HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Giants Cooling On Jim Schwartz?

January 3rd, 2018 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

UPDATE: The Giants submitted a request to interview Schwartz on Wednesday afternoon.

Late last month, it was reported that Jim Schwartz was among the favorites (or possibly the favorite) to become the next head coach of the Giants. It now seems possible that the Giants have cooled on him. To date, the Cardinals are the only team to have formally requested an interview with Schwartz, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via PFT). Jim Schwartz (vertical)

[RELATED: 2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

The Eagles defensive coordinator was thought to be among this year’s hottest coaching names. He was listed as one of the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel’s top candidates and he was quickly linked to the G-Men after Ben McAdoo was handed a pink slip. For one reason or another, the Giants may be having second thoughts about Schwartz.

It’s possible that the Giants fear fan backlash related to Schwartz’s rough tenure as the head coach of the Lions. It’s also possible that new GM Dave Gettleman isn’t as big of a fan of him as others in the organization. Whatever the case may be, it’s a situation to keep an eye on. Logic dictates that the Giants probably won’t consider him at all if they do not submit a request to speak with him in the coming days.

Jon Gruden: “Good Chance” I’ll Be Raiders’ Next Coach

January 3rd, 2018 at 9:33am CST by Zachary Links

This is as close as we’ve gotten to a confirmation. On Wednesday, Jon Gruden told Mike Golic and Trey Wingo of ESPN (video link) that “there’s a good chance” he’ll accept the Raiders head coaching job, if it is offered to him. Jon Gruden (vertical)

[RELATED: 2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

The Raiders are one of six teams in the NFL in search of a new head coach, but unlike the Cardinals, Bears, Lions, Colts, and Giants, the Raiders have not reached out to multiple candidates. As far as we know, Gruden is the only candidate on their radar. It’s quite possible that the the two sides have a handshake deal and the only thing standing in the way of a signed contract could be the Rooney Rule. If the Raiders interview a minority candidate today or tomorrow, they could finalize Gruden’s return to Oakland.

it was previously reported that Gruden would be receiving a piece of team ownership in the deal, but Gruden adamantly denies that being the case.

“[There’s] no ownership; that’s for sure,” Gruden said.

If there is no ownership stake included in the deal, then it is safe to assume that Gruden will be among the league’s highest paid coaches when he puts pen to paper.

2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 2nd, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Several NFL teams are currently hunting for a new head coach, and amidst reports about interview requests and potential candidates, it’s easy to lose track of the latest updates in the shuffle. So we’ll use this space – which will be updated until every team has hired a new head coach – to keep track of the most recent news and rumors. It can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 2-11-18 (2:35pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Second search

Original search

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

Coaching Rumors: Cardinals, Bears, Giants

January 2nd, 2018 at 9:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Pat Shurmur will be a busy man this week. The Vikings offensive coordinator has four interviews lined up in the coming days, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com: in addition to his previously reported Thursday meeting with the Lions, Shurmur will interview with the Cardinals (Thursday), Bears (Friday), and Giants (Saturday). Shurmur is currently linked to four vacancies in the NFL, tied with Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks for tops among candidates. Given that Minnesota has secured a first-round playoff bye, Shurmur is free to interview as he chooses this week.

Here’s more from the 2018 hiring cycle:

  • Although Redskins quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell was reportedly UCLA head coach Chip Kelly‘s “top target” to become the Bruins’ offensive coordinator, he won’t be going anywhere just yet. O’Connell has agreed to become Washington’s passing game coordinator, an elevated title that represents a promotion, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. O’Connell, who enjoyed a five-year playing career, has also coached for the Browns and 49ers.
  • The Texans have fired special teams coordinator Larry Izzo, assistant special teams coordinator Doug Colman, and secondary coach John Butler, while running backs coach Charles London is leaving the club of his own volition, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. Izzo’s departure shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially since Houston’s special teams have ranked in the bottom-seven of DVOA in each of Izzo’s two seasons in charge.
  • ESPN analyst Jon Gruden appears set to become the next Raiders head coach, and he’s reportedly been contacting potential staff members for weeks. Two of those coaches may be Rams quarterbacks coach Greg Olson and Bears offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn, per Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter links). Gruden is also reportedly interested in Jets OC John Morton and Bengals DC Paul Guenther.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/2/18

January 2nd, 2018 at 9:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • WR Jake Kumerow
  • WR Colby Pearson
  • TE Robert Tonyan
  • LS Zach Triner
  • WR DeAngelo Yancey

Read more

AFC North Notes: Browns, Bengals, McCarron

January 2nd, 2018 at 9:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a quick spin around the AFC North:

  • Hue Jackson is interested in adding former Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese to the Browns’ coaching staff, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). Jackson and Zampese overlapped for a number of years on the Cincinnati staff, so there is clearly a familiarity between the two coaches. Zampese, the Bengals’ quarterbacks coach from 2003-16, lasted only two touchdown-less games as the club’s offensive play-caller in 2017. Cleveland, which didn’t employ an offensive coordinator last year, wants to interview Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for its OC vacancy.
  • Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther may not be the only assistant coach to leave the Bengals this offseason, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reports (Twitter link) a number of Cincinnati staffers are on expiring contracts. Head coach Marvin Lewis agreed to an extension through 2019 earlier today, but that doesn’t mean all of his assistants will return. Given the lack of success in the Queen City over the past two years, some staff overhaul is to be expected.
  • Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron‘s free agent status grievance hearing will be settled on February 15, tweets Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. McCarron will argue that he should be an unrestricted free agent in March, while Cincinnati will contend that McCaron is a restricted free agent given that he was on the non-football injury list for most of his rookie campaign in 2014. The Bengals, of course, nearly traded McCarron to the Browns for second and third-round picks earlier this season.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders

January 2nd, 2018 at 8:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos will consider former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and former Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese as they seek to hire a new quarterbacks coach, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). While Denver’s coaching staff will undergo something of an overhaul, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave is staying put, as is interim quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak (in a new role). While neither McAdoo nor Zampese made it through the 2017 without being fired, both offer experience with Broncos head coach Vance Joseph. McAdoo and Joseph spent time together with the 49ers in 2005, while Joseph overlapped with Zampese during his tenure in Cincinnati.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • Elsewhere on the Broncos‘ offensive staff, Sean Kugler — who spent the past four-plus years as UTEP’s head coach — is interviewing today for the club’s offensive line position, tweets Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Incumbent assistant offensive line coach Chris Strausser will also interview for the full-time job, per Klis (Twitter link). Denver is seeking a replacement for Jeff Davidson, who was fired earlier this week along with several other members of the club’s offensive staff. The Broncos ranked ninth in adjusted line yards but 29th in adjusted sack rate a season ago.
  • Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn wants Gus Bradley to return as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2018, as Greg Beacham of the Associated Press writes. Bradley’s deal is set to expire, however, so nothing is certain at the moment. “We’d like to keep this together if we can,” Lynn said Monday. “I know some guys, the contracts are up. We’re working on that right now. We’re trying to keep this staff together, this nucleus together, because I think we got better as a coaching staff as the season went on.” Los Angeles ranked ninth in defensive DVOA in 2017, Bradley’s first year at the helm.
  • Defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes may get a late start to his sophomore campaign, as the rookie third-round pick suffered a torn ACL in the Raiders‘ season finale, tweets Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. While Vanderdoes graded as a bottom-20 interior defender per Pro Football Focus, he did manage to play 464 defensive snaps in his first NFL season. Now facing rehab and possibly a new defensive scheme, Vanderdoes could be looking at an uphill battle as he seeks medical clearance for the beginning of the 2018 season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/18

January 2nd, 2018 at 8:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

  • Promoted to active roster: T Blaine Clausell
  • Placed on injured reserve: TE Chris Manhertz

Kansas City Chiefs

Dolphins Interview Ex-Bears OC Dowell Loggains

January 2nd, 2018 at 8:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains interviewed for a position with the Dolphins today, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).Dowell Loggains (Vertical)

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune was the first to report that Loggains — who took over for current Miami head coach Adam Gase as Chicago’s offense coordinator in 2016 — could be in line to join the Dolphins staff. Loggains served as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach under Gase before succeeding him, so the two clearly have a working relationship. Miami has yet to announce any coaching staff changes, so it’s unclear how Loggains would fit, but Salguero reported earlier this week that significant alterations are expected along the Dolphins’ offensive staff.

While Gase intends to continue calling offensive plays in 2018, he is seeking assistance in formulating a weekly gameplan, as Salguero wrote today. As such, incumbent offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen could now be in limbo if Loggains is indeed hired.

Colts, Bears Request To Interview Matt Nagy

January 2nd, 2018 at 8:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Both the Colts and Bears have put in requests to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).Matt Nagy (Vertical)

Nagy, who is only 39 years old, had been considered a “hot” name within NFL circles, and with good reason. In his first season as Kansas City’s solo coordinator (he split duties with veteran coach Brad Childress prior to 2017), Nagy ran one of the more innovative offenses in the NFL. Utilizing weapons such as Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Kareem Hunt, Nagy helped the Chiefs finish third in offensive DVOA.

That the Colts would express interest in Nagy should come as no surprise, as Indy general manager Chris Ballard spent several seasons as an executive in Kansas City. Nagy is the fifth candidate to be linked to the Colts, joining Josh McDaniels, Mike Vrabel, Steve Wilks, and Kris Richard. The Bears, meanwhile, have been tied to Nagy, McDaniels, Wilks, Pat Shurmur, and John DeFilippo.

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