2018 January - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Coaching Notes: Browns, Reid, Callahan

January 25th, 2018 at 7:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hue Jackson will be taking on a CEO-style approach this season and shed light on why he thought Todd Haley‘s experience was sufficient to unseat him as Browns play-caller. Jackson confirmed Thursday that Haley will call plays, just as he did in Pittsburgh.

“This is something I’ve always dreamed of transitioning into,” Jackson said (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com) of an arrangement where he will oversee the offense while an OC calls plays. “For the first two years I didn’t think there was somebody out there that could do it better than myself. I’ve said that from Day 1, I just don’t think that’s fair.

“… We’re in a different phase of this process here in Cleveland and we’re well set up to move forward on offense where I can feel comfortable saying, ‘Hue, you need to be more of the CEO head coach. Let your role really on game day be about the football team, not just the team on offense.”’

Jackson, who called Browns plays the past two seasons and did so without an offensive coordinator, said Haley became his top OC choice once the Steelers did not renew his contract. While the third-year head coach said Haley will run the show come game day, with Jackson’s recommendations, he will be hands-on with the quarterback the Browns select in the draft. They are widely expected to pick a quarterback at No. 1 overall

“I probably will. That part of me isn’t going to change,” Jackson said of working with a rookie quarterback. “I’m just not the primary play-caller and not the driver of the offensive football team. My expertise is on the offensive side, but again, I just hired one of the best of the best in the league.”

Here’s the latest from AFC staffs.

Brian Callahan‘s received interest from the Titans and Jets since he and the Lions parted ways, with the former scheduling an OC interview that took place Wednesday. However, the Raiders are in the mix for Callahan now too. Callahan will interview for Oakland’s quarterbacks coach position, Jason Wolf of The Tennesseean reports. The Jets view him as a fit for their QBs job as well and are interviewing him for that role. So, the former Broncos and Lions assistant has options.
As Jackson transitions away from play-calling responsibilities in Cleveland, Andy Reid will pivot back to them in Kansas City. The sixth-year Chiefs HC will call plays in 2018, he said Thursday (via Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star). This could be expected since Reid lost Matt Nagy, who called plays for the Chiefs late in the season, to Chicago. New OC Eric Bieniemy has never called NFL plays before, and Reid maintained play-calling duties during the start of Nagy and Doug Pederson‘s tenures before ceding those reins toward the end of their respective runs. Reid revealed he called plays in Week 17, which was Patrick Mahomes‘ NFL debut, despite a run of success for Nagy late in the season. That interruption could be notable since Mahomes could well be K.C.’s starter in 2018.
Josh McDaniels‘ second interview with the Colts will take place on Friday, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). McDaniels, who will take over as the Colts’ head coach after the Super Bowl, will sit down with owner Jim Irsay and GM Chris Ballard to make plans for the offseason. Per league rules, McDaniels cannot formally be named as Indianapolis’ new HC until after the Patriots’ season is over, so the “second interview” is the only way the two parties can meet in person.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Cardinals To Hire Mike McCoy As OC

January 25th, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McCoy will be running another Western-division team’s offense in 2018. The Cardinals are set to hire him as their next OC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The sides are working out a deal, per Rapoport. This will mark the third offense McCoy has overseen in the past three seasons. He ran the Chargers’ attack from 2013-16 as head coach and began last season as Broncos OC. McCoy’s second stay in Denver did not go as well, with the team firing him midway through the season.

Steve Wilks now has both of his coordinators on board days after taking the team’s HC reins. The top three coaches on the Cardinals’ staff have deep Panthers ties, although Wilks and McCoy’s Carolina tenures did not intersect. McCoy spent the first nine seasons of his NFL coaching career with the Panthers, from 2000-08, but Wilks didn’t arrive on staff until 2012. They’ll work together now, though, in beginning the post-Carson Palmer era.

The Broncos fired McCoy during their eight-game losing streak last season, but the 45-year-old coach experienced success in prior coaching positions.

His offense brought an uptick in Philip Rivers‘ career trajectory and helped Peyton Manning establish himself in Denver the year prior. McCoy’s most innovative coaching work may have come a year earlier, though, when he scrapped Denver’s offense midway through the season in order to install a Tim Tebow-friendly setup — one that ended up helping the team to an unlikely run to the divisional playoffs.

McCoy beat out Darrell Bevell for the Cards’ post, one that may or may not involve Larry Fitzgerald. The future Hall of Fame wideout has not committed to play a 15th season yet. The Cardinals do stand to return All-Pro David Johnson, and he’ll be vital to a team that does not have a surefire answer at quarterback post-Palmer.

Vikings To Interview Saints’ Dan Campbell For OC Job

January 25th, 2018 at 5:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings added another name to the interview list for their vacant offensive coordinator position. Former Dolphins interim head coach and current Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell will interview for the job, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

This meeting will take place on Tuesday at Mike Zimmer‘s ranch in Kentucky, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. Tomasson adds Zimmer contacted Campbell about an assistant job two years ago before Campbell ultimately decided to join the Saints’ staff.

Campbell joins an interview list that consists of former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell, Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski and Texans QBs coach Sean Ryan. Bevell will receive the first interview, set for Friday.

Campbell has a history with Zimmer, to some degree, having been a Cowboys tight end for three seasons (2003-05) that overlapped with Zimmer’s time as Dallas’ DC.

The 41-year-old Campbell has served only as a tight ends coach or an interim head coach in his seven-year tenure as a full-time NFL assistant. This will mark his first interview for a coordinator position, but he did meet with Dolphins brass about Miami’s HC post in early 2016 prior to Adam Gase landing that job. Campbell succeeded Joe Philbin in 2015 with the Dolphins but got in 12 games as Miami’s HC that season, going 5-7.

Franchise Tag Still In Play For Kirk Cousins?

January 25th, 2018 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Kirk Cousins would be the best quarterback to hit free agency in years, there’s still a possibility he doesn’t reach the market.

Some around the league believe the Redskins will apply the franchise tag to Cousins for the third straight year, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Although, doing so would mean a price tag that’s nearly one fifth of Washington’s projected 2018 cap.

A Cousins franchise tag would cost the Redskins $34.47MM — a 44 percent hike from his second tag of 2017. Were it to be the non-exclusive tag, teams could still negotiate with the 29-year-old passer but would have to surrender two first-round picks if the Redskins didn’t match the offer sheet.

The $28.72MM transition tag could be an option, Florio writes, although a report emerged in November indicating the Redskins weren’t considering it.

Cousins figures to be in demand if he hits the market, and him not doing so could cause quarterback-needy teams to adjust their strategies come March. But with Cousins and the Redskins having failed for two years to come to an agreement, the parties suddenly working out a long-term deal may be the less likely outcome. If they don’t, then the Redskins — who do have backup Colt McCoy under contract for $3.6MM in 2018 — would join other teams in need of a franchise quarterback.

Vince McMahon Announces XFL Reboot

January 25th, 2018 at 2:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The XFL is back. Roughly 17 years after its closure, WWE boss Vince McMahon announced that he is making a new foray into professional football.

In a press conference, McMahon declared that the XFL will return in 2020. Much like the first incarnation of the XFL, the introductory presser was sparse on details. However, as McMahon noted, the league is giving itself significantly more time to plan for the launch.

The league, McMahon says, will have fewer commercial breaks and move faster than the NFL’s version. The XFL will “start conservatively” with eight teams and 40-man rosters, but host cities for the teams have not yet been identified.

Surprisingly, McMahon’s “re-imagined” brand of football will not feature him as a brand ambassador. The WWE CEO vowed to bring in experienced football executives to run the show and said that the press conference might be the last we see of him with regards to the league. He added that there will be no crossover of talent from the wrestling organization to the football league, a stark difference from 2001 when Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler served as a commentary team.

There was some speculation that McMahon could position the league as a more patriotic alternative to the NFL, but he says the league “will have nothing to do with politics and nothing to do with social issues.” Instead, McMahon says the league will focus on its on-field product, though he was non-committal when asked if standing for the anthem will be mandatory.

Already, former University of Kentucky star Jared Lorenzen has volunteered his services for the XFL. “Well well well, how are you doing over there [Vince McMahon] and [Alpha Entertainment]?,” the Hefty Lefty wrote (on Twitter). “I see you may be looking for some athletes. I got ya. May be I do have 1 more comeback left me. #HeAteMe“

Redskins Re-Sign LB Mason Foster

January 25th, 2018 at 1:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have re-signed linebacker Mason Foster, according to a team announcement. It’s a two-year deal with a base value of $4MM and a max value of $7MM, agent Blake Baratz tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Foster was starting for the Redskins when a torn labrum ended his season after five games. When he was placed on IR, Foster fired off a string of tweets voicing his frustration with the team. Later, he walked back his comments, saying that he was “too emotional” at the time and that he still wanted to be with the Redskins.

“I’m a Redskin until they tell me I’m not a Redskin,” Foster said. “That’s how I feel about it. I love this team. This is where I wanna be. We handled it internally, and I appreciate Bruce sitting down with me and [senior vice president of football operations] Eric Schaffer so that we could get it squashed and go about business.”

Part of Foster’s frustration could be chalked up to his impending free agency. In 2014, he played through an injury that severely impacted his stock on the open market. This time, he felt that he was not given enough of an opportunity to gut it out and demonstrate his value.

In his five games last season, the former third-rounder totaled 31 tackles. 0.5 sacks, and one interception.

Lions May Target Paul Pasqualoni

January 25th, 2018 at 12:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Boston College defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni could be a candidate for the Lions’ staff and possibly their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Pasqualoni has been a mentor to new head coach Matt Patricia, making him a natural fit.

After Patricia was hired, DC Teryl Austin left to join up with the Bengals, leaving the position vacant. While Austin had most of the control over Detroit’s D under the previous administration, the next hire might not have the same level of autonomy. As a longtime DC himself, it’s possible that Patricia will be the one calling plays.

Pasqualoni, 68, previously served as the DC of the Dolphins and Cowboys. He joined the Texans’ staff in 2015 as their defensive line coach, but stepped down after just one season, citing family reasons.

Latest On Johnny Manziel

January 25th, 2018 at 11:13am CST by Zachary Links

Johnny Manziel’s agent says that he is giving the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL until Jan 31 to work out a ”fair deal.” The Tiger-Cats say they will not abide by any deadline.

“A lot of stuff happens in the negotiation process,” Hamilton GM Eric Tillman said (via Alex Marvez of The Sporting News). “We have a lot of respect for Erik. Our meetings with Johnny have been good. We’ll be patient. I know the deadline is there but will be fluid. There’s a lot of time between now and the beginning of camp (in May).”

The Tiger-Cats, who own Manziel’s CFL rights, showed interest in signing the quarterback to a deal last year However, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie blocked the deal, saying that Manziel would first have to satisfy certain off-field conditions. In late December, Ambrosie opened the door for Manziel to join the league. The Tiger-Cats remain intrigued by Manziel’s potential, though they are unwilling to cave to demands by Manziel’s agent.

“I see a lot of good in Johnny. We see a lot of upside in him,” Tillman said. “We visited with him and looked him in the eye. I think he’s a guy who wants to reestablish himself even more as a person than a player. If he comes, I think it will be a win-win situation.”

Manziel, 26, has not played in the NFL since the 2015 season and the CFL could be a launching pad for his NFL return. If his camp can’t come to terms with Hamilton, he could always look into joining the XFL 2.0.

Chiefs To Retain Bob Sutton

January 25th, 2018 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

Plenty of teams have ousted their defensive coordinators this offseason, but the Chiefs won’t be joining them. This week, head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Bob Sutton will remain stay on as the team’s DC in 2018.

“There’s nothing going on there,” Reid said when asked directly if Sutton will return (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). “I know everybody has their opinion on everything, just like they did when they wanted me to bench Alex Smith. That turned out pretty good. So [replacing Sutton] is not where I’m at or have ever been. I don’t listen to any of that. I do what I think is right for the Kansas City Chiefs.”

Sutton has been the Chiefs’ DC since 2013. In the last five years, the play of the defense has fluctuated quite a bit. the Chiefs had the No. 7 defense in the NFL in both 2014 and 2015, but they slid back into the bottom third of the league over the past two seasons. Last year, the Chiefs finished 28th in total defense, leading many to point the finger at Sutton.

Of course, it’s not really fair to blame it all on Sutton given the rash of injuries the Chiefs had in 2018, including maladies suffered by safety Eric Berry and edge rusher Dee Ford. The team is also probably looking to maintain some continuity after losing offensive coordinator Matt Nagy to the Bears.

Vince McMahon To Launch Football League

January 25th, 2018 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

What a time to be alive. On Thursday afternoon, WWE chief Vince McMahon will announce the formation of a new football league, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Of course, McMahon has done this before. In 2001, he partnered with NBC to launch the XFL, a league with no rules and no viewership to match. McMahon’s experiment drew phenomenal ratings in its debut, but fans tuned out over time, leading to the league’s closure after one season.

It’s presently unclear whether McMahon will use the XFL moniker for his new league. McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment offshoot has filed trademarks for “XFL,” but the company has also earmarked “UFL” and “United Football League.”

Given the current political climate and the backlash against National Anthem protests during the 2017 season, McMahon may look to brand his league as a patriotic alternative to the NFL. He might be able to tap into something on that front, but his venture will not succeed unless he can field a better talent pool with bigger stars than last time.