2018 January - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders To Bring Back Tom Cable

January 13th, 2018 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jon Gruden won’t be the only former Raiders head coach on the 2018 Silver and Black staff. The Raiders reached an agreement to bring back Tom Cable, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

The Raiders’ head coach for a two-plus-season stint from 2008-10, Cable will be in charge of Oakland’s offensive linemen next season. The Seahawks fired Cable after seven seasons earlier this week, but it didn’t take long for the veteran coach to land on his feet.

The 2018 season will mark the 12th straight campaign in which Cable will coach with the Raiders or Seahawks, with his most recent job outside those two western-based franchises coming with the 2006 Falcons. Cable will have a chance to coach a Raiders offensive line that’s seen historic finances poured into it. Donald Penn, Kelechi Osemele, Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson are all under contract for next season.

This would also reunite Cable with Marshawn Lynch. Although, it shouldn’t be considered a lock Lynch — whose cap number jumps from $2.7MM to $6MM — will be part of the 2018 Raiders. But he thrived during most of his previous stint with Cable.

The Raiders underwhelmed last season despite the resources put into their offensive front, finishing 25th in rushing offense. While the Seahawks have struggled on the ground in recent years, they did not spent nearly the kind of money the Raiders did up front.

Cable went 17-27 as Raiders HC and was replaced by Hue Jackson despite an 8-8 season in 2010. The 53-year-old Cable interviewed for the 49ers’ HC job last year but stayed on as Seattle’s O-line coach.

Seahawks Targeting John DeFilippo As OC

January 13th, 2018 at 2:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier this week, SI.com’s Albert Breer reported Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo is set to be a coaching free agent and could be a candidate for an OC job should he not become the Cardinals’ head coach.

The Seahawks are interested in DeFilippo to succeed Darrell Bevell as OC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding he will join Brian Schottenheimer as a sought-after interviewee for Seattle — should the Eagles lose to the Falcons today.

The Eagles prevented their QBs coach from speaking with the Jets about their OC job last year, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reporting Jeffrey Lurie overruled Doug Pederson‘s decision to let DeFilippo do so, but can no longer block him from interviews going forward. Seattle has interest in Schottenheimer but has yet to set up any interviews with candidates. This is the first time in seven years the Seahawks have had an OC vacancy.

DeFilippo played a key role in Carson Wentz rocketing from Division I-FCS product to one-time MVP frontrunner. The Seahawks, who are the first team to have reported interest in the soon-to-be 40-year-old coach as a coordinator, have a franchise quarterback but struggled offensively this season. Seattle had the league’s No. 13-ranked scoring offense this season — its lowest finish since 2010.

Vikings Activate QB Sam Bradford From IR

January 13th, 2018 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Sam Bradford is back. Chris Tomasson of St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via Twitter) that the Vikings have activated the quarterback from the injured reserve. To make room, the team has waived tight end Kyle Carter.

Bradford, who had been shelved since Week 5, returned to practice in early January. Bradford hasn’t played in a full game since the first week of the season, as he’s battled knee injuries for much of the campaign. Backup Case Keenum has been a revelation as the team’s starting quarterback, completing 67.6-percent of his passes for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. For comparison’s sake, in 2016, Bradford completed 71.6-percent of his passes for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Keenum will still be under center for the Vikings’ playoff matchup against the Saints tomorrow.

While the top of the depth chart may not be in question, the presence of Teddy Bridgewater complicates the backup role. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer acknowledged that Bradford is healthy enough to play, but he wouldn’t reveal if the quarterback would unseat Bridgewater as the top reserve. Bridgewater missed the entire 2016 season after having suffered a torn ACL, and he was activated off the PUP in November of this season.

Bridgewater was actually the last Vikings quarterback to start a playoff game, but he acknowledged that he doesn’t care about who ends up taking the reps.

“I just want us to win,” he told Tomasson (via Twitter). “At this time of the year, it doesn’t matter if it’s pretty, if it’s ugly, it’s all about winning and how you get it done.”

Carter, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of Penn State, had spent the past two seasons with the Vikings organization. He appeared in three games this season without recording a reception.

Josh McDaniels, Mike Vrabel Finalists For Colts’ HC Job

January 13th, 2018 at 11:11am CST by Ben Levine

Nearly two weeks after firing coach Chuck Pagano, it sounds like the Colts are zeroing in on a pair of potential replacements. NFL.com’s Albert Breer reports (via Twitter) that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel have “emerged as finalists” for the head coaching gig.

The Colts cast a relatively wide net during their search. In addition to Vrabel and McDaniels, our head coaching tracker shows that the organization also reached out to Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard, former Chiefs offensive coordinator (and current Bears head coach) Matt Nagy, Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, and Baylor head coach Matt Rhule. Breer cautions that the Colts could add another name to their list of “finalists.”

McDaniels compiled an underwhelming 11-17 record during his two-year stint with the Broncos, but he’s had a lot more success serving as the offensive coordinator for the Patriots. New England’s offense has ranked in the top-10 for points scored during each of his nine years at the helm. Meanwhile, Vrabel’s first season as the Texans defensive coordinator didn’t lead to stellar results. However, the former Patriots linebacker previously displayed his coaching chops while serving as Houston’s linebackers coach between 2014 and 2016.

49ers LB Reuben Foster Arrested

January 13th, 2018 at 9:31am CST by Ben Levine

49ers linebacker Reuben Foster was arrested on Friday night in Alabama for possession of marijuana, reports Matt Zenitz of AL.com. Foster, who just completed his rookie campaign, was ultimately charged with second-degree possession of marijuana, and his bond was set at $2,500.

“The San Francisco 49ers organization is aware of the matter involving Reuben Foster,” the 49ers said in a statement (via Zenitz), “and we are currently gathering all relevant facts.”

A first-rounder in last year’s draft, Foster made an instant impact on the 49ers defense. The linebacker ultimately started each of his 10 games, compiling 72 tackles. His performance earned him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in November.

Foster had a standout collegiate career at the University of Alabama, but he saw his draft stock fall following several incidents at the scouting combine. The defender was sent home early after engaging in an argument with a hospital worker, and his urine sample was diluted (which is interpreted as a positive test). As a result, Foster was entered into the league’s substance-abuse program.

Texans Hire GM Brian Gaine, Extend HC Bill O’Brien

January 13th, 2018 at 9:09am CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have locked up their head coach and general manager duo for the foreseeable future. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the organization has handed out “matching” contracts to coach Bill O’Brien and new GM Brian Gaine. The new GM received a five-year pact, while O’Brien signed a four-year deal. The new contracts will keep the pair in Houston through the 2022 season.

We learned earlier this week that the Texans were expected to hire Gaine as their new general manager. The former Bills vice president of player personnel is returning to Houston after only a single season in Buffalo. Gaine previously served as the Texans director of player personnel before moving on last offseason. The executive had garnered plenty of attention over the past several years, having interviewed for GM gigs in Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago.

Meanwhile, we also heard rumblings that the Texans were looking to extend O’Brien, whose contract was set to expire following the 2018 campaign. There were rumors throughout the season that O’Brien could be let go, as the coach was engaged in a constant power struggle with former general manager Rick Smith. However, O’Brien ultimately assisted in the team’s search for a new GM, an indication that he was apart of the team’s future plans. The 48-year-old has spent the past four seasons in Houston, compiling a 31-33 record and a pair of playoff appearances.

The Texans weren’t finished refining their front office. Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston tweets that the organization also promoted Chris Olsen from vice president/administration to senior vice president/administration. Olsen was responsible for negotiating the deals with Gaine and O’Brien, and he also manages the team’s salary cap.

With Gaine and O’Brien locked up, the Texans can now shift their focus to the offseason. It may be difficult to add young talent, as Houston will be operating without their first- and second-round picks. However, they’ll be armed with around $56MM in cap space, which could allow them to make a big splash in free agency.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Dolphins

January 12th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by GregGoldstein

Now that newly-hired Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has begun filling out his staff, a lot of his work will now shift to the personnel side of the franchise. Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Journal-Review previewed many of the decisions that Gruden and the front office will have to work through this offseason.

Gehlken starts by stating that the team is likely to move on from number one wide receiver Michael Crabtree and cornerback Sean Smith. Releasing both players would save money and allow the team to continue to get younger at both positions.

However, a more difficult decision may lie with soon-to-be 32-year-old running back Marshawn Lynch. His salary will jump from $1.35MM to $4MM in 2018. On March 18, he will receive a $1MM roster bonus if he is still on the roster. Lynch’s season was rather inconsistent and running backs that play into their 30’s don’t have the best track record, but it would still be difficult to move on from a talent like Lynch.

“You know, I’ve never met Marshawn Lynch,” Gruden said. “Even as a broadcaster, I asked for Marshawn Lynch in production meetings and I never got to meet him. So I’m anxious to sit down with Marshawn and meet him. We’ll talk about his future and the Raiders. I can’t wait. He came back to the Raiders for similar, I think, reasons that I did.”

In recent seasons, the Raiders have used free agency as a primary source of getting key players, and while the defense has been arguably the main area of concern, Gehlken passes along that Gruden is also is looking to bring new ideas to the offensive side of the ball.

“We are going to have to look at our roster carefully and see, do we have a fullback? Who is the feature back? Who are the receivers?” Gruden said Tuesday. “A lot of things have to be determined, and I think you have to have an offense that is adaptable, that is versatile and can adjust to a number of certain areas. That is what we need to do. Get through today, lock the doors and get to work.”

Here’s more stories from around the AFC:

In news from another AFC West club, the Broncos recently inked former head coach Gary Kubiak to a larger front office role. However, Kubiak could still draw interest from teams looking for a new offensive coordinator, speculates Mike Klis of 9News. Though Klis mostly shuts down that notion because the former Super Bowl winning coach is currently under contract for one more year in Denver, which would force a prospective team to pay up a draft pick in order to pry him away.
The Broncos also have a decision to make regarding star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. The 30-year-old pass catcher has two years remaining on his current deal should his $4MM option for next season be picked up before the first day of the 2018 league year, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post (Twitter link). However, if the Broncos do decline the option, the final two years would voided and he would become a free agent this offseason. This would also result in $3.1MM of dead money. His salary figures for the next two years are $12.03MM and $17.5MM, respectively. The Broncos need to get younger at the wide receiver position and could be served well letting Thomas walk as he enters the wrong side of his 30’s.
The Dolphins offensive line could undergo somewhat of a makeover this offseason and one part of that could come from one of their veterans switching positions. Ted Larsen played in the team’s final eight games at left guard after missing the first half of the season with an injury. However, the 30-year-old would like to switch to right guard in 2018, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Larsen told Jackson “That’s my preference, I played there since 2014.” Jackson notes that fellow starting guard Jesse Davis has shown no reservations about changing roles, so it’s a real possibility that Larsen could have his wish granted in training camp. Although, the writer did add that the team will likely bring in some competition through the draft or free agency. Miami is also not likely to hold onto right tackle Ja’Wuan James for his $9MM 2018 salary figure. Veteran tackle Jermon Bushrod was injured at the end of the year and will be a free agent this offseason as well. This could open up a spot for a prospective high round draft pick with the Dolphins currently holding the 11th overall selection.

Bills Won’t Hire Mike McCoy As OC

January 12th, 2018 at 9:10pm CST by GregGoldstein

Since learning that the Bills will be moving on from Rick Dennison as the team’s offensive coordinator, former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy had surfaced as a potential candidate to fill his shoes in 2018. However, McCoy will not be hired by Buffalo for the role, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).

McCoy was once a hot NFL coaching candidate for his work with Denver as their offensive coordinator back in 2010-2012. The 45-year-old coach fell out of favor with the Chargers after another down year in 2016, which gave way for new head coach Anthony Lynn to be hired this past offseason. McCoy caught on this past year in his second stint as the Broncos offensive coordinator, but was let go during the season after the offense struggled with a rotation of quarterbacks.

With McCoy out of the picture, the only other candidate that has been mentioned thus far for the newly open position is current Colts offensive coordinator Rod Chudzinski. Chudzinski will likely be moving on from Indianapolis with the team actively looking for a new head coach. More names will certainly surface as the Bills begin their search for the new leader of their offense. Buffalo is just one of three teams that have a vacancy at the offensive coordinator post at the moment. Make sure to stay up-to-date with all coordinator news with our 2018 Coordinator Tracker.

Patriots Don’t Activate Malcolm Mitchell For Divisional Round

January 12th, 2018 at 8:15pm CST by GregGoldstein

While the Patriots have been without second-year wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell for the entire season, the 2016 fourth round pick has been inching closer to a return in recent weeks. However, the team chose not to activate him for this weekend’s playoff matchup vs. the Titans, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.

Mitchell, 25, had a productive rookie campaign, collecting 32 catches for 401 yards and four touchdowns. He was set to become even more impactful for this past regular season, but was forced to the injured reserve during the preseason because of a nagging knee injury.

Since Mitchell returned to practice on December 27, that means he has until next week for the team to make a decision on his availability should they move onto the AFC Championship next Sunday. The team can place him on the active roster as a player designated to return from injured reserve.

Even without Mitchell, the Patriots are now mostly healthy in terms of playmakers entering Saturday’s contest. While the team is missing Mitchell and Julian Edelman, Tom Brady will have the likes of Brandin Cooks, Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, Kenny Britt, Dwayne Allen and Chris Hogan, who will be returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for seven of the team’s final eight games.

Antonio Brown To Be A Game-Time Decision?

January 12th, 2018 at 7:02pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Steelers have been without star wideout Antonio Brown since the middle of their week 15 contest against the Patriots. While the team expected that the 29-year-old would be ready for their divisional round contest, Brown is set to be a game-time decision on Sunday, a source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).

Brown has been recovering from a partially torn calf muscle, but the injury has lagged perhaps longer than Pittsburgh expected. The veteran receiver relies on quickness and sharp cuts rather than sheer strength, so this particular injury could have even more of an impact than it would on other bigger star playmakers.

The eight-year vet had produced what could have been his best statistical year during the regular season. He caught over 100 passes in 14 games and his 1,533 yards ranks third-most for a season in Brown’s career. The All-pro also reeled in nine touchdowns in 2017.

However, the Steelers wouldn’t be without weapons should Brown miss their first playoff game. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Martavis Bryant and Jesse James would be the primary receiving threats in his absence. Obviously Ben Roethlisberger would rely on star running back Le’Veon Bell even more with Brown on the sidelines.