coordinator, but Cincinnati blocked the move. Since that time, Joseph has moved on to Miami, where he’s helped improve the team’s defense from a No. 25 DVOA rank in 2015 to No. 17 this year.

Meanwhile, Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is also expected to be on the Broncos’ “radar,” tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Shanahan will be a candidate for nearly every head coaching job that opens this offseason, but a move to Denver could be particularly difficult given Shanahan’s father’s relationship with Elway, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Some sources say Mike Shanahan — who coached Elway to two Super Bowl victories — doesn’t get along with the current Denver GM, per Florio.

Bucky Hodges To Enter NFL Draft

January 1st, 2017 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Virginia Tech tight end Bucky Hodges has chosen to forego his final season of collegiate eligibility and enter the NFL draft, according to Jared Shanker of ESPN.com. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. ranks Hodges as the best tight end in this year’s class, just ahead of Alabama’s O.J. Howard (Insider subscription required).

At 6-7, 245 pounds, Hodges is a physical freak. He is also extremely fast for a player his size, and he has enjoyed a prolific career for the Hokies, notching 127 catches and 20 touchdowns during his time in Blacksburg, including 48 catches for 691 yards and seven touchdowns this past season.

The former high school quarterback was frequently lined up as a wide receiver for Virginia Tech, and he was rarely used as an in-line blocker. Blocking, therefore, will be something that he needs to work on when he turns pro, but given that most collegiate tight ends are essentially overgrown wideouts these days, that will not hamper his draft stock too much in the pass-happy NFL.

A more pressing concern about his game could be his route-running, as he is still somewhat unpolished in that regard and often relies on his size and athleticism to win his matchups, which will be more difficult for him to do at the next level. But that, too, is something that is becoming more common in today’s college game, which has seen the proliferation of spread offenses and other offensive schemes designed to exploit athletic mismatches.

But all of Hodges’ positive attributes certainly overshadow his weaknesses, which can be addressed by an NFL coaching staff. He will be a first-round selection this spring.

Coaching/GM Notes, Pt. 2: Arians, Gase, Wolf

January 1st, 2017 at 11:48am CST by Rory Parks

Here is Part 2 of our coaching/GM rumors post. Part 1 can be found here.

Despite his health concerns, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians expects to return in 2017, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Schefter tweets that one of Arians’ top assistants, offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, is expected to interview for a head coaching job with the Rams, Jaguars, and Bills.
As the 49ers get prepared to search for a new head coach and GM, a ghost from the past has reared its ugly head. According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter), San Francisco was prepared to hire current Dolphins head coach Adam Gase two years ago. The team informed Gase that he was the choice, but GM Trent Baalke intervened at the last moment and convinced ownership not to hire Gase. The 49ers chose Jim Tomsula instead, and it has been all downhill from there.
The Packers are not expected to make major coaching changes–although offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett could get head coaching interviews–but GM Ted Thompson could step aside and become a senior scouting adviser, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. One reason, according to Rapoport, is that Director of Football Operations Eliot Wolf is a highly-coveted football mind, and if he’s not promoted soon, Green Bay could lose him.
The Bengals are not expected to fire Marvin Lewis, who is signed through 2017, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. However, Lewis is not expected to get another one-year extension this offseason, which means that another disappointing campaign in 2017 could spell the end of his tenure as Cincinnati’s head coach.
Jets head coach Todd Bowles will likely be back for a third season, but offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is expected to be fired, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post.
The Ravens are expected to part ways with OC Marty Mornhinweg, and assuming they do, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Greg Roman is someone to “keep an eye on.”
Browns coaches have “deep concerns” with the direction of the team’s personnel department and are expected to push owner Jimmy Haslam for changes in that regard, according to La Canfora. While head coach Hue Jackson is not planning to request the removal of top football man Sashi Brown, the coaching staff would like a proven, old-school talent evaluator involved in player selection to provide something of a checks-and-balance system to Brown’s analytics-based approach.
La Canfora suggests that, if the Lions miss the playoffs this season, GM Bob Quinn could at least think about a coaching change, and his Patriots ties could lead him to consider Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, with whom he established strong relationships during his time in New England. While I personally could imagine Quinn’s being interested in McDaniels, I cannot see Patricia as a legitimate head coaching candidate at this point.

Coaching/GM Notes, Pt. 1: Pagano, Payton, Kelly

January 1st, 2017 at 10:48am CST by Rory Parks

We heard earlier today that Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is likely to step down while the Bears are expected to retain head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace. Let’s take a look at some other coaching and GM rumors from around the league, which are so abundant that we will split this post into two parts. Part 2 can be found here.

Colts owner Jim Irsay has attempted to downplay the notion that head coach Chuck Pagano and/or GM Ryan Grigson are on the hot seat, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Irsay has been “very unhappy” with his team’s performance, and coaches within the organization believe that change is coming. It appears as if Pagano’s job is certainly in jeopardy, although it remains unclear whether Grigson could be fired as well. Irsay could not be reached for comment.
There is “mutual interest” between the Rams and Saints head coach Sean Payton, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who reports that the ball is in New Orleans GM Mickey Loomis‘ court. If Loomis decides he’s willing to part with Payton for moderate compensation, Payton would be the clear front-runner to take over in Los Angeles. And if the Saints do move on from Payton, Jaguars interim head coach Doug Marrone would be a strong candidate to replace him in New Orleans, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Marrone could also take over the Jacksonville job on a permanent basis.
The Jaguars will not, however, consider Chip Kelly, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
La Canfora tweets out a list of names who could be in contention for the 49ers‘ GM job, a list that includes Louis Riddick, Scott Pioli, and George Paton. Meanwhile, San Francisco is said to be high on Patriots OC Josh McDaniels and Dolphins DC Vance Joseph as head coaching candidates.
Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com tweets that Panthers DC Sean McDermott is lined up for multiple head coaching interviews.

Bears Expected To Retain John Fox, Ryan Pace

January 1st, 2017 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Despite the fact that the Bears will finish last in the NFC North for the third straight season, the team is not expected to make any major coaching changes, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That means that head coach John Fox is safe, and Schefter also reports that GM Ryan Pace will be back in 2017. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com echoes Schefter’s report.

Fox, who previously served as head coach of the Panthers and Broncos, engineered major turnarounds during his second year with each of those clubs, but he was unable to do so in Chicago. After the Bears struggled to a 6-10 mark in 2015, Fox’s first year in the Windy City, the team took a step back in 2016, as they have managed just three wins heading into the final game of the season.

But the team’s quarterback situation is a mess, and much of that mess was inherited from the previous regime. The Bears have deployed four quarterbacks this season and they have 19 players on injured reserve, including a number of starters. Plus, their 2016 draft class has drawn praise from opposing executives, and Fox and Pace will be given the chance to reap the fruits of that class and to right the ship under center (which could include jettisoning Jay Cutler and expending a high draft choice on a quarterback, even though this year’s crop of signal-callers is fairly weak).

Despite all of the losing, Rapoport suggests that the team culture is still positive, so the players are still presumably supportive of Fox, who is signed through the 2018 season. Pace, the youngest GM in the league, is signed through 2019.

Anthony Lynn “Virtual Lock” To Be Bills HC

January 1st, 2017 at 9:27am CST by Zachary Links

SUNDAY, 09:27am: Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports goes one step farther than Carucci, reporting that Lynn is a “virtual lock” to be named the Bills’ head coach on a permanent basis. The Bills are, however, expected to interview Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin for the job, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak (citing ESPN colleague Adam Schefter). Schefter tweets that former Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley is expected to serve as Lynn’s defensive coordinator wherever Lynn becomes a head coach. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Bills’ top job is Lynn’s to lose, and he adds Frank Reich and Teryl Austin as possible alternative candidates.

WEDNESDAY, 10:09am: Anthony Lynn will hold down the fort as interim head coach in the Bills’ final regular season game. From the sound of it, he could already be in the lead for the real title this offseason. “There’s every indication” the Bills are settled on sticking with Lynn beyond the interim status he has for Sunday, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes.

Carucci doesn’t expect the Bills to conduct a real, thorough search because they already have Lynn in mind as their guy. Furthermore, GM Doug Whaley is leading the search process and he will not want to hire any coach who would want control over the 53-man roster. In Lynn, he has a built-in ally who will allow him to assemble the team as he sees fit.

If Whaley is not willing to cede roster control, then that would likely rule out big-name candidates like Tom Coughlin, Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, and Jim Schwartz. Even former Bills quarterback and current Eagles OC Frank Reich would probably object. There may be some head coaching candidates who are willing to let Whaley do his thing, but it won’t be any of the splashy names.

Broncos HC Gary Kubiak Likely To Step Down

January 1st, 2017 at 8:14am CST by Rory Parks

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is likely to step down, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, largely due to health concerns. Troy E. Renck of Denver7 confirms the report.

Kubiak, the long-time Texans head coach, was fired by Houston towards the end of the 2013 season, and he enjoyed a successful one-year stint as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator in 2014 before his dream job became available. In January 2015, Kubiak signed a four-year contract to become head coach of the Broncos, and his first year at the helm ended in Super Bowl triumph.

This year, of course, has not gone as well, as Denver’s offense sputtered under the inexperienced hands of Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch and the team gradually fell out of playoff contention. But Kubiak’s job was certainly not in jeopardy, even if, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets, several of the Broncos’ offensive coaches were likely to be dismissed.

However, as Schefter writes, the demands of the job have become too risky for Kubiak. The 55-year-old left the Broncos for a week in October and missed a Thursday night game in San Diego for what the team called a “complex migraine condition.” And in his last season as Houston’s head coach, he suffered a mini-stroke during a game and had to be rushed to the hospital.

It remains unclear whether Kubiak’s decision to step down means that he is also retiring for good. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Kubiak is “heavily weighing” retirement, and Schefter’s report concludes by saying that Kubiak’s family wants him to leave coaching and move to their retirement ranch in Texas. But Albert Breer of The MMQB says that Kubiak had “found contentment” as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator in 2014 and was unsure that he wanted the stress of being a head coach again, but he was unable to resist the pull of the Denver job (Twitter links). That suggests, perhaps, that Kubiak would consider returning to the NFL in some other capacity down the road, although the fact that his legacy is now secure as a Super Bowl-winning head coach could make such a return less plausible (for what it’s worth, Klis tweets that Kubiak did not appear to suffer a recent setback and could simply need a “break” from the job).

Klis (Twitter links) names Broncos special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis as a logical choice to replace Kubiak, along with Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. But the Denver job is arguably the most desirable one available this offseason, so GM John Elway should have plenty of options.

Kubiak has an 81-75 regular season record as a head coach, a 5-2 postseason record, and one Super Bowl win.