2019 January - Pro Football Rumors

Bowles, Leftwich, Goodwin To Join Bucs’ Staff

January 8th, 2019 at 5:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bruce Arians is moving fast on his way to Tampa Bay. And Cardinals fans will recognize much of the Buccaneers’ new coaching staff.

Todd Bowles will join Arians in Tampa and serve as the Bucs’ defensive coordinator, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Byron Leftwich and Harold Goodwin have pledged to follow Arians to south Florida as well.

Leftwich will serve as Tampa Bay’s passing-game coordinator, and Goodwin will come aboard as the run-game overseer, Breer notes. Like Bowles, both worked under Arians in Arizona. Leftwich received his full-time coaching start under Arians and moved up to Cardinals OC under Steve Wilks. The Cardinals, following a season that ended with No. 32 rankings in points and yards, fired him at season’s end, however, paving a path to Tampa.

Bowles met with Washington about an unspecified role Tuesday, but he will rejoin Arians. The former NFL defensive back-turned-Jets HC made his best case for that New York job by leading the Cardinals’ defense in 2013-14. They were a top-seven unit in each season, helping the Cards to back-to-back 10-win campaigns. Matters did not go too well for Bowles in New York (with a less talented roster), but he will be tasked with repairing a Bucs defense that has been among the league’s worst in recent years.

Tampa Bay has ranked in the bottom fourth of the NFL in total defense in each of the past four years, its low point coming with a last-place finish in 2017. It will be interesting to see if Bowles implements the 3-4 scheme he used in Arizona and New York. The Bucs have used a 4-3 base set for years. Though, these changes are less significant than they were in years past, with teams in sub sets more often than base looks.

Goodwin did not coach in 2018. He served as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator during Arians’ five-year tenure, though Arians was the point man running that attack. The Cards in that time coaxed an All-Pro emergence from Division I-FCS-produced third-rounder David Johnson. He will take over a Bucs rushing attack that lagged behind its explosive pass offense in 2018.

Falcons To Bring Back Dirk Koetter As OC

January 8th, 2019 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Minutes after the Buccaneers agreed to replace Dirk Koetter with Bruce Arians, the recently fired coach will land in familiar territory.

The Falcons are bringing Koetter back as their offensive coordinator, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The team offered Koetter the job on Monday night. He will now be facing the Bucs twice a season.

Mike Mularkey, who joined Darrell Bevell in interviewing for this post, will come back to Atlanta as tight ends coach, the Falcons announced.

Atlanta’s OC from 2012-14, Koetter relocated when the Falcons switched from Mike Smith to Dan Quinn. Now, he’ll work for Quinn and be the top offensive voice in the Falcons’ building. Quinn will now serve as his own defensive coordinator, and Koetter will be tasked with revitalizing an offense that regressed under Steve Sarkisian.

Although Atlanta improved from Sarkisian’s first year to his second, finishing 2018 as the No. 10 scoring offense (after ranking 15th in 2017), the Falcons fired him. He did not live up to expectations, and the offense (as could be expected) regressed from its historic 2016 perch under Kyle Shanahan. Koetter oversaw a Bucs attack that ranked third in yards this season, although Todd Monken was Tampa Bay’s primary play-caller this season. The Bucs boasted a top-10 yardage attack (ninth) in 2017, with Koetter calling the plays, as well.

With the Falcons, Koetter oversaw a No. 1-seeded team’s explosive offense in 2012 and two less impressive attacks in 2013 and ’14. Matt Ryan praised Koetter recently and will get to work with the veteran schemer again soon. Koetter also oversaw Julio Jones‘ rise; now, he’ll be in charge of the back end of the future Hall of Famer’s prime.

Mularkey is a three-time head coach whose most recent work includes ending a near-decade-long Titans playoff drought. Tennessee, however, fired Mularkey after the 2017 divisional-round sojourn. He served as the Falcons’ OC from 2008-11, and that tenure included an Atlanta run to the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Koetter replaced Mularkey when the latter became the Jaguars’ HC. He was a one-and-done in that role, however.

Prior to ascending to the Titans’ HC post, he was their tight ends instructor. The former NFL tight end has coached this position for four teams dating back to 1994.

Patriots Place TE Jacob Hollister On IR

January 8th, 2019 at 4:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

In advance of their playoff opener, the Patriots placed one of their backup tight ends on injured reserve. Jacob Hollister‘s season will end early, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (on Twitter).

The Patriots are promoting tight end Stephen Anderson from their practice squad to take Hollister’s place. Anderson played two seasons with the Texans, starting five games for last season’s Houston edition.

A hamstring injury has bothered Hollister for much of this season. The lingering problem cost him five games, including Weeks 1 and 17, while a chest injury also hindered Hollister this year. Anderson has not played in 2018.

New England has Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen and now Anderson comprising its tight end group. Their non-Gronk tight end contingent has combined for seven receptions this year, with Hollister hauling in four of those.

Seahawks, Wilson To Begin Negotiations

January 8th, 2019 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Russell Wilson‘s last contract negotiations proved quite the test for both sides, and the Seahawks quarterback made significant strides as a player in the years since. And the NFL’s quarterback salary landscape looks remarkably different now than it did in 2015.

With their season over and their franchise cornerstone entering a contract year, the Seahawks will soon begin extension talks, Pete Carroll said during a radio interview with 710 Seattle (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, on Twitter).

The last update provided on these looming talks came in September, when Wilson’s camp had not received any word the Seahawks were progressing on a new deal. Now that Wilson is in a contract year, that will change. But this may take a while. As of last offseason, Wilson expected this process to end with the Seahawks franchise-tagging him in 2020.

Wilson signed a four-year, $87.6MM deal with the Seahawks in July 2015. That re-up has since been surpassed by 10 other quarterbacks. With two passers now making at least $30MM per year, Wilson is unlikely to sign for less than that, especially considering he just turned 30. He should still be in his prime when this his third contract concludes. And with the Seahawks moving on from numerous high-profile veterans, making 2018 their first fully Wilson-centric team (and an unexpected playoff entrant, at that), the quarterback’s camp will surely demand their client be compensated like similar franchise centerpieces across the league.

Although Wilson was a two-time NFC champion when he signed his most recent Seattle deal, he compiled his first two 4,000-yard seasons over the course of that pact while throwing at least 34 touchdown passes three times in that span as well.

Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals Finalizing HC Deal

January 8th, 2019 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals are set to reach outside the box for their next head coach. Kliff Kingsbury is in Arizona finalizing a deal to become the franchise’s next sideline leader, Peter Schrager of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter).

This agreement should be completed soon, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Kingsbury met with the Jets about their HC opening, but it looks like the Cardinals are moving in to form a Kingsbury-Josh Rosen pairing, with Sam Darnold‘s next coach to be determined.

The sides have completed the deal, Rapoport tweets. It is a four-year agreement that includes a fifth-year team option, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

In an offseason geared around finding coaches that can help teams rejuvenate their offenses, this hire stands out.

Texas Tech fired Kingsbury after six seasons, and the 39-year-old offensive mind landed as USC’s offensive coordinator. The Trojans initially blocked Kingsbury from interviews with the Jets and Cards before allowing them, and it looks like the Pac-12 program will have to find another OC, again. Kingsbury has a small buy-out in his USC contract, per The Athletic’s Jay Glazer, who adds that the university has said Kingsbury did not resign (as rumors suggested he might after being blocked from Jets and Cardinals meetings).

The Cardinals ranked as the NFL’s worst offense, both in yardage and scoring, last season. They had previously not made a coach a one-and-done in more than 65 years. But this ineffectiveness and the team’s plunge toward 3-13 led to Steve Wilks’ ouster. Arizona scored the NFL’s second-most points in 2015 and ranked sixth as recently as 2016, but the Bruce Arians–Carson Palmer era ending gutted the franchise.

A year after Arizona went through a methodical search that ended with a late-January Wilks hire, the franchise is taking a gamble on Kingsbury’s innovative abilities. Every Cardinals candidate — on a list headed by Adam Gase, Jim Caldwell and Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy — had an offensive background.

Kingsbury convinced both Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield to come to Lubbock, Texas, and led one of Division I’s most explosive attacks during his tenure. While the Red Raiders have traditionally deployed such potency on offense, Kingsbury once serving as one of many quarterbacks capable of posting big numbers, the NFL is gravitating increasingly toward college-based schemes. This made Kingsbury an attractive candidate, despite his recent firing and now-brief USC employment. Case Keenum also set NCAA passing records during Kingsbury’s two years as the University of Houston’s co-offensive coordinator.

That said, the Red Raiders went 35-40 under Kingsbury since 2013. In an era where new bowls continue to spawn, Texas Tech failed to qualify for a bowl game in three of those seasons. There was also a noticeable drop from the final Mahomes season (fifth in scoring) to the post-Mahomes teams — 23rd in points in 2017, 100th in 2018 — for the Red Raiders’ offense. Mahomes threw for more than 5,000 yards in 2016, however, and although Mayfield ended up excelling at Oklahoma, his success further attracted teams to Kingsbury.

Still, the Cardinals figure to have one of the NFL’s most interesting offensive setups next season. The Cards fired Mike McCoy midseason and pivoted to Byron Leftwich. But their offense sputtered throughout, accumulating countless injuries up front. This combination stunted Rosen’s growth and essentially squandered a year of David Johnson‘s prime. Kingsbury will be tasked with making Steve Keim‘s Rosen investment pay off.

Latest On Browns’ HC Job

January 8th, 2019 at 1:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

As they advance to the finalist stage of their coaching search, the Browns appear to be zeroing in on young play-callers.

Kevin Stefanski is headed back to Cleveland for a second interview, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (on Twitter). The coach who took over the Vikings’ play-calling responsibilities late in the season may be competing with Freddie Kitchens, who ascended to this role in Cleveland.

Kitchens now has a “good chance” of landing the Browns’ HC job, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. The Browns interviewed Kitchens on Monday and have been making calls to inquire about his coaching past, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

These are the two finalists for the position, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. As Stefanski heads back to Cleveland, Kitchens remains in the Browns’ building.

While the Browns are eyeing Stefanski for their HC job, he remains a leading candidate to stay on with the Vikings as OC, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. However, Stefanski is a coaching free agent after his contract recently expired.

Several Browns assistants have already been asked to stay on board, Cabot reports, which would back the idea the 44-year-old Kitchens will receive a major promotion. Neither Kitchens nor Stefanski had OC experience heading into 2018. The Browns appear to be serious about pairing Baker Mayfield with a young, offensively oriented leader.

Stefanski, 36, interviewed for the Browns’ HC vacancy on Jan. 3. He is the youngest candidate involved in the John Dorsey-led search. This comes after he was passed over for the Vikings’ OC job a year ago for former Browns OC John DeFilippo. But Minnesota fired the latter late this season, and Stefanski is competing with Kitchens and perhaps others for the Cleveland job.

The Browns blocked Kitchens from pursuing offensive coordinator jobs outside the organization. It looks like he has a real shot to continue to work with Mayfield, which is not necessarily a big surprise given the rookie passer’s success after the Browns fired Hue Jackson and Todd Haley. Kitchens receiving the HC job may point to Gregg Williams staying on, though it would be an altered dynamic given the 60-year-old interim leader’s previous role as Kitchens’ boss.

Cowboys Place Allen Hurns On IR

January 8th, 2019 at 12:25pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. On Tuesday, the Cowboys placed wide receiver Allen Hurns on injured reserve. As previously reported, the Cowboys will promote fellow receiver Lance Lenoir from the practice squad to take his place.

Hurns suffered a dislocated ankle just minutes into the Cowboys’ wild card playoff game against the Seahawks. Unfortunately, it was one of those injuries that non-doctors could immediately diagnose as a season-ender. Now, the Cowboys will head into Saturday’s game without him.

Hurns signed a two-year, $12MM deal this past March, but was never able to establish himself in Dallas’ offense. He initially looked like he might be the team’s number one receiver after Dez Bryant was cut, but ended up catching just 20 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season.

The Cowboys still have him under contract for 2019, so he may have an opportunity for redemption next year. There’s also reason to believe that he can do better based on his past results. In 2015, he enjoyed a breakout season with the Jags as he caught 64 passes for 1,031 yards and ten touchdowns. And, if fellow receiver Cole Beasley leaves in free agency, Hurns could see more opportunities as a depth option behind Amari Cooper.

Redskins Meet With Todd Bowles

January 8th, 2019 at 12:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins met with former Jets coach Todd Bowles this week, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). No specific role was discussed, however.

For now, Greg Manusky is on hand as the Redskins’ defensive coordinator. It’s unclear if the Redskins would push him out in favor of Bowles, but a DC job would be the most likely outcome for the ex-Jets head coach.

Meanwhile, Bowles may be on track to become the Buccaneers’ next DC. The Bucs are zeroing in on Bruce Arians as their head coaching hire and the two have a relationship that spans decades.

If Bowles is hired by the Bucs, Redskins, or another team, it could provide financial relief for the Jets. There was offset language in Bowles’ deal, as Manish Mehta of the Daily News points out (on Twitter), so Gang Green could save some green over the next two years if he lands on his feet in this cycle.

Buccaneers Zeroing In On Bruce Arians

January 8th, 2019 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers are focusing on hiring Bruce Arians as their new coach and there is strong mutual interest, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Rapoport adds that negotiations between the two sides are likely to begin soon.

In recent days, talk of Arians coaching the Bucs has picked up serious steam. However, the club did ask Arians to take a physical as a part of their evaluation process, a step to ensure that the cancer survivor has the ability to take on the role and the stress that comes with it. Fortunately, it appears that Arians has the medical green light, which should allow him to accept the job if the two sides can reach agreement on terms.

In November, Arians indicated that the Browns were the “only” team that he would consider if he were to come out of retirement. But, so far, the Bucs have been the only team to engage him in talks. Arians’ itch to get back on the sidelines has likely outweighed his preference to coach in Cleveland and the opportunity to get former No. 1 pick Jameis Winston on track probably holds appeal for him.

The 66-year-old was relatively successful during his tenure in Arizona, leading the Cardinals to 49-30-1 record and a pair of playoff appearances, including an appearance in the 2015 NFC Championship Game. Off the field, he has managed to overcome a number of challenging obstacles. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007, had cancerous cells removed from his nose in 2013, dealt with renal cell carcinoma in 2016, and had part of his kidney removed in 2017.

Arians retired from coaching in January of last year, saying that he “wasn’t enjoying the game as much” as he had in the past.

Josh McDaniels To Stay With Patriots

January 8th, 2019 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels says he will no longer pursue head coaching jobs this offseason and will remain with the Patriots “moving forward” (Twitter links via Doug Kyed of NESN). Frankly, McDaniels has little choice in the matter – the Packers were the only team to interview him in this cycle and he rejected overtures from the Bengals. None of the other clubs with vacancies requested an interview with the Pats OC.

McDaniels also added that he had “no contact” with the Browns. At one point in time, McDaniels was linked to Cleveland because of his offensive acumen and potential to guide young star quarterback Baker Mayfield, but the Browns never went down that road for one reason or another.

Ultimately, McDaniels appears to have been undone by last offseason’s flip-flop with the Colts. The OC did not feel that the saga “burned” him from future head coaching jobs, but one can’t help but wonder if teams are wary of getting involved with him at this juncture. Next year could be a different story, but this year, teams did not appear willing to trust the 42-year-old.

On the plus side, McDaniels can now focus on the biggest task at hand. The Patriots square off against the Chargers on Sunday in the Divisional Round.