HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Cowboys’ Sean Lee Leaning Towards Return

January 16th, 2019 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

After several injury-plagued seasons in the NFL, no one would fault Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee if he were to call it a career. However, at this time, Lee says that he’s leaning towards a return in 2019 (via David Moore of the Dallas News). 

“I want to continue to play the game, but I have to evaluate physically where I’m at. I definitely have some decisions to make,” Lee said. “I’m leaning toward playing for sure.”

Staying on the field has long been an issue for Lee. Thanks to hamstring injuries, Lee appeared in only seven games in 2018 and was eventually eclipsed by rookie Leighton Vander Esch. The veteran finished out with a career-low 37 tackles and had just half a sack.

Lee was sensational for the Cowboys earlier in his career and still provides veteran leadership to the defense, so it won’t be an easy call for the team. Lee managed four interceptions in both the 2011 and 2013 seasons. He missed all of 2014 with a torn ACL, but bounced back to earn a Pro Bowl nod in 2015 and had a Pro Bowl/First-Team All-Pro season in 2016.

Lee, 33 in July, is under contract for one more season at a $10.075MM cap figure. The Cowboys can save $7MM by releasing him against just $3.075MM in dead money.

Jaguars To Hire John DeFilippo As OC

January 16th, 2019 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are expected to hire former Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo as their new OC, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). DeFilippo beat out a small group of other candidates, including former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell and former Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. 

There were eye rolls around the football world when the Jaguars made contact with McCoy this week and there’s sure to be some eyebrow raises about their hiring of DeFilippo. DeFilippo was hailed as a quarterback whisperer in Philadelphia for his coaching of Carson Wentz and his ability to quickly get Nick Foles ready for primetime at the end of the 2017 season, but he flopped as the OC in Minnesota. The Vikings handed him a pink slip midway through the year as their Kirk Cousins-powered offense floundered.

DeFilippo will have his work cut out for him in Jacksonville. Many believe the Jaguars should move on from quarterback Blake Bortles, but releasing him would leave $16.5MM in dead money on the cap, which may ultimately tie them to the former first-round pick for another season. If they do let him go, they’ll have less money to fill holes elsewhere and that may mean relying on a rookie QB. The Jaguars have the No. 7 overall pick, which will probably be too late to land Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, the consensus top QB in this year’s draft.

Redskins Pursued Gregg Williams

January 16th, 2019 at 10:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins went hard after defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). However, Adam Gase and the Jets wanted Williams more and they landed him on Tuesday. 

Williams didn’t have teams knocking down his door with head coaching offers, but he did draw interest from multiple clubs with DC vacancies. He’ll forever be associated with the Saints’ Bountygate scandal, but teams are clearly not bothered by his role in that fiasco. And, in time, it’s not hard to envision Williams getting a crack at head coaching jobs if things go well in New York.

Lost in the midst of the Williams talk is that the Redskins actually have a defensive coordinator. Greg Manusky is still under contract, but it’s sounding more and more like they’ll be making a change before the start of the 2019 season. Manusky, 52, has been with the Redskins since 2016 and has served as their DC since 2017.

Chargers Waive K Nick Rose

January 15th, 2019 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers will be venturing into the offseason with one less kicker. Following the team’s divisional-round loss in New England, Nick Rose received his walking papers.

Los Angeles waived Rose days after signing him. Rose played in two games for the Bolts last season and was brought in last week for kickoff purposes. Only one of his three kickoffs against the Patriots reached the end zone.

The Bolts signed Canadian Football League import Ty Long to a reserve/futures deal on Monday.

Rose kicked in eight games for the 2017 Redskins, doing so as Dustin Hopkins‘ injury replacement, before landing with a Bolts team that had experienced rampant trouble at kicker. But with Michael Badgley having helped stabilize the position, the Chargers waived Rose.

Badgley kicked in 12 Chargers games, counting the playoffs, and may have the inside track on keeping the job going into the 2019 season. But only nine of his 60 kickoffs produced touchbacks this season, an NFL-low figure, so the former Miami Hurricane may not have an open-and-shut case to return just yet.

Seahawks, Frank Clark Discussing Deal

January 15th, 2019 at 9:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

One way or another, the Seahawks do not appear to be ready to let Frank Clark leave the Pacific Northwest. Their top pass rusher is on the verge of UFA status, but the Seahawks have begun discussions for a second Clark contract, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes.

The sides have been negotiating since the season ended, per Condotta, who adds the Seahawks view the franchise tag as a “legitimate option” this year. Pete Carroll said at season’s end he’s “counting on” Clark being back with the Seahawks next season.

Seattle has not used the tag since applying their 2010 tag to Olindo Mare, but with Clark in position to command a lucrative deal on the open market, it looks like his current team will not allow that.

Seattle let several core defenders go last year and may enter the 2019 season with just one of its Super Bowl-era defenders left, Bobby Wagner. Clark led the Seahawks with 13 sacks — the most for this franchise since Patrick Kerney‘s 14.5 in 2007 — and profiles as another front-seven piece that could join Wagner as a long-term starter after waiting behind Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril for years.

Clark said he would be fine if the Seahawks tagged him. This would cost the Seahawks approximately $17MM, but the team is armed with more cap space than it has carried in recent years. Seattle stands to have just more than $60MM in room. With the team going through most of the 2010s without using the tag, a back-to-back tag scenario may unfold. Russell Wilson could be a legitimate option for a 2020 tag.

Considering Melvin Ingram and Chandler Jones signed extensions in the $16MM-AAV neighborhood after being tagged two years ago, on a $167MM cap, Clark will surely push to become the NFL’s highest-paid 4-3 defensive end. Danielle Hunter signed for $14.4MM per year before his Pro Bowl season. Clark’s 2018 production will surely push him north of that figure, if he and the Seahawks do get close on a long-term deal before the tag deadline.

Additionally, Clark said (on Twitter) he played this season with two torn UCLs. That injury usually leads to Tommy John surgery, so it’s a situation worth monitoring this offseason.

49ers Interested In Antonio Brown?

January 15th, 2019 at 8:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers and Antonio Brown became connected recently after Jerry Rice said in a radio interview Brown wants a trade to San Francisco “really bad.”

Perhaps the team is interested as well. Some in league circles believe the 49ers have “real interest” in acquiring Brown, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, adding that the team will be inclined to explore what it will take to land the disgruntled Steelers wide receiver.

An NFL.com report over the weekend mentioned the Broncos as a possible Brown suitor and pegged the Steelers as ready to contact teams about moving the four-time All-Pro, noting it might not take a first-round pick to pry him from Pittsburgh.

The 49ers’ position behind the Rams and Seahawks in the NFC West, with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan entering their third offseasons running this team, may point to the franchise being eager to do what it can to catch up quickly. San Francisco is expected to have Jimmy Garoppolo and Jerick McKinnon back in 2019 to pair with George Kittle. But the 49ers, employment of Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis notwithstanding, lack an impact wideout. They did not chase big-ticket free agent receivers in 2018, opting to let others pay Sammy Watkins and Allen Robinson, but Brown is obviously on another tier by comparison.

Brown has three years and $39MM remaining on his contract. As has been the case throughout the Lynch-Shanahan era, the 49ers among the league leaders in projected cap space. They are expected to hold more than $62MM. Art Rooney II pointed to a bleak future for the Steelers and Brown, indicating it was hard to envision the soon-to-be 31-year-old superstar in Pittsburgh next season after the way this past one ended.

Police Detain Falcons DE Takk McKinley

January 15th, 2019 at 7:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

An unspecified situation Tuesday at a Los Angeles hotel led to police detaining Falcons defensive end Takk McKinley, TMZ reports.

McKinley was not arrested and is undergoing mental evaluation.

A friend of the Atlanta defender believed it was in his best interests to get help on Tuesday afternoon, and the police on scene concurred. McKinley ended up cooperating and leaving a high-end hotel with police, according to the website. Dan Quinn addressed the situation.

“We were recently made aware of the situation involving Takk in Los Angeles earlier today,” Quinn said in a statement. “Any time a situation occurs that is or could be related to mental health issues we take it very seriously. We will do everything we possibly can to support and assist Takk as our players’ mental and physical well-being are always our top priority.”

The 23-year-old defensive end just finished his second season with the Falcons. A UCLA alum and 2017 Falcons first-round pick, McKinley started eight games this season, the first such assignments of his career, and led the Falcons with seven sacks.

Ed Donatell To Be Named Broncos DC

January 15th, 2019 at 6:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ed Donatell Denver return escalated quickly. The Broncos are naming the Bears’ defensive backs coach as their next defensive coordinator, Mike Klis of 9News reports (on Twitter).

Long rumored to be a candidate to follow Vic Fangio to Denver, Donatell will succeed Joe Woods as the Broncos’ DC. Donatell has twice been a secondary coach with the Broncos, doing so first for five seasons under Mike Shanahan from 1995-99.

Donatell, 61, interviewed for the job on Tuesday and will now be Fangio’s right-hand man running Denver’s defense. Although Fangio will call the Broncos’ defensive plays, Donatell has extensive NFL experience. He is now a four-time DC, last serving in the role for the 2008 Redskins. Donatell left the Broncos in 2000 to become the Packers’ DC, and after a four-year stay in Green Bay, he led three Falcon defenses in the mid-2000s.

He returned to Denver to coach the 2010 Broncos’ secondary, but after Josh McDaniels‘ tenure abruptly ended, Donatell began his eight-year run working with Fangio. Serving under Fangio for four years with the 49ers, Donatell spent the past four seasons in Chicago overseeing the Bears’ secondary — one that featured 2018 Pro Bowlers Kyle Fuller and Eddie Jackson. The Bears led the NFL in pass-defense DVOA by a wide margin. The Bears wanted Donatell to stay as their DBs coach and work under new DC Chuck Pagano but will now have to replace another key defensive staffer.

The Broncos have regressed from their form under Wade Phillips. They featured what was probably the NFL’s best cornerback trio from 2014-17, with Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby joining Chris Harris. With Talib since traded and Roby a free agent who may well depart Colorado, Harris stands alone. Given his experience leading secondaries, Donatell figures to play a key role in attempting to revitalize the Broncos’ coverage work.

Donatell was the only known candidate to have interviewed for this job.

AFC Coaching Notes: Browns, Bengals, Bills

January 15th, 2019 at 6:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Freddie Kitchens‘ first Browns staff has some big names, and it will include a high-profile coach from north of the border. Sascatchewan Roughriders head coach Chris Jones will step down from that post and join the Browns’ defensive staff, according to CFL News (Twitter link). Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com confirmed (via Twitter) Jones will trek to Cleveland with the title of “senior defensive specialist.” An NFL out clause existed in Jones’ Roughriders contract. Jones has been part of four Grey Cup-winning staffs, including a 2015 championship as head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos. He was also a graduate assistant under Gene Stallings at Alabama in 1997, when Kitchens was a Crimson Tide quarterback. Jones was the Roughriders’ coach for three seasons, completing two winning campaigns in his final two years there. He will join a Browns staff that now features coordinators Steve Wilks and Todd Monken.

More out of Cleveland and the latest from the AFC side of the coaching carousel:

  • The Browns also may be on the verge of reuniting Wilks and Al Holcomb, the Cardinals’ 2018 DC and former Panthers linebackers coach. Holcomb will interview for an unspecified role with the Browns on Wednesday, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (on Twitter). Multiple teams covet Holcomb, per Person. This marks the first known interview for Holcomb, who’s worked with Wilks for the past six seasons.
  • Ed Donatell and the Broncos are close on a deal that would bring the longtime Vic Fangio coworker to Denver as defensive coordinator, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. This deal figures to get done soon, with Mike Klis of 9News suggesting (via Twitter) this could be more of a formality. The Bears are trying to retain Donatell to coach their defensive backs, after giving Chuck Pagano Fangio’s old job, Klis adds. But with Donatell interviewing for a DC role — a job title he has not held in 11 years — with Fangio, it points to the Bears losing another key defensive staffer.
  • The Bills interviewed veteran offensive line coach Joe Philbin recently but will instead name Bobby Johnson as their new O-line coach, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM reports (on Twitter). This will be Johnson’s second stint in Buffalo, the first coming under Chan Gailey. Johnson’s last role in Buffalo was assistant O-line coach. In 2018, he served in that role under since-jettisoned Colts offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo. Johnson will relocate quickly. DeGuglielmo remains unattached.
  • A higher-profile Buffalo staff vacancy will be filled as well. The Bills are hiring former Panthers assistant Heath Farwell to run their special teams, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets. The 10-year NFL veteran served as an assistant ST coach with Seattle and Carolina, his Panthers tenure coming after Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott had already departed for Buffalo.
  • After Paul Alexander‘s 20-plus-year run as Bengals offensive line coach, the franchise will soon have three O-line instructors in three years. Frank Pollack is out after one season, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Pollack was previously the Cowboys’ O-line coach, and under his stewardship, the Bengals made the biggest single-season improvement in yards per carry in franchise history. Cincinnati rushers collectively averaged 4.69 yards per carry last season.
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