HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Coaching Rumors: Browns, Raiders, Bears

January 12th, 2018 at 6:34pm CST by GregGoldstein

Even though new Browns lead football man John Dorsey is keeping current head coach Hue Jackson, he has just gotten started in reshaping the team’s coaching staff. Apart from hiring Ken Zampese and Adam Henry as the organization’s quarterbacks and wide receivers coaches earlier this week, the team has let go of five staff members from this past season, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Grossi reports that the team has moved on from former QB’s coach David Lee, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, running back coordinator Kirby Wilson, special teams assistant Shawn Mennenga and special teams quality control coach Stan Watson. Dorsey has brought a new look to the Browns front office and he’ll now remake the team’s coaching staff given this new coaching news.

Here’s more coaching news from around the league:

  • Raiders new head coach Jon Gruden has brought in a number of new coaches to join his staff for the 2018 season. But there is one coach that is definitely being retained from Jack Del Rio’s previous coaching crew. Assistant wide receivers coach Nick Holz is being retained, per Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (Twitter link). While Holz is the only holdover as of now, Caplan does note that many other Del Rio staffers are currently being reviewed by the organization.
  • Matt Nagy has began filling out the Bears coaching staff for next season. The team announced that they have hired former NFL receiver Mike Furrey to coach their wideout group. Furrey was recently the head coach at Limestone College and played with Nagy in the AFL back in 2002. Furrey will likely inherit a much different group of receivers than the team had in 2017.
  • Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown is expected to return to the team in 2018, sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com. It was previously reported that while Dallas had wanted to retain him, he had also drawn interest from the Raiders and Texans.
  • While many hires are being reported, the Chargers are losing their tight ends coach John McNulty to the college ranks. McNulty will join Rutgers as their offensive coordinator for the next season, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). McNulty previously worked as an assistant coach for the Scarlet Knights from 2004-2008.

 

 

Latest On The Giants’ HC Search

January 12th, 2018 at 5:29pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Giants have interviewed six candidates for their vacant head coach position and could start to be moving more quickly on completing their search in the next week. Of the six coaches they’ve interviewed, it appears that Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Patriots’ coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia are the favorites to land the position, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.

Pat Shurmur (vertical)

All three candidates have garnered interest from around football and should either the Patriots or Vikings be eliminated from the playoffs this weekend, Vacchiano thinks that the “Giants could have a new coach in place by next week”. If both teams take care of business at home in the Divisional Round, the process will likely extend another two weeks as the Giants management tries to figure out a way to get one last meeting with their top choice, whoever that may be.

Shurmur and McDaniels look like natural fits for the job as they have an offensive background and previous head coaching experience. The team has been rumored to want experience in whoever they hire and could also want someone who has the ability to get the most out of a young quarterback, should they choose to draft either Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen with the number two overall selection in April’s draft. However, Patricia clearly impressed in his initial interview enough to have the Giants move away from their original checklist.

In a wrinkle to Vacchiano’s story, there could be another sleeper candidate lurking behind the scenes, reports Tom Rock and Bob Glauber of Newsday. A source told the writers that should all three candidates land other positions with the likes of Arizona, Detroit and Indianapolis, the team has a backup plan. While no names were given for who that prospective fourth coach could be, Rock and Glauber speculated that defensive coordinators Steve Wilks and Jim Schwartz could be options as well as Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, who was passed over for the Bears head coaching gig.

New York has officially interviewed McDaniels, Patricia, Shurmur, Wilks, Steve Spagnuolo and Eric Studesville. They could also eventually interview Schwartz, even though his previously scheduled interview has been put on hold.

 

Bengals Hire Alex Van Pelt As QB Coach

January 12th, 2018 at 4:36pm CST by GregGoldstein

Marvin Lewis continues to add new faces to his staff. The team has agreed to hire Alex Van Pelt to be their quarterbacks coach for next season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Van Pelt worked most recently in the same position for the Packers, but was not retained after his contract expired this past season.

Alex Van Pelt (Vertical)

Schefter adds in the same tweet that the the Bengals have also brought on Daronte Jones to coach the secondary and Matt Raich as a defensive assistant.

We have also learned that the Bengals have decided to keep Dan Pitcher as an assistant QB coach, per Jim Owczarski of the Enquirer (Twitter link). He worked with the team’s wideouts last year. Owczarski also notes that Robert Couch is being retainted in his current role as the Bengals assistant offensive line coach.

Van Pelt is clearly the the most notable hire of this group as he’s worked in he NFL in a variety of capacities since 2006. He held his previous job in Green Bay for four seasons before the team opted to go in a different direction after they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

As the quarterbacks coach for the Packers, Van Pelt had the pleasure of working with Aaron Rodgers for many years, but will get a new challenge trying to help Bengals signal caller Andy Dalton elevate his play with the hopes of securing his first playoff victory in 2018.

Since surprisingly retaining Lewis as head coach after the regular season, the Bengals have shaken up their coaching staff by adding Teryl Austin as its new defensive coordinator and former Cowboys offensive line coach Frank Pollack to replace longtime Bengals staffer Paul Alexander.

 

Latest On Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald

January 12th, 2018 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Larry Fitzgerald still hasn’t decided whether to play in 2018. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are still searching for their next head coach. The latter decision, apparently, will weigh heavily on the former. Larry Fitzgerald (vertical)

“I don’t have a head coach right now so there’s a lot going on,” Fitzgerald told the Golf Channel (video link). “I’m going to take some time to figure it out. Our owner and president Michael Bidwill and General Manager Steve Keim are out right now interviewing head coaches. I’m interested to see what’s going to happen. I’ll make a decision shortly after I would imagine.”

As shown on PFR’s Head Coaching Tracker, the Cardinals have cast a wide net in their search:

If the hire is not to Fitzgerald’s liking, he might opt to spend his time on the golf course rather than the gridiron in 2018. The wide receiver did not indicate which candidate is his favorite, but one has to assume that he would like to see Bettcher promoted to the top job.

Panthers’ Thomas Davis To Retire After 2018

January 12th, 2018 at 3:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis has one more year left in him. The veteran tells Brooke Cersosimo of NFL.com (on Twitter) that the 2018 campaign will be his last. Thomas Davis (vertical)

Davis inked a one-year, $6.75MM extension with the Panthers in August, granting him $2MM this past year plus $1MM guaranteed in the coming season. He is aware that he may be asked to take a reduced role in 2018, but he might not be okay with being relegated to a backup role.

The Panthers’ Super Bowl hopes were dashed last week when they fell to the rival Saints in the opening round of the playoffs. In his swan song, Davis is hoping to capture the Super Bowl ring that has eluded him thus far in his 12-year career.

Davis finished out the year with 76 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. He appeared in 15 regular season games with his lone missed contest coming as the result of a suspension.

Vic Fangio To Return As Bears DC

January 12th, 2018 at 1:31pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s a done deal. On Friday, Vic Fangio agreed to return as the Bears’ defensive coordinator, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Vic Fangio (vertical)

There was some question as to whether Fangio would want to stay in Chicago after the firing of head coach John Fox and the hiring of Matt Nagy. Fangio was sought after by multiple teams, but he opted to stay put under the new administration.

The Packers were pushing hard to sign Fangio, but they instead chose to hire Mike Pettine. That might have something to do with Fangio’s price tag. Last year, he earned more than $2MM, and it’s possible that Chicago has given him an additional bump to stay on board. The Ravens also connected to Fangio and there were rumblings that Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur would recruit him if hired as a head coach.

The Bears ranked just 24th in points allowed last year, but placed 14th in defensive DVOA, so there’s definitely something for Fangio & Co. to build on. The team also has ~$42MM in cap space and the No. 8 overall pick to work with, so the Bears’ D could get even better in 2018.

Case Keenum Drew Interest From Bills, Bears

January 12th, 2018 at 12:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The rise of Case Keenum has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season. Vaulted into the Vikings’ starting quarterback job out of necessity, Keenum outperformed some of the league’s biggest names and guided the Vikings to a 13-3 record. It turns out that Keenum could have been another team’s diamond in the rough instead. "<strong

The Bears and Bills both expressed interest in the QB, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report writes. However, Keenum says that he chose the Vikings because they showed a greater desire to sign him.

The Bills’ previous interest in Keenum is particularly notable as they still face uncertainty under center. Tyrod Taylor is due a $6MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2018 league year and stands to earn $10MM in base salary. Now that offensive coordinator Rick Dennison has been shown the door, the Bills could further overhaul the offense by moving on from the 28-year-old (29 in August).

Meanwhile, some believe that Keenum will arrive with Pat Shurmur as a package deal if Shurmur gets a head coaching job. That could appeal to both the Cardinals and Giants.

In 2017, Keenum ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 QB, slotting him ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Rodgers, Marcus Mariota, Matthew Stafford, and Kirk Cousins. Keenum’s 67.6% completion percentage was the second-highest in the NFL, trailing only Drew Brees.

Keenum will look to continue his improbable success story with a win over the Saints on Sunday in the divisional round.

Alabama DT Da’Ron Payne Enters Draft

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

Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t the only Alabama underclassman going pro. Defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne and safety Ronnie Harrison announced this week that they will also skip their senior seasons in order to enter the 2018 NFL Draft.Da'Ron Payne (vertical)

[RELATED: Minkah Fitzpatrick Enters Draft]

Payne is leaving on the highest note possible after being named the defensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl and the National Championship game. His raw physical skills should vault him into the first round in April.

“He’s the best. He’s the best I’ve seen,”Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran said recently (via Matt Zenitz of AL.com). “I’ve never seen a guy hit 385 on the power clean every single year. His first year he hit 365 on the power clean and it was like wow, freshman, that’s incredible.”

Harrison recently received a second-round grade from the NFL’s College Advisory Committee. That’s no surprise after he racked up three interceptions and was named first-team AP All-SEC in 2017. Harrison also led Alabama with 74 tackles on the season.

Running back Bo Scarbrough is also entering the draft, but where he goes is anyone’s guess. Scarbrough split carries with Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris this past season, leaving him with a smaller share of the workload than anticipated. With solid workouts and some big games in his past (like 2016’s 180-yard showing against Washington), Scarbrough is hoping to put himself in the late-round conversation.

Panthers Hire OC Norv Turner

January 12th, 2018 at 11:45am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have hired longtime NFL coach Norv Turner their next offensive coordinator. The news was first reported by David Newton of ESPN.com.

Turner was in Carolina on Wednesday to formally interview for the position and it didn’t take long for the two sides to hammer out an agreement. On Friday, the team made it official.

Norv Turner (vertical)

Turner’s hiring should come as no surprise, especially given that he was the first — and only — candidate mentioned following the firing of Mike Shula on Tuesday. Reports indicated the Panthers preferred to hire a veteran coach, and Turner certainly fits that bill. He’s served as a coordinator for six clubs and been a head coach for three more teams. Turner, 65, was most recently the offensive play-caller for the Vikings before abruptly resigning midway through the 2016 campaign.

In addition to his wealth of experience, Turner is also close with Panthers head coach Ron Rivera. Turner hired Rivera as an assistant coach and later defensive coordinator when both worked for the Chargers, and Turner also recommended Rivera for the Carolina job when it became open in 2011.

With the Panthers, Turner will take over a unit that boasts pieces such as quarterback Cam Newton, running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Devin Funchess, and tight end Greg Olsen. Despite those options, Carolina’s offense struggled in 2017, ranking 12th in scoring, 17th in DVOA, and 19th in yards.

Meanwhile, Scott Turner will join his father in heading to Carolina, as he’ll become the Panthers’ new quarterbacks coach. The younger Turner most recently served as QBs coach at the University of Michigan, and has worked with the Panthers, Browns, and Vikings at the NFL level.

Bills Fire OC Rick Dennison

January 12th, 2018 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they have fired offensive coordinator Rick Dennison. The team has yet to hire a replacement for Dennison, making them one of several teams on the lookout for a new OC. Rick Dennison (vertical)

Dennison came to the Bills last year following the hire of Sean McDermott as head coach. The Bills managed to make the playoffs, but it was in spite of a poor passing game. The Bills placed 29th in total yards, 22nd in points, and averaged only 176.6 passing yards per game, though a Dennison defender would point out that he had to deal with the inconsistencies of Tyrod Taylor and the rawness of rookie Nathan Peterman at quarterback. Meanwhile, the team depleted itself of offensive weapons with the trade of Sammy Watkins and the loss of Robert Woods.

The Browns found their new OC on Friday morning and the Cardinals, Colts, and Giants may all be looking for a new play-caller once they hire head coaches. Already, we’ve seen six OCs replaced this offseason. When all is said and done, there will be no fewer than seven OC shakeups on the year and possibly eleven or more.

Former Chargers coach Mike McCoy could be a candidate for the opening in Buffalo, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter) hears that McCoy and Colts OC Rob Chudzinski are the top two candidates for the job. Both men previously spent time with the Panthers, which helps their cause with McDermott.

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