HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Cowboys’ Brice Butler Wants To Start

January 11th, 2018 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

On the cusp of free agency, wide receiver Brice Butler says he’ll go elsewhere unless he’s given a bigger role with the Cowboys. In interviews with FS1’s “Undisputed” and “The Herd,” Butler made his position crystal clear (transcription via the Dallas Morning News). Brice Butler

“With Dallas, the situation has to be right for me to go back. I have to be a starter. If I’m not starting, I’m not going back,” Butler said.

The 27-year-old (28 later this month) also opined that he could have been more productive that teammate Dez Bryant had he been given the same number of targets. Butler finished out with just 15 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns versus Bryant’s 69 catches for 838 yards and six TDs, so it’s a bold claim on his part.

“100 percent,” said Butler when asked if he could have topped Bryant’s stat line with an equal number of opportunities. “Because I’m ready. It’s my time, I’ve been there for three years. I feel like me and Dak [Prescott] have a really good relationship. We work on routes. There’s times that we might not have completed a square-out throw in practice, and we’re taking that time out in practice to actually work on it. So I think that’s why when you saw us in the game, he tried to come to me, and most of the times we produced.“

It remains to be seen whether Butler’s bravado will be appreciated by Jerry Jones & Co. Butler is scheduled to hit the open market in March after the conclusion of his one-year $1.1MM deal.

Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick Enters Draft

January 11th, 2018 at 2:12pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but Alabama standout Minkah Fitzpatrick is going pro. Fitzpatrick announced on Thursday that he will forgo his final season in order to enter the 2018 draft. "<strong

Between winning the Bednarik Award and a National Championship, Fitzpatrick couldn’t have had a better platform season. He’s lauded for his football IQ and instincts just as much as his athleticism and he also offers the versatility to play anywhere in the secondary. Many project that he will be a free safety at the next level, but he could also see time at cornerback or strong safety depending on the team’s needs.

It is expected that Fitzpatrick will be a top 10, if not top 5, selection. The Browns could target Fitzpatrick at No. 4, giving GM John Dorsey an elite safety like he had in Kansas City with Eric Berry.

In his final season on campus, Fitzpatrick recorded 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, and one interception. He had two pick sixes in both the 2014 and 2015 season, giving him the all-time school record.

Packers Interviewed Doug Whaley

January 11th, 2018 at 1:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Before settling on Brian Gutekunst as their new GM, the Packers interviewed Doug Whaley for the job, as Michael Cohen of the Journal Sentinel writes. Whaley was the only out-of-house candidate to interview for the job. Doug Whaley

[RELATED: Packers Notes: Whitt, O’Neil, Graham, Staff]

“Doug Whaley really did a job with the interview,” Murphy said. “I think it was not confirmed, but he was the fourth interview. I knew him a little bit, so I enjoyed having a chance to spend some time with him. I’m a Bills fan, so I follow the Bills a little more closely than some of the other teams. But he put together that roster, and it’s a playoff team without a great quarterback. It made the playoffs. They have a good roster. I think that was a tribute to him. Very interesting candidate. Fascinating background. Was a stockbroker for a year, about to be a pilot and done a lot of good things. And obviously served as a GM and his background with the Steelers was intriguing, too.”

The Bills didn’t win a ton of games under Whaley’s watch, but they did snap their playoff drought this year with a roster that has Whaley’s fingerprints all over it. That was enough to garner Whaley interviews for the Packers’ opening as well as the Browns’ GM job, though it’s unlikely that Cleveland genuinely considered any candidate other than John Dorsey.

Extra Points: Redskins, Cousins, Raiders

January 11th, 2018 at 1:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Redskins coach Jay Gruden wants to see Kirk Cousins get a long-term contract and not just another one-year patchwork solution.

“I think something has to be done,” Gruden told Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post. “I personally don’t want to go through another one-year deal, and just [keep going] one year, one year. I think you want to have a quarterback in here that’s going to be here. And hopefully that is Kirk, and if not, we have to move on and do what we have to do as an organization. For the most part, the great quarterbacks are in the same system year in and year out, and are developing in that system. [Teams are] not holding our breath every March and April, waiting for the guy. But if that’s the case, that’s the case. But we like Kirk and his development. He’s played well at times, without a doubt, proven that he’s a good starting NFL quarterback.”

Cousins did not quite match his 2016 numbers this past season and that could help the two sides reach a midway point in extension talks. Failing that, the Redskins can franchise tag him again for a whopping $34.5MM or use the $28.8MM transition tag, giving them the option to match any offer (though they would not receive any compensation if they do not match).

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • It remains to be seen whether the Raiders will face punishment for skirting the Rooney Rule, but the league has spoken on at least one aspect of Jon Gruden‘s hiring. When asked whether the NFL permits a team to reach an agreement in principle with a new coach before firing its current coach, NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart told Mike Florio of PFT, “There is no league rule or policy on this.” During Gruden’s introductory presser, owner Mark Davis said that he had a handshake deal with Gruden before firing Jack Del Rio. The Fritz Pollard Alliance seems fairly convinced that this was a violation of the Rooney Rule since the team interviewed minority candidates after reaching a deal with Gruden. However, the league may conclude that the Raiders complied with the rule since they did technically interview Tee Martin and Bobby Johnson before putting pen to paper with Chucky.
  • Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield may go without an on-field agent, as Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily writes. It would be a daring play for Mayfield, who is facing many questions about his ability to adapt to the NFL.
  • The Bears have tapped Chris Tabor to be their new special-teams coordinator, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. This marks Tabor’s second stint with Chicago, with his first coming in 2008-2010. For the last seven seasons, he’s been in Cleveland, where he’s lasted through two different owners, five GMs, and four head coaches.

Coaching Rumors: Wilks, Cardinals, Colts

January 11th, 2018 at 1:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest coaching news and rumors from around the NFL:

  • It sounds like Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks will get second interviews with the Cardinals and Colts and he may also get a second go ’round with the Giants, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.It’s worth noting that Giants chairman Steve Tisch sat in on Wilks’ interview, which may be a sign that the team is serious about hiring him. As shown on PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, Wilks may also be in the mix for the Lions’ vacancy.
  • Former Colts running backs coach Jemal Singleton is taking a job as the Raiders’ running backs coach under Jon Gruden, a source tells Rapoport (Twitter link). Under Singleton’s tutelage, ageless wonder Frank Gore ran for 961 yards and three TDs last year plus 29 catches for 245 yards and one receiving score.
  • For the latest on the many ongoing offensive and defensive coordinator searches, bookmark PFR’s Coordinator Tracker.

Seahawks Interested In Brian Schottenheimer

January 11th, 2018 at 12:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks will look to speak with Colts quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer about their offensive coordinator vacancy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Brian Schottenheimer (vertical)

[RELATED: PFR’s 2018 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker]

Schottenheimer previously served as the OC of the Rams and Jets. In 2016, he become the Colts’ QBs coach and guided Andrew Luck to one of his best career seasons. Despite dealing with multiple injuries in that season, Luck finished out with a career-high 63.5% completion percentage 7.8 yards per throw.

If hired by the Seahawks, Schottenheimer will be tasked with getting better production out of the team’s Swiss cheese offensive line finding a way to re-ignite the running game. Last year, the Seahawks placed 15th in total offense but were just 23rd in total rushing yards.

Did Raiders Follow Rooney Rule?

January 11th, 2018 at 9:57am CST by Zachary Links

Did the Raiders violate the Rooney Rule with the hiring of Jon Gruden? That’s what the Fritz Pollard Alliance is asking the NFL. Jon Gruden (vertical)

“As soon as we learned of the reports, we formally requested that the NFL thoroughly investigate the matter to conclusively determine whether the Rooney Rule was violated — and if it was violated, to impose an appropriate punishment,” Fritz Pollard Alliance counsel Cyrus Mehri and N. Jeremi Duru said in a statement.

During Gruden’s introductory press conference, owner Mark Davis said that he spoke with Gruden on Christmas Eve – while Jack Del Rio was still employed as the head coach – about returning to Oakland. No deal was signed at that point, but Davis intimated that an agreement was in place. This all took place more than a week before any minority candidate was interviewed for the job.

“I felt pretty confident that he was all-in,” Davis said. “And that’s the term that we were using in our discussions and everything, are you all-in? And I never wavered from all-in. And this time he didn’t waver, either.”

The Raiders technically did interview a pair of black coaches in Oakland tight ends coach Bobby Johnson and USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin and they feel that is enough to satisfy the Rooney Rule. However, Davis’ comments could be damning, because he appears to be saying that the Gruden hire was already a done deal before they met with GM Reggie McKenzie.

If the NFL finds that the Raiders were in violation of Rooney Rule procedure, the Raiders could face hefty fines and/or the forfeiture of draft picks.

Bears Hire Mark Helfrich As OC

January 11th, 2018 at 8:30am CST by Zachary Links

Matt Nagy‘s staff is starting to come together. The Bears have hired former Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich to be their new offensive coordinator, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Bears’ offensive scheme figures to be a mix of the west coast offense and the spread offense, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That’s roughly the style that Nagy employed in Kansas City. Mark Helfrich (vertical)

Helfrich has been out of football since he was fired by Oregon in November of 2016. In his first two seasons (2013-2014), the Ducks went a combined 24-4. Unfortunately, in 2015, his team failed to win ten games for the first time since 2007. In his final year, Oregon went 4-8 – the program’s worst record in a quarter century.

Helfrich’s resume includes the grooming of some solid young quarterbacks, including Marcus Mariota. In 2015, Helfrich and Mariota reached the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The now Titans QB also won the Heisman trophy.

Nagy and Helfrich are both represented by agent and former Bears defensive lineman Trace Armstrong, which could explain how the two men came together.

Nagy will be charged with turning around a franchise that has sagged in recent years. The Bears went 5-11 last year and have missed the playoffs in ten of the last eleven years. The Bears’ last playoff berth came was in 2010.

Packers Notes: Whitt, O’Neil, Graham, Staff

January 10th, 2018 at 9:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt was passed over as Green Bay searched for a new defensive coordinator, but he’ll stay on with the club and receive an elevated title of defensive passing game coordinator, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Whitt was one of three internal candidates — in addition to assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss and safeties coach Darren Perry — being considered for Packers DC, but former Browns head coach Mike Pettine was ultimately awarded the position. At present, there’s no word as to whether Moss or Perry will remain on staff.

Here’s the latest from Green Bay, with a focus on coaches and front office personnel:

  • Now that Pettine has been announced as the Packers’ new defensive coordinator, Green Bay will attempt to fill out a defensive staff. As Adam Caplan of SiriusXM hinted last night, the Packers will interview former 49ers defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil for their linebackers coach position, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. O’Neil, who spent the 2017 campaign out of the NFL, served as Petine’s defensive coordinator when both worked with the Browns from 2014-15. O’Neil’s interview could be a sign that the incumbent Moss is moving on.
  • Cignetti isn’t the only ex-Giants assistant whom the Packers could soon hire, as Green Bay will also meet with New York defensive line coach Patrick Graham this week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Like O’Neil, Graham could be a candidate for the Packers’ linebackers coach job, reports Silverstein (Twitter link). The 38-year-old Graham spent the past two seasons teaching defensive lineman with Big Blue, but was previously a longtime Patriots staffer, working his way through the ranks to coach both lineman and linebackers in New England.
  • Green Bay’s front office has witnessed major upheaval over the past several weeks, as Brian Gutekunst replaced Ted Thompson as general manager while fellow executives Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith both took new positions with the Browns. More changes will likely be coming, however, and the Packers are expected to consider college scouting director Jon-Eric Sullivan and pro personnel director John Wojciechowski for promotions, tweets Silverstein. Both men could be contenders for an assistant general manager of director of player personnel role.
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