HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Browns To Interview Ed Dodds For GM Opening

January 11th, 2020 at 12:42pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got our first known candidate for the Browns’ general manager vacancy. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the organization has requested permission to interview Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds. Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets that the Colts have granted the Browns permission to interview the executive.

Perhaps even more notably, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Browns head coaching candidate (and current 49ers defensive coordinator) Robert Saleh showed interest in being paired with Dodds in Cleveland. Saleh and Dodds both worked together during their stint in Seattle. Rapoport adds that

Dodds was considered one of the top scouts in the NFL during his 10 seasons in Seattle. During his time with the Seahawks, he served in a variety of roles, including senior personnel executive. Dodds joined the Colts back in 2017, and he was promoted to assistant GM the following year.

We heard earlier today that the organization was starting to ramp up their efforts to find a replacement for John Dorsey, who the team parted ways with in late December. While the order of operations may sound a bit weird, the Browns had always planned to complete their head coaching search before hiring a GM.

Dodds is the first known contender for the GM opening, and it sounds like the Browns organization has an affinity for former Seahawks executives. We previously heard that Seattle’s co-directors of player personnel, Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer, are two well-respected executives who could emerge as leading candidates for the GM gig. Rapoport tweets that the duo could also be paired with Saleh, as could 49ers vice president of player personnel Adam Peters.

Latest On Browns GM Search

January 11th, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a few weeks since the Browns moved on from general manager John Dorsey, and it sounds like the organization is starting to ramp up their efforts in finding his replacement. Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets that the team has “started reference checks and working on permission” to interview potential candidates.

As Breer notes, it’s been the team’s plan all along to find a head coach before hiring a GM. Of course, Breer cautions that this doesn’t mean the Browns have zeroed in on any one coaching candidate. Rather, if the organization has settled on two or three candidates (Breer suggests Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski, Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, and 49ers DC Robert Saleh), they can start to get the ball rolling on their other major opening.

The Browns parted ways with Dorsey at the end of December. Since that time, we heard that Seattle’s co-directors of player personnel, Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer, are two well-respected executives who could emerge as leading candidates for the GM opening.

Browns chief strategist Paul DePodesta is one of the few holdovers in Cleveland. The onetime assistant general manager of the Oakland Athletics is spearheading the Browns head coach search, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, but is not under contract with the team beyond next week. With that said, DePodesta is still wanted in Cleveland and the team may want to extend the executive at the same time of the team’s general manager and head coaching hires to put the organization on the same page.

Lions Hire Brayden Coombs As ST Coordinator

January 11th, 2020 at 10:30am CST by Ben Levine

The Lions announced that they have hired Brayden Coombs as the team’s new special teams coordinator. The team announced last week that they had parted ways with former coordinator John Bonamego.

Coombs, 33, had spent the past decade with the Bengals organization, including the past seven as the assistant special teams coordinator. During his time in Cincinnati, Coombs also served as an offensive assistant, quality control coach, defensive quality control coach, and offensive quality control coach.

While serving as a special teams coach, the Bengals have ranked as one of the top systems in the league. As Justin Rogers of the Detroit News points out on Twitter, the 2019 Bengals special teams unit was ranked first by Football Outsiders and fifth by Pro Football Focus.

Coombs’ contract with Cincy expired, allowing him to seek another gig. Darrin Simmons will return for his 19th season as the Bengals special teams coordinator in 2020.

Vikings Worked Out CB Terence Newman

January 11th, 2020 at 9:55am CST by Ben Levine

This would have been one heck of a comeback. The Vikings worked out 41-year-old cornerback (and assistant coach) Terence Newman this past week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates (via Twitter).

Minnesota placed corner Mackensie Alexander on the injured reserve earlier this week, ending his season. Alexander joined 2018 first-rounder Mike Hughes on the IR, as the 22-year-old was shelved earlier this month. The team needed some reinforcement at the position, but they ultimately opted to promote Nate Meadors from the practice squad.

While Newman hasn’t played since the 2017 season, there is a connection to Minny. The veteran played under head coach Mike Zimmer in Dallas (2003-06), Cincinnati (2012-13) and Minnesota (2015-17). Since his retirement, Newman has been serving as an assistant on the Vikings coaching staff.

Newman, the fifth-overall pick in the 2003 draft, played 15 seasons in the NFL. He finished his career having compiled 745 tackles, 42 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and three touchdowns.

Panthers Eyeing Joe Brady For OC Role

January 11th, 2020 at 9:07am CST by Ben Levine

Could Joe Brady be heading to the NFL? NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Panther head coach Matt Rhule is considering the LSU passing game coordinator as his own offensive coordinator.

As Rapoport notes, the school recently worked out an extension for Brady, but the deal hasn’t been signed. This means the coach can continue to hunt around for a better-paying gig (of course, he might just prefer to head to the NFL altogether).

Brady, 30, has moved up the coaching ranks very quickly. He coached linebackers at his alma matter, William & Mary, between 2013 and 2014 before moving on to Penn State. He spent two years as an offensive assistant with the Saints before joining Ed Orgeron’s staff at LSU for the 2019 campaign. As LSU’s wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator, Brady earned this season’s Broyles Award, which recognizes the top assistant coach.

When Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was getting buzz for head coaching gigs, we heard that Brady could be an option for the staff. Martindale was especially connected to the Giants, but that ship sailed when the organization tabbed Joe Judge as their new head coach.

We heard earlier this week that Rhule had identified Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Snow for the same role with the Panthers. The new head coach will also have a say in the hiring of an assistant GM.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/10/20

January 10th, 2020 at 9:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Today’s reserve/futures contracts. For a primer/refresher on what exactly these deals entail, click here.

Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles

Both players are former Chargers. Williams started 15 games for the Chargers in 2017 and seven last year, but injuries quickly derailed his career even though he was once highly regarded. Still only 26, he should have a decent chance to crack Philly’s secondary next year. Scott spent most of the past three seasons on Los Angeles’ practice squad.

Rams To Hire Kevin O’Connell As OC

January 10th, 2020 at 8:12pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Rams are hiring assistants at a blistering pace. Just minutes after it was reported they’d be bringing in Brandon Staley to be their defensive coordinator, we now have word on their new OC. Los Angeles is hiring Kevin O’Connell, formerly of the Redskins, as their new offensive coordinator, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 

There was some initial speculation that Washington would keep O’Connell, but Ron Rivera elected to hire Scott Turner instead. O’Connell instantly became a hot name, and was linked to the Eagles and the Browns‘ OC openings. O’Connell was hired by the Redskins as quarterbacks coach right after Sean McVay left Washington, and he moved quickly through the ranks.

Before this past season he was promoted to offensive coordinator, and he earned a lot of praise for his work with Dwayne Haskins down the stretch. Both McVay and O’Connell worked under Jay Gruden with the Redskins, so the connection was there. McVay was unhappy with his staff after the Rams missed the playoffs last year, electing not to retain Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator and to hire a real OC.

O’Connell is only 34, and is highly regarded in most circles. If all goes well in Los Angeles, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s a head-coaching candidate before too long. He started his career as a player, bouncing around a handful of teams as a journeyman quarterback from 2008-2012.

Rams To Hire Brandon Staley As DC

January 10th, 2020 at 7:55pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Rams have a new defensive coordinator. After electing not to retain the legendary Wade Phillips, Los Angeles is hiring Broncos outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley to be their new DC, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Rapoport notes that a deal still needs to be worked out, but that it’s going to happen. Albert Breer of SI.com was the first to tweet that a deal was close. In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport notes that Staley flew out to Los Angeles yesterday and spent the day with head coach Sean McVay. Staley had been with Vic Fangio for a while, as he served as his outside linebackers coach for two years with the Bears before following Fangio to Denver.

It’s a bit of an outside the box hire, as Staley hadn’t been batted around as a hot name previously. There were reports that McVay wanted more innovation and scheme-emphasis from his defensive staff, so that’s what Staley will be expected to provide. Prior to joining Chicago, Staley had served as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll University, a D3 school.

He also briefly served as DC at James Madison, and got his start as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois back in 2006. The Rams also saw special teams coordinator John Fassel leave for Dallas, and there will be a fair amount of turnover on McVay’s staff when all the dust settles.

Coaching Notes: McDaniels, Browns, Judge, Giants, Rams, Cowboys

January 10th, 2020 at 7:38pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Josh McDaniels left his Browns visit without a deal, and the latest word is that Cleveland will take the weekend to mull things over. While they’ve been careful not to tip their hand too much, Michael Lombardi of The Athletic tweets that it’s not a good sign McDaniels went back home without a contract. Lombardi was the first to suggest that now former Browns GM John Dorsey might be in danger, so he’s certainly plugged into the situation. A report from earlier this morning indicated that McDaniels, Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz were the three finalists, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets that “multiple people around the league” believe it’s down to McDaniels and Stefanski. If Lombardi and Fowler are both correct, then that would seem to indicate Stefanski is the favorite as of right now.

Here’s more from the coaching ranks:

  • The Giants gave Joe Judge a five-year contract to be their head coach, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s not the massive seven-year deal that Matt Rhule got from the Panthers, but it’s a significant commitment nonetheless. It’s especially noteworthy since, as Schefter points out, each of New York’s last two coaches have been given two years or less on the job. Simply to avoid the reputation of being coach-killers, the Giants’ ownership will likely give Judge a somewhat lengthy leash.
  • Cleveland is the only team with a head-coaching vacancy, but the dust has yet to settle for plenty of assistant coaches. There are still a lot of openings around the league, and it looks like a bidding war is brewing between the Rams and Cowboys. Both Los Angeles and Dallas are fighting to make Stan Drayton their next running backs coach, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link). Drayton is currently the run-game coordinator at Texas. Brandt notes that Drayton coached Ezekiel Elliott at Ohio State, which explains the Cowboys’ interest. It’ll be interesting to see whether he picks Sean McVay or Mike McCarthy.
  • In case you missed it, Rhule is looking to bring his defensive coordinator from Baylor with him to fill the same position in Carolina.

Playoff Injury Updates: Seahawks, Brown, Iupati, Fant, Titans, Brown, Packers, Clark

January 10th, 2020 at 6:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The latest injury news for the divisional round games:

  • The Seahawks’ offensive line is in dire shape. Starting left guard Mike Iupati is listed as doubtful, and it looks like he’ll miss his second straight game. Even more concerning, head coach Pete Carroll said both tackles Duane Brown and George Fant would be game-time decisions. Brown has missed the last few games, and Fant has been filling in for him at left tackle. Fant played 100 percent of the snaps in Seattle’s win over Philly last week, but is dealing with a groin injury. If he’s unable to go the plan is to start Chad Wheeler at left tackle, per Joe Fann of NBC Sports. Wheeler signed to Seattle’s practice squad back in October, and hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since October. He started a bunch of games for the Giants the previous two seasons, with disastrous results. If he’s forced into the lineup, the Packers’ pass-rushing duo of Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith will be licking their chops.
  • The Titans will be without a key piece of their defense as they look to pull off a second straight upset against the Ravens. Starting inside linebacker Jayon Brown has been ruled out for this weekend’s game. Brown started against the Patriots last week, but left the game with a shoulder injury. It’s a blow to Tennessee’s run defense as they look to slow down the league’s best rushing attack.
  • The Titans might not be the only team without a key defensive piece. Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who started all 16 games this season, is being listed as questionable. Clark was on a tear down the stretch, racking up 4.5 sacks in Green Bay’s last four games. If he doesn’t go it’ll help mitigate some of Seattle’s offensive line losses.
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