HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Chargers Sign Roberto Aguayo

January 10th, 2018 at 12:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Roberto Aguayo is getting another chance in the NFL. The kicker has signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chargers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Roberto Aguayo (vertical)

Aguayo was exceptional while at FSU, though perhaps not exceptional enough to warrant being drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft. His stint with Tampa Bay lasted just one year as the Bucs cut him in the summer of 2017. After that, he signed deals with the Bears and Panthers, but did not see live action for either team.

Nick Rose was the last kicker on the Chargers’ carousel last year, but the Bolts are looking into other options after he went 1-3 on field goals and missed one of his six extra point attempts. Although NFL success has eluded Aguayo thus far, there is little risk in bringing him in on a futures deal. If he can mentally adjust to the pro game, he could be a real option for the Bolts in 2018.

Packers Hire Joe Philbin As OC

January 10th, 2018 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have appointed Joe Philbin as their new offensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Philbin was brought back into the fold last week, but his exact role was not immediately known. Joe Philbin

The deal marks the start of Philbin’s second stint as Packers OC. Philbin coached with the Packers from 2003-11 and was the Green Bay OC from 2007-11.

Philbin used the Packers OC gig as a launching pad into head coaching. Unfortunately, his stint with the Dolphins did not go as planned and he was dismissed early on in the 2015 season with a 24-28 combined record. For the last two years, he has worked as Colts’ offensive line coach.

The Packers are making major changes on the coaching staff. While Mike McCarthy is staying as head coach, Mike Pettine has been hired as the new defensive coordinator, replacing Dom Capers. Philbin now replaces Edgar Bennett as the team’s play-caller and the team will also have to find someone new to take the spot of quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt.

Falcons Won’t Allow Steve Sarkisian To Take Seahawks OC Job

January 10th, 2018 at 12:06pm CST by Zachary Links

In the wake of Darrell Bevell‘s firing, many have speculated that Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian could be the man to replace him. That won’t be the case. Atlanta coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Wednesday that there is “zero chance” of Sarkisian becoming the new OC in Seattle (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Steve Sarkisian (Vertical)

[RELATED: Seahawks To Part Ways With DC Kris Richard?]

Sarkisian goes way back with Carroll, dating back to his USC days. While he would be a natural fit, Quinn is not about to gift his OC to his former boss.

The Falcons and Sarkisian have plenty on their plate already with a big divisional round matchup against the Eagles on the horizon. The winner of Saturday’s contest will face the victor of Sunday’s Saints-Vikings matchup in the NFC Championship Game.

Seahawks To Part Ways With Kris Richard?

January 10th, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Zachary Links

Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard would be allowed out of his contract for another opportunity, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s not immediately clear what that other opportunity might be or whether Richard is definitely leaving the team. Kris Richard (vertical)

[RELATED: Seahawks Fire OC Darrell Bevell]

Rapoport indicates that Pete Carroll is of the belief that Richard might be better off developing as a coach elsewhere. So far, Carroll’s system has been all that Richard has really known. Richard has spent the last eleven seasons with the Seahawks when counting his eight years as a coach and three years as a cornerback. He played his college ball at USC under Carroll, who later brought him on board as an assistant and promoted him to DC following the departure of Dan Quinn in 2015.

Richard is a candidate for the Colts’ head coaching vacancy and could pop up as a HC or DC candidate elsewhere.

This will be an offseason of major change in Seattle. On Wednesday morning, the team canned offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

Browns Hire Exec Eliot Wolf

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

The Browns are hiring Packers executive Eliot Wolf, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Browns confirmed that Wolf will be hired as the second-in-command under GM John Dorsey with the title of assistant GM. Eliot Wolf

Wolf was in the running for the Packers’ GM job following Ted Thompson‘s retirement, but the team opted to promote co-worker Brian Gutekunst instead. After Wolf was passed over, he found himself with three options – remain with the Packers (possibly with an improved title), join up with Jon Gruden‘s Raiders, or head to Cleveland to work under Dorsey. He ultimately chose the Browns – a team with just one win in the last two seasons, but tons of cap flexibility and draft capital to work with. Dorsey’s close relationship with Wolf’s father, Ron Wolf, also helped matters.

It’s a four-year deal for Wolf and the Browns, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). There’s no word yet on whether he’ll have the flexibility to leave if a GM position presents itself, but I would imagine that it does. Wolf was blocked from GM consideration by the Packers on multiple occasions and the 35-year-old does not want to get stonewalled again.

Cowboys’ McClay Turns Down Texans Interview

January 10th, 2018 at 10:04am CST by Zachary Links

Another Texans GM candidate bites the dust. On Wednesday morning, Cowboys exec Will McClay confirmed that he has turned down an opportunity to interview for the Texans’ GM vacancy (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer).Will McClay (vertical)

The Cowboys did right by McClay and granted him permission to speak with Houston. However, he is choosing to remain with Dallas as the leader of the personnel department. McClay has held the position since 2014 and built a reputation as one of the league’s best scouting talents.

So far, the Texans have been denied permission to interview the Eagles’ Joe Douglas and Nick Caserio and Monti Ossenfort of the Patriots. They were hoping to sit down with Brian Gutekunst, but the Packers took him off of the board by giving him their own GM job.

For a full rundown of Houston’s GM search (and a recap of Green Bay’s), check out PFR’s 2018 General Manger Search Tracker.

Seahawks Fire OC Darrell Bevell

January 10th, 2018 at 8:04am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have fired offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a source tells Curtis Crabtree of PFT (on Twitter). Bevell was set to return for his eighth season with the team in 2018. Darrell Bevell (vertical)

Bevell finds himself out of work after the Seahawks went 9-7 and failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011. All things considered, the offense wasn’t terrible – the Seahawks placed 15th in total offense (330.4 yards per game), 14th in DVOA, and eleventh in scoring. However, things stalled in some key late season games such as Week 15’s embarrassing 42-7 loss to the Rams.

The running game also suffered this season. Despite the presence of Thomas Rawls and free agent pickup Eddie Lacy, it was quarterback Russell Wilson who finished out the year as the team’s leading scorer. The Seahawks placed 23rd in rushing and it would have been a lot lower if not for Wilson’s 586 yards on the ground.

Bevell was on the sidelines for some of Seattle’s best seasons in franchise history, including the Super Bowl after the 2013 season. In the following year, his call for the Seahawks to pass from the 1-yard line spoiled a would-be victory in Super Bowl XLIX. Bevell managed to hang on for three more years after that, but he was never able to salvage his reputation with fans.

Raiders Notes: Gruden, Lippincott, Barlow

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

Having been introduced as the Raiders’ new head coach earlier today, Jon Gruden says that interviews for assistant coaches will begin on Wednesday morning, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). Gruden, who already has three coordinators in place, kept certain NFL coaches on “red alert” in regards to when he’d re-enter the league, per Gehlken. Oakland has agreed to terms with Greg Olson (offensive coordinator), Paul Guenther (defensive coordinator), and Rich Bisaccia (special teams coordinator) to join Gruden’s initial staff.

Here’s more from the Bay Area, with a focus on other coaches that Gruden could soon lure to Oakland:

  • Former Bengals staffer David Lippincott will follow Guenther and join the Raiders as the club’s next linebackers coach, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirier and Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter links). Lippincott had worked for the Bengals for a decade, beginning as a quality control coach before becoming Cincinnati’s assistant linebackers coach/quality control. He’ll offer familiarity with Guenther’s scheme, and attempt to renovate a unit that was arguably among the league’s worst in 2017.
  • Virginia State head coach Reggie Barlow is being considered for the Raiders’ wide receivers coach job, tweets Marvez. Barlow, 45, spent three seasons playing under Gruden, both with Oakland and Tampa Bay. Primarily a return man during his playing career, Barlow also served as the head coach at Alabama State from 2007-14. All told, Barlow has posted an impressive 68-45 during his collegiate career, including a 10-1 mark last season. He interviewed for the Browns’ wide receivers coach job in 2015.
  • Raiders cornerback Sean Smith was officially arraigned on felony assault and battery charges related to a July 4 incident, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Smith, 30, almost certainly won’t be a member of Oakland’s roster next year, and the assault allegations are only part of the story. Smith graded as the No. 73 cornerback among 121 qualifiers (per Pro Football Focus), and is due $8.5MM in 2017. The Raiders can clear that entire total from their books by cutting ties with Smith in the coming months.

Raiders To Interview Packers Exec Eliot Wolf

January 9th, 2018 at 9:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders have an interview scheduled for this week with Packers executive Eliot Wolf, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reported earlier today that Oakland has an offer on the table for Wolf, who’s also being courted by the Browns.Eliot Wolf (vertical)

Wolf is now being torn between Green Bay and two organizations where Packers ties run deep. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie was a long-time Green Bay executive before coming to Oakland, while Browns GM John Dorsey also worked with the Packers and has already poached personnel man Alonzo Highsmith from Green Bay. McKenzie, who said he hopes to bring in Wolf Wednesday or Thursday, seemingly acknowledged Wolf’s leverage to Gehlken.

 “I know him,” McKenzie said. “Ain’t got to interview much. I want him to see what’s happening and see if he wants to be a part of what we’re doing.”

Wolf, 35, has a contract with Green Bay, meaning the club could technically block him from taking another job. But new Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said yesterday that he has no intention of doing so, even though he’d like to retain Wolf as his “right-hand man.” “We have a great relationship, Gutekunst said. “I’m very fond of the person, and the scout is excellent. I’ve told him that. I really want him to be here. But I also know he has other opportunities, and I wouldn’t hold him back from that because I care about him.”

It’s unclear exactly how much power either Wolf or McKenzie will have in Oakland in the near future. At his introductory press conference earlier today, new Raiders head coach Jon Gruden indicated he and McKenzie will share control of the club’s roster.

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