HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Browns’ Next GM Will Come From Outside Organization

January 2nd, 2020 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns are planning to retain chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, and Eliot Wolf remains in place as assistant GM. But the franchise plans to look outside its current power structure to find its next GM.

Jimmy Haslam indicated Thursday that John Dorsey‘s replacement will be an outside hire, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The Browns plan to first hire their head coach, which will determine where they go with the GM role, Haslam added (via ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter). However, the Browns’ new head coach will not have final say over which GM candidate is hired, Cabot notes.

Cleveland’s new HC and GM will each report to Haslam, which was the setup when Hue Jackson and Sashi Brown were in power. Haslam added that the GM will oversee the 53-man roster, which flies in the face of rumors that the new Browns HC would obtain more power. The Browns’ new HC must be more analytically inclined, with Haslam indicating (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal) a “tremendous opportunity” exists for the Browns to be better than they were in this area under Dorsey and Freddie Kitchens.

Wolf will remain in his assistant GM role, per Haslam. This poses an interesting setup, given a new regime’s imminent arrival. The longtime Packers exec joined former Green Bay coworker Dorsey last year and has been a GM candidate in the past. DePodesta will run the coaching search, but the former MLB GM-turned-fifth-year Browns exec will not rise in the team’s front office hierarchy.

“Paul’s’ job will stay exactly the same as it is now,” Haslam said, via Ulrich. “He is in charge of strategy. He reports to ownership. Nothing will change. … We think Paul is really good at this type of position [in the searches]. If you think about it, all he has done his whole adult life is gather data to help make good decisions, so we think he is ideally suited to lead this process.”

2020 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 2nd, 2020 at 7:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not as many head coaching vacancies have emerged this year, compared to a fourth of the league hiring new HCs in 2019. But there are a few teams going through the process presently (and another taking its time in getting started).

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 1/11/20, 2:43pm CT

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Mike McCarthy, former head coach (Packers): Hired
  • Marvin Lewis, former head coach (Bengals): Interviewed 1/4
  • Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator (Patriots): Cowboys interested?

New York Giants

Washington Redskins

  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Panthers): Hired

Designated To Return: Packers, Vikings

January 2nd, 2020 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Teams may still designate players to return from IR during the playoffs, and the two NFC North squads still playing took advantage of this flexibility. Teams are designated two IR-return spots each season.

  • Reserve offensive lineman Brett Jones returned to Vikings practice. The former Giants starting center went down with a knee injury in November. Since he went on IR in advance of Week 11, Jones is not eligible to suit up in the Vikings’ first-round game. Should the Vikings upset the Saints in Round 1, he would then be eligible to be activated for the divisional round. The Vikings signed Jones to a one-year deal this offseason but used him in only two games. With the Vikings having brought Josh Doctson off IR earlier this season, they are out of IR-return moves.
  • The Packers followed suit, designating safety Raven Greene to return. Green Bay placed Greene on IR in September due to an ankle injury, making him eligible to be activated before the Packers’ divisional-round game. The second-year UDFA also finished the 2018 regular season on IR. Greene played in two games for the Packers this season, starting one. Green Bay used its first IR-return designation on tight end Jace Sternberger.

Josh McDaniels To Meet With Browns

January 2nd, 2020 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns have secured a Josh McDaniels meeting. Having set much of their itinerary for the first round of coaching interviews, the Browns will meet with McDaniels, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

A Cleveland-area native, McDaniels is believed to be the Browns’ top choice. He joins 49ers DC Robert Saleh, Ravens OC Greg Roman and Bills OC Brian Daboll as those set to interview. Roman and Mike McCarthy are in Cleveland today. McDaniels’ interview will likely occur Jan. 10, Cabot adds.

Jimmy Haslam said earlier Thursday the organization will hire a head coach with NFL experience, ruling out Urban Meyer. But McDaniels’ Ohio ties run deeper. The Barberton, Ohio, native previously interviewed with the Browns in 2014 but took himself out of the running for a job that eventually went to Mike Pettine. Haslam was intrigued by McDaniels during the previous interview, and that interest does not appear to have cooled. This time, the longtime Patriots OC is believed to be intrigued by the opportunity — one that will likely come with some personnel control.

McDaniels, 43, is also on the Giants’ and Panthers’ wish lists, so the Browns may need to make an attractive offer. The franchise being GM-less would seemingly appeal to McDaniels, who may want to bring longtime Patriots executive (and fellow northeast Ohio native) Nick Caserio to Cleveland. Caserio’s contract expires after this season. Defections of McDaniels and Caserio would represent a major blow to New England’s infrastructure.

While the three-time Super Bowl champion OC’s play-calling acumen cannot be dismissed, he will have much to prove from a personnel and leadership standpoint. The Broncos gave the then-33-year-old coach personnel control in 2009, and McDaniels’ controversial moves — and 2010 videotaping scandal — led to a quick firing. His spurning of the Colts eight years later was believed to damage his rebuilt stock, but the widespread interest in the veteran coordinator over the past several days has shown the league has effectively overlooked that decision.

Daboll is set to interview with Browns brass Sunday in Buffalo, Cabot adds. Neither he nor McDaniels can take an interview until next week, due to the AFC East teams being in wild-card games. Daboll spent two years as the Browns’ OC, under Eric Mangini, from 2009-10.

Cole Kmet To Enter NFL Draft

January 2nd, 2020 at 3:35pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet announced that he’ll enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Kmet, regarded as one of the best tight ends in this year’s crop, was widely expected to forgo his remaining eligibility and turn pro this year. 

Kmet is a jack-of-all-trades tight end with powerful blocking and reasonably soft hands. Kmet had no touchdowns to his credit before the 2019 season, but he broke out with 43 catches, 515 yards, and six TDs in his final season for the Fighting Irish.

The Patriots could theoretically use a tight end like Kmet to fill the void left by Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement last offseason. The Panthers and Bengals are also among the teams with potential needs at tight end, though they may or may not be in the market for one by the time the draft rolls around.

The NFL committee that advises underclassmen gave Kmet a second-round grade, but there aren’t many TEs in this year’s crop that offer a skillset like Kmet’s. If his workouts go as expected, Kmet seems likely to be a Day 1 pick.

Dolphins, Vince Biegel Discussing Extension

January 2nd, 2020 at 3:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins have told linebacker Vince Biegel that they would like to re-sign him, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The two sides have already discussed the possibility of a multiyear deal, so it sounds like a fresh contract could come his way before he hits restricted free agency in March. 

“We’ll get something done,” Biegel said, adding that he wants to remain in Miami.

The Dolphins acquired Biegel in August when they shipped linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Saints. This year, Biegel notched 59 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and an interception in 15 games for Miami while making ten starts. In his two previous pro seasons with the Saints, the 26-year-old had never started a game.

Armed with upwards of $100MM in cap space, the Dolphins should have plenty of cash available to re-up Biegel and address their many needs on both sides of the ball. Biegel will turn 27 in July, so a new pact could lock him down through his prime years.

In other Dolphins news, Chan Gailey was hired on New Year’s Eve to serve as the club’s new offensive coordinator. He replaces Chad O’Shea, who was canned after just one season in South Beach.

Browns To Interview Greg Roman

January 2nd, 2020 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns will interview Greg Roman on Thursday night, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Ravens offensive coordinator is one of the hottest coaching candidates out there and would be a logical fit for the playing style of quarterback Baker Mayfield. 

[RELATED: Browns To Interview Mike McCarthy]

Under Roman’s tutelage in 2019, Lamar Jackson threw for 3,127 yards and a league-leading 36 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He also rushed for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns – all inside of just 15 games.

The Ravens dominated the AFC North in 2019 even though many expected this to be a breakthrough year for the Browns. That didn’t come to fruition, thanks in large part to their dysfunctional offense. Mayfield’s production fell off of a cliff under Freddie Kitchens – he completed just 59.4% of this throws with 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

The Browns have made a point to utilize Mayfield more as a pocket passer than a runner, but Roman could flip the script, somewhat. Even though he has never served as a head coach at any level, he could be an appealing option for Cleveland. He’ll be the second candidate to interview for the HC post, following Mike McCarthy.

Lions DC Paul Pasqualoni Steps Down

January 2nd, 2020 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions’ staff turnover continues. On Thursday, head coach Matt Patricia announced that defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and veteran offensive line coach Jeff Davidson are stepping away from football. 

“Coach Pasqualoni notified me this week that he will be stepping away from the Lions to be closer to his family,” Patricia said in a statement issued by the team. “Coach P is one of the best men I’ve ever been around, on both personal and professional levels. I owe him so much and I’m grateful of the impact he had on our players, coaches and support staff. He will continue to be a great sounding board for me as a coach, father and leader. I wish him and his family well as they begin the new year together.”

Pasqualoni joined the Lions in the same offseason as Patricia. In their first year together, Pasqualoni called the plays on defense. Reportedly, at some point in 2019, Patricia quietly took back the reins.

Coach P celebrated his 70th birthday before the start of the 2019 season. After nearly two decades as an assistant coach, he made a name for himself as the head coach of the Syracuse Orange between the years of 1991 and 2004. Other highlights on his lengthy resume include turns as UConn’s head coach and a two-year stint as the Dolphins’ DC.

Davidson, meanwhile, is taking an indefinite leave from football for undisclosed reasons. The 52-year-old has served as an assistant for a number of teams since retiring from his playing career after the 1994 season.

The Lions will have fill at least eight assistant positions to support Patricia and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in 2020.

Browns Won’t Consider Urban Meyer?

January 2nd, 2020 at 1:49pm CST by Zachary Links

It doesn’t sound like the Browns will hire Urban Meyer to be their next head coach. 

“Right now we’re just focusing on people with NFL coaching experience,” owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.

Haslam’s statement could be interpreted one of two ways. Taken at face value, this means the Browns do not have Meyer atop their list of head coaching candidates. It’s also quite possible that Meyer, who figures to have a number of suitors in this cycle, has already rejected overtures from the team.

Either way, the Browns’ head coaching search will – for now – be limited to NFL circles. That head coach will be hired before the GM, Haslam says, with the head coach collaborating on the GM hire. Then, the HC and GM will have roughly equal footing in the organization, with both men reporting directly to Haslam.

Curtis Weaver To Enter NFL Draft

January 2nd, 2020 at 12:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Curtis Weaver is going pro. This week, the Boise State outside linebacker announced that he will enter the 2020 NFL Draft and forgo his senior season.

“I came here as a fat boy and I’m leaving as a young man,” Weaver announced on social media. “I poured my heart and soul into Boise State Football every time I set foot onto the field. I am forever grateful and honored to be a Bronco.”

After notching 52 tackles, 13.5 sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble, most expected Weaver to make the jump. He leaves Boise State with 34 career sacks and a strong chance of being a first-round pick in April.

On his latest big board, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller slotted Weaver as the biggest riser of any edge rusher, though he has him ranked behind eleven other edge players. Other analysts are higher on him – ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked as the second-best outside linebacker in this year’s class. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Todd McShay had him going No. 20 overall in his latest mock draft.

Ohio State’s Chase Young, who is also expected to skip his final year of eligibility, is universally considered to be the best edge rusher in this year’s class.

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