HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Only Three NFL Head Coaching Vacancies Remain

January 9th, 2019 at 1:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Eight NFL teams were in search of a head coach to start the New Year, but five clubs have already found their man. Let’s quickly run down the jobs that are off the table and check in on where things stand for the three remaining vacancies:

“No Vacancy”:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (USC): Hired

Cleveland Browns

  • Freddie Kitchens, offensive coordinator (Browns): Hired

Denver Broncos

  • Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator (Bears): Hired

Green Bay Packers

  • Matt LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Titans): Hired

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Bruce Arians, former head coach (Cardinals): Hired

Jobs Still Open:

Cincinnati Bengals

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

The Bengals, so far, have cast a wide net, but the recommendation of Marvin Lewis and the club’s history with Jackson could lead to the ex-Browns coach landing on his feet. They’re also considering another recently fired head coach in Joseph and the group lacks general star power, so Jackson’s chances cannot be dismissed.

The buzz is slowly building around Richard in Miami, even though he is not believed to be a serious candidate in New York. From a pure knowledge standpoint, Allen may be the best bet of the free agent bunch. Overall, the Dolphins’ top choice could be Harbaugh, but he won’t be an option for them if he signs an extension with the Ravens. Even if he doesn’t, the Dolphins might not want to part with significant draft capital and shell out big bucks to land him.

The Jets never really had a chance at Kliff Kingsbury, but Jets fans probably won’t lose sleep over seeing the inexperienced young coach go to Arizona. What’s left is a mishmash of head coaching retreads (Caldwell, Gase, McCarthy), coordinators and assistants (Monken, Richard, Bieniemy), and one more college-to-pros candidate (Rhule). Some believe that Rhule, the head coach at Baylor, is the Jets’ No. 1 target.

The list above, derived from the 2019 Head Coaching Search Tracker, was edited to omit candidates that are no longer in consideration or have taken jobs elsewhere.

Todd Bowles To Choose Between Bears, Bucs

January 9th, 2019 at 12:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Todd Bowles to the Buccaneers is not a done deal. The former Jets head coach was said to be on board as the Bucs’ new DC, but he is now deciding between that job and the same position with the Bears, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune hears.

Bowles and Matt Nagy have spoken multiple times, Biggs writes, and their longstanding relationship could lead him to Chicago. Then again, Bowles also has serious ties with new Bucs head coach Bruce Arians.

Nagy’s father coached Bowles in high school, but Arians coached Bowles when he played at Temple. Years later, Bowles served as Arians’ defensive coordinator in Arizona.

Friendships and history aside, the Bears might offer Bowles’ quickest ticket back into the head coaching ranks. With a defense led by superstar Khalil Mack and a 2018 record of 12-4, the Bears are in prime position to win and potentially vault their next DC up the NFL’s ladder.

If the Bears do not hire Bowles, in-house secondary coach Ed Donatell could be a consideration. Donatell is out of contract, however, and Biggs hears that he’ll likely leave if he does not get the promotion.

Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury Eyeing Jake Spavital

January 9th, 2019 at 12:11pm CST by Zachary Links

If you thought the young and green Kliff Kingsbury would automatically surround himself with a grizzled coaching staff, think again. The Cardinals’ new head coach is eyeing Texas State head coach Jake Spavital as an offensive coordinator candidate, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic (on Twitter).

Spavital and Kingsbury coached together at Houston, so they have history together. It’s fair to assume that Kingsbury will be calling the plays in Arizona regardless of who the OC hire is, but there’s no official word on that front yet. Assuming Kingsbury wants to call the plays, the 33-year-old Spavital would fit the mold of someone who would accept an OC gig with lessened responsibilities.

From Spavital’s perspective, this could be an opportunity to take a major step up the coaching ladder. He might not call plays as the Cards’ OC, but other coaches such as Matt LaFleur have used similar setups as a stepping stone to head coaching positions.

Broncos To Hire Gary Kubiak As OC

January 9th, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Gary Kubiak is back in Denver. After hiring defensive guru Vic Fangio to run the team, the Broncos reached agreement on a deal to bring Kubiak back as the team’s offensive coordinator, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 

Fangio offers defensive coordinator experience with five different clubs, but he has never served as a head coach in his ~40 years on the sidelines. With Kubiak in the fold, Fangio can put the bulk of his focus on the defense and day-to-day tasks while allowing Kubiak to manage the offense and aid him in the transition to the new job.

This arrangement has likely been in the works for a while. Earlier this month, the Broncos blocked other teams from interviewing Kubiak for OC jobs and Kubiak’s preference was to remain in Denver under any circumstances. Prior to the Broncos’ block, the Bengals and Falcons requested interviews with the 57-year-old.

Following his brief but successful stint in Baltimore, Kubiak returned to Denver to accept his “dream job” as the Broncos’ head coach. But, after two years as sideline general, health issues forced Kubiak into an executive role. He was actually rumored to be a viable OC candidate last offseason, but GM John Elway expanded Kubiak’s front office responsibilities in order to keep him in the fold. This offseason, they’re putting him back on the sidelines to prevent him from being poached.

Kris Richard In Lead For Dolphins Job?

January 9th, 2019 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets don’t have Kris Richard high on their list, but the rival Dolphins might. League sources believe that the Cowboys defensive backs coach will come away with the top job in Miami, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter). 

This is far from definitive word on the matter, but it sounds like Richard at least has a real shot at being the ‘Fins next head coach. For now, he’s in a fairly limited candidate pool that includes Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Patriots DC Brian Flores, in-house assistant head coach Darren Rizzi, and possibly Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, assuming that he does not sign an extension with Baltimore.

Speaking of Rizzi, his interview is scheduled to take place on Friday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). So, barring something unexpected, we won’t see the Dolphins hire Richard or anyone else before the end of the week.

Browns Part Ways With Gregg Williams

January 9th, 2019 at 11:44am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns chose Freddie Kitchens as their next head coach on Wednesday, temporarily leaving interim head coach Gregg Williams in limbo. That’s no longer the case, as Williams is out in Cleveland and will not return, sources tell Pat McManamon and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Williams is a highly-respected defensive mind, but the Browns will go with a new staff on that side of the ball as Kitchens puts the bulk of his focus on the offense. It’s not clear whether the Browns entertained bringing Williams back as their defensive coordinator (which was his role before the in-season firing of Hue Jackson), but in any case, it’s unlikely that Williams was interested in a role reversal with his former assistant.

The Browns went 5-3 under Williams in the second half, but the Browns are putting more stock into Kitchens’ impact on the offense than Williams’ defensive management or leadership. At this stage of the coaching cycle, it’s unlikely that Williams will garner consideration for the remaining head coaching vacancies, but he should be a top candidate for open DC jobs.

Browns To Hire Freddie Kitchens As HC

January 9th, 2019 at 10:59am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns decided to stay in-house. Or, more accurately, in the kitchen. On Wednesday afternoon, the Browns will formally announce the promotion of offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to the head coaching position, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter). 

[RELATED: PFR’s 2019 Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Kitchens proved his value after an in-season promotion gave him the keys to the Browns’ offense. Under Kitchen’s tutelage, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield thrived and became a legitimate contender for the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The Browns closed the season 5-3 with Kitchens donning the headset and it appears that he is being given more credit for the turnaround than interim head coach Gregg Williams.

Early on, the Browns were connected to some big-name coaching candidates such as former Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The Browns did not seriously pursue either coach, choosing instead to talk with Williams, Jim Caldwell, Dan Campbell, Matt Eberflus, Brian Flores, Mike Munchak, Nick Sirianni, and Kevin Stefanski.

Stefanski, the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, was believed to be a finalist alongside Kitchens. Ultimately, he lost out, which means that Brad Childress is probably not on his way back to Cleveland after all.

Giants Rumors: Manning, Vernon, Jenkins

January 9th, 2019 at 10:54am CST by Zachary Links

Eli Manning is less-than-certain about his future with the Giants. In a radio interview this week, Manning expressed doubt that he’ll be under center for the G-Men in 2019, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes.

“I do. I do,” Manning said when asked if he wants to play again. “I love playing football. I like my teammates and the coaches we have.”

However, when Manning was asked if we have seen the last of him, the quarterback simply said, “We’ll see.”

Recently, Giants GM Dave Gettleman had a “very extensive” and “no holds barred” conversation with Manning about his future. It’s not hard to read between the lines: despite Manning’s past success and a quietly solid second half to the 2018 season, the Giants are giving real consideration to cutting ties with the two-time champ.

Here’s more from the Meadowlands:

  • Manning isn’t the only Giants notable who is in danger of being a cap casualty, Dunleavy writes. Outside linebacker Olivier Vernon ($11.5MM in potential savings; $8MM in dead money), cornerback Janoris Jenkins ($7.75MM savings; $7MM dead money), and linebacker Alec Ogletree ($6.5MM savings; $5.25MM dead money) are among several vets who could be shown the door. Others on the block include running back Jonathan Stewart, tight end Rhett Ellison, strong safety Michael Thomas, and outside linebacker Connor Barwin.
  • The Giants have to fix their broken evaluation process before they enter the meat of a pivotal offseason, Matt Lombardo of NJ.com writes. Last year, the Giants put all of their eggs in the Manning basket by spending big on tackle Nate Solder, trading a fourth-round pick for linebacker Alec Ogletree, signing right guard Patrick Omameh to an ill-fated deal, and adding aging running back Jonathan Stewart. This time around, the Giants have to realistically evaluate their chances to win right away in 2019. In theory, they could spend big on another tackle to bookend Solder and hope for the best, but that won’t be a prudent move unless their truly in position to succeed in ’19.

Browns Could Hire Brad Childress

January 9th, 2019 at 10:27am CST by Zachary Links

Brad Childress could be one step away from returning to the NFL. The Browns are reportedly down to Kevin Stefanski and Freddie Kitchens in their head coaching search, and if they pick Stefanski, Childress could wind up on Cleveland’s staff, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com hears.

Childress and Stefanski have history, dating back to when the two first met in 2005. Childress was also the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2012 and worked under GM John Dorsey from 2013-16 when he was running the Chiefs. There are significant ties all around, so Stefanski could be a natural fit as the next OC or a different type of assistant if Stefanski is the pick.

The original plan for Childress was to serve as the head coach of the AAF’s Atlanta Legends in 2019. However, he abruptly stepped down from the post on Tuesday, which could be a sign that he has something bigger in the works.

Latest On Eric Reid, NFL

January 9th, 2019 at 10:11am CST by Zachary Links

Eric Reid claims he was drug tested six or seven times after joining the Panthers last season, leading the safety to openly question whether the league was specifically targeting him. On Wednesday morning, the NFL and NFLPA released a statement saying there’s “no evidence” of any tampering in the testing schedule. 

“We take any claim questioning the integrity of our collectively bargained performance enhancing drug policy seriously. We asked the independent administrator of the policy to review and produce a report on the claims of targeting,” the two parties said in the joint statement. “A copy of this report, which contains personal and confidential testing information, has been provided to Eric Reid. We will not breach any player’s confidentiality, but can confirm that the report documents the dates he was randomly selected for testing and the actual dates of the drug tests. The report also demonstrates that Mr. Reid’s tests were randomly generated via computer algorithm and that his selection for testing was normal when compared with the number of tests players were randomly selected for throughout the league during the time that he was on an active roster. There is no evidence of targeting or any other impropriety with respect to his selection for testing.”

Furthermore, the league and union inquire found that Reid’s claim of being tested six times in his first eleven weeks with the team was not accurate, a source tells Joe Person of The Athletic (on Twitter). Still, the findings of the investigation are unlikely to comfort Reid, who is at odds with the NFL. Reid still has a collusion grievance pending against the league and knelt during the national anthem in 2018.

Reid’s situation likely led to a prolonged stint in free agency last year, but the Panthers are already showing interest in keeping him off the open market this year.

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