HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Latest On The Vikings QB Situation

January 22nd, 2018 at 8:40pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Vikings 2017 campaign ended in disappointment after they were blown out in the NFC Championship game at the hands of the Eagles. Now as the team enters the offseason, they face the very unique challenge of having all three of the quarterbacks on their roster entering free agency at the same time. Michael Rand of the Star Tribune talked to both Case Keenum and Teddy Bridgewater as the team moved their stuff out of the locker room on Monday afternoon.

Case Keenum (vertical)

Keenum, who turns 30 in February, put together a surprisingly productive season after he spent much of his career as a backup. There were rumors that Keenum could be franchised tagged coming off of their miracle finish against the Saints, but that may now put put to rest given the offense’s performance this past weekend. Nevertheless, Keenum told reporters that he would love to come back to Minnesota next season because of the connection he feels to the franchise and the city.

I love this team,” said Keenum. “I love these guys. Love the coaching staff. I love this whole organization. … The culture they have around here is just awesome. Minnesota itself, the people here have been great.”

On the other hand, Bridgewater completed the major accomplishment of working his way back to becoming active after his scary leg injury that he suffered in training camp prior to the start of the 2016 season. Bridgewater told reporters that he understood why the Vikings played things the way they did.

“In a perfect world, I would have loved to have been dressing, but I understand decisions are made to give this team the best chance to win,” said Bridgewater. “I understand that and I’m a pro. I know what it takes. It happened, and I dealt with it.”

But not that he’s healthy, the 25-year-old added that he “definitely, without a question” is capable of being a team’s top signal caller.

Rand notes that Bridgewater and Sam Bradford have real injury questions, which makes Keenum the likely pick of the front office out of three options. However, he does add that it’s entirely within reason that the Vikings could go outside of the organization and sign a guy like Kirk Cousins to solidify the position moving forward.

 

Titans Will Not Hire Ryan Day As OC

January 22nd, 2018 at 7:34pm CST by GregGoldstein

Mike Vrabel was just hired as the Titans next head coach, but it looks like he’s going to take some more time to hire his next offensive coordinator. Ohio State’s Ryan Day appeared to be the frontrunner in the Titans search, but he will not leave the Buckeyes for the opportunity to work in the NFL, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Mike Vrabel

Being that Vrabel is a defensive-minded coach, this hire appears to be critical in determining Marcus Mariota‘s future success. Day was originally thought to be a good choice because of his familiarity with Mariota’s college offense being that he did work with Chip Kelly in his final season in Philadelphia. He also was the quarterback coach in San Francisco in 2016 before accepting a job with Ohio State.

With Day staying put, Vrabel could just reset his search with some many potential hires available in the open market. There were rumors yesterday that he had interest in Lions QB coach Brian Callahan for the role. But with other more experienced coaches like Ben McAdoo, Darrell Bevell and Mike McCoy still free agents there is no shortage of candidates to be considered.

 

Cardinals Expected To Hire Panthers’ Al Holcomb

January 22nd, 2018 at 7:12pm CST by GregGoldstein

New Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks is quickly working to get his coaching staff in place, and he’s apparently looking at one of his former staffers with the Panthers to help lead his defense. Panthers linebacker coach Al Holcomb seems primed to follow Wilks to Arizona to become the team’s next defensive coordinator, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Al Holcomb (Vertical)

The team will move on from former Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher after he was passed over for the head coaching job. This opens up an opportunity for Wilks to bring in someone that he’s familiar with to help translate the success he had in Carolina to the desert.

Holcomb has spent five seasons primarily coaching the Panthers linebackers. He’s worked with Wilks every year since he was hired by the Panthers back in 2013. Under Holcomb’s guidance, the Panthers have formed one of the best inside linebacker combos in the league with Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. It’s unsurprising that Wilks would bring over a familiar face, especially on the defensive side of the ball, with the Panthers finishing as the seventh best total defense in the league last season.

Latest On Patriots’ Brian Flores

January 22nd, 2018 at 6:26pm CST by GregGoldstein

Now that he’s no longer in consideration for the Cardinals head coaching job, Patriots linebacker coach Brian Flores has a few options that could be on the table for this upcoming season. After Arizona decided to hire Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Flores will not follow him to be the team’s next defensive coordinator, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Brian Flores (Vertical)

Schefter adds that with current Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia expected to accept a job offer to be the Lions next head coach, Flores is a “prime candidate” to lead Bill Belichick‘s defense next season. Even though Flores is just 36 years old, he already has a fairly long history with the Pats organization. He’s spent the last 10 years as a coach with the team, but his work stems back to his days in the team’s front office when he was hired as a scouting assistant back in 2004.

It’s certainly possible that Flores could have the option of going with Patricia to Detroit, but it’s becoming clear that he’s the odds on favorite to lead the Pats defense in 2018.

Giants Officially Hire Pat Shurmur

January 22nd, 2018 at 5:20pm CST by GregGoldstein

It’s been an open secret for about a week, but now that the Vikings are eliminated from the postseason, the Giants have officially named Pat Shurmur to be their next head coach. The team will be signing him to a five-year contract, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).This will be Shumur’s second stint as a head coach after he led the Browns from 2011-12.

Pat Shurmur (vertical)

“We are pleased to welcome Pat to our organization and look forward to the leadership he will provide for our team,” said owner John Mara and vice president Steve Tisch. “He has an outstanding track record in developing young players, and it is clear his players respond to his guidance and direction. We interviewed six talented and qualified candidates, and we feel like Pat, with his vision and experience, is the right person to lead our team.”

Shumur is entering the Giants organization after a very successful 2017 season as the Vikings offensive coordinator. He dealt with injuries to his top quarterback and running back, but maintained an offense that ranked 11th in total yards. Shurmur got the job after he took over an an interim basis in 2016 after originally being hired as the team’s tight ends coach. Prior to his few seasons in Minnesota, Shurmur worked as the Eagles offensive coordinator from 2013-15 after he was fired from his job with the Browns. After fighting back to being considered for another had coach position, Shurmur expressed that he is excited to start building a winner in New York.

“I am looking forward to getting to work with Dave Gettleman and Kevin Abrams and starting the process to once again build a championship team,” said Shurmur. “I have been fortunate to work with many great coaches and players, and I am thankful for those relationships. I would like to thank my family and friends for their tremendous support.”

It was mentioned early in the search that new general manager Dave Gettleman preferred for his hire to have previous head coaching experience, and it seems that he got exactly what he was looking for in the 52-year-old coach.

“I can’t wait to start working with Pat,” said Gettleman. “I know he will provide the type of leadership we need to take our team back to where it belongs. I have followed Pat’s career for many years, and he has had great success wherever he has been. What struck me during our conversation is that being the head coach of the New York Giants is not too big for him. He is made for this moment and this opportunity.”

Now that Shurmur is officially in place, he’ll have a number of challenges entering the offseason. This includes gaining control of a fractured locker room, addressing the quarterback situation and starting to build a team that can get back to playing like a playoff caliber squad.

Dallas Hires Kris Richard To Defensive Staff

January 22nd, 2018 at 4:33pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Seahawks moved on from former defensive coordinator Kris Richard after the team agreed to terms with former Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. However, the 38-year-old coach has found a rebound job now that the Cowboys have decided to hire him to be the team’s next secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator, according to Gee Scott of 710ESPN Seattle (Twitter link). Richard met with the team on Sunday to discuss a potential role, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Kris Richard (vertical)

Richard coming to the Cowboys is a solid addition given the success he had in Seattle during his three-year tenure leading one of the best defenses in football. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will continue in his current role, but adding a former defensive play caller should certainly help the staff continue to build Dallas’ defense next season.

Under Richard’s guidance, the Seahawks finished in the top five in total defense in 2015 and 2016, but dropped to number 11 this past year. However, Seattle did lose key starters in Kam Chancellor, Cliff Avril and Richard Sherman. The Cowboys ranked as a top ten defense in 2017, but could always use more experienced voices in the locker room.

Browns, Todd Haley Nearing Deal

January 22nd, 2018 at 3:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are close to an agreement to make Todd Haley the team’s new offensive coordinator, according to a league source who spoke withPat McManamon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Todd Haley (vertical)

Haley boasts eight years of offensive coordinator experience, broken up by nearly three seasons as the Chiefs’ head coach. He has spent the last six seasons as the Steelers’ OC and the on-field results have been largely tremendous. Over the past four seasons, the Steelers were second in NFL scoring behind only the Patriots.

Off the field, however, is a different story. Haley has been in the papers for the wrong reasons as of late, including a frosty relationship with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a scuffle on New Year’s Eve that left him with a shattered pelvis. The Browns have dealt with their fair share of headaches from players, but they apparently feel comfortable with the fact that Haley

Before zeroing in on Haley, Cleveland interviewed former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for the job. Hue Jackson has gone without an OC the past two seasons and the results have been worse than any other two-year span in league history.

Cardinals To Interview Darrell Bevell

January 22nd, 2018 at 3:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Steve Wilks is moving quickly to construct his coaching staff. On Monday night, the Cardinals will interview former Seahawks play caller Darrell Bevell for their offensive coordinator position, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Darrell Bevell (vertical)

[RELATED: Cardinals Hire Steve Wilks As Head Coach]

Bevell is one of three candidates already linked to the opening, along with Eagles quarterbacks John DeFilippo and former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy. Meanwhile, La Canfora hears that other teams are also showing interest in Bevell.

The Seahawks’ offense was in the middle of the pack in 2017, finishing 15th in total offense, 14th in DVOA, and eleventh in scoring. However, he wore the headset for some of Seattle’s best seasons, including the 2013 campaign which ended with a Super Bowl victory.

The makeup of the Cardinals’ offense will change between now and September – particularly with the quarterback position in flux – the next Cardinals OC will have the pleasure of working with David Johnson, who should be back healthy for 2018. Without Johnson’s services last year, the Cardinals ranked 30th in DVOA. With the league’s most dynamic running back in action, expectations will be much higher.

Looking Back On All 7 Coaching Searches

January 22nd, 2018 at 2:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals formally announced the hiring of Steve Wilks on Monday afternoon, meaning that all seven of the NFL’s head coaching vacancies are effectively filled. Using PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here’s a rundown of every candidate who was in the running for the Cardinals, Bears, Lions, Colts, Giants, Raiders, and Titans:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

  • Jon Gruden, ESPN commentator: Hired
  • Bobby Johnson, tight ends coach (Raiders): Interviewed
  • Tee Martin, offensive coordinator (USC): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals Hire Steve Wilks As Head Coach

January 22nd, 2018 at 1:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have officially hired Steve Wilks as their new head coach. The news was first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per the team’s announcement, it’s a four-year deal with a club option for year five.Steve Wilks (vertical)

Wilks has reportedly made a “very strong impression” on Cardinals ownership during the search process. Last week, Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, Falcons special teams coach Keith Armstrong, Eagles quarterbacks John DeFilippo, and incumbent defensive coordinator James Bettcher were all said to be in the mix, but Wilks came out on top.

“This is not really a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks told the team website. “We have the culture of winning here. We just have to be able to sustain it. It’s all about trying to get to the next level and the consistency you need to get to the next level. I believe building a culture based on three things: Trust, commitment and accountability.”

Wilks just finished his first year as a defensive coordinator with the Panthers, but has eleven previous seasons of experience as an NFL assistant. Both the Giants and Titans considered Wilks for their head coaching vacancies this year before choosing to hire Pat Shurmur and Mike Vrabel, respectively. Despite his relative lack of coordinator experience, it’s clear that Wilks is highly respected around the NFL.

DeFilippo missed out on the head coaching job in Arizona, but he could potentially become the team’s new offensive coordinator. Previous reports have indicated that Wilks would like to have the Eagles QBs coach as his OC, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) notes that the team also plans to talk to other candidates including Mike McCoy and Darrell Bevell.

Meanwhile, Wilks could already have a defensive coordinator in mind. Panthers linebackers coach Al Holcomb is a candidate to follow Wilks from Carolina to Arizona, according to Garafolo (on Twitter).

Wilks will have some serious tools to work with, including edge rusher Chandler Jones, linebacker Haason Reddick, cornerback Patrick Peterson, and safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Budda Baker. The return of David Johnson will bolster the team on the other side of the ball, but the Cardinals will have to address their quarterback situation in the wake of Carson Palmer‘s retirement. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is also thinking about calling it a career and he has indicated that the team’s head coaching hire will weigh heavily in his decision. With that in mind, a call to Fitzgerald might be one of the top items on Wilks’ to-do list.

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