2021 January - Pro Football Rumors

Zac Taylor Not Necessarily Safe?

January 3rd, 2021 at 6:10pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Bengals had some momentum with two straight upset victories the past two weeks, and the Ravens promptly vanquished that with a blowout win on Sunday. We had heard a few weeks ago that head coach Zac Taylor was likely to return for a third season, but that’s apparently not set in stone.

Taylor “may not be as safe as some believe,” Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes. Florio adds “there’s a rumor making that rounds that Taylor could be out.” As for what Cincy could be plotting, Florio highlights the potential reunion between Joe Burrow and his college passing guru Joe Brady, who is now the OC in Carolina. Florio think that the Bengals could be spurred to make the plunge if they fear another team will hire Brady this cycle.

Taylor is now 6-25-1 in his first two seasons as coach, and while circumstances obviously haven’t been ideal it’s still hard to defend that record. Cincinnati went after him due to his association with Sean McVay after he spent a couple years on the Rams’ staff as an assistant. The 37-year-old had never been a head coach at any level before getting hired to replace Marvin Lewis.

As Florio points out, one thing working in Taylor’s favor is Bengals brass’ usual conservative nature when it comes to firing coaches. After all, they did keep Lewis around for 16 seasons, and the fact that he’d likely have millions coming his way could be what saves Taylor for another year. If he does stick around, he’ll need a major leap from Burrow and the rest of the team to buy him a fourth season.

Of course, there’s no guarantee Burrow is ready for Week 1 next year after tearing his ACL and damaging other ligaments, so it could be a tough job for whoever is roaming the sidelines in 2021. We should know more about Taylor’s status tomorrow.

Panthers Request To Interview Nick Caserio For GM Opening

January 3rd, 2021 at 4:36pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

After firing Marty Hurney, the Panthers need to answer a big question this offseason about who they’re going to pair with Matt Rhule moving forward. The team apparently has their eye on Patriots exec Nick Caserio. Carolina has requested to interview Caserio for their GM vacancy, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Caserio’s current title is director of pro personnel with New England. He’s been sought after before, as the Texans very nearly hired him in 2019 before the Pats threatened to file tampering charges and the whole thing fell apart. Caserio was just extended by the Pats back in February, so it’s unclear if they’ll let him jump this time. If they do, the Panthers will likely face competition for his services.

Houston is expected to have interest once again this cycle, and the Giants have him in their crosshairs should they fire Dave Gettleman. Caserio is clearly highly regarded, and it seems like only a matter of time before he ends up a front office head somewhere. On paper the Panthers job is a mixed bag. Rhule has done a great job turning the culture around and has guys fighting hard, but they struggled mightily the second half of the season.

There’s some young talent on defense, but the future at quarterback is unsettled with Teddy Bridgewater being competent but underwhelming in his first year as the starter. We’ll keep you posted on this situation.

Patriots Not Expected To Re-Sign Cam Newton

January 3rd, 2021 at 12:28pm CST by Rory Parks

Cam Newton and the Patriots are expected to part ways after the season, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday NFL Countdown this morning (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). This jibes with a report from Mike Reiss of ESPN.com last month.

These rumors are hardly surprising. The 2020 season has mostly been a struggle for Newton and the Patriots, who will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Newton has thrown for just five TDs against 10 interceptions, and his 78.9 quarterback rating is among the league’s worst.

The good news is that he has shown he can still be an effective runner, having rushed 126 times for 513 yards (good for a 4.1 YPC average) and 12 scores. Plus, he has managed to stay healthy this season after concerns about his injury history forced him to accept a below-market deal with the Pats in late June.

Newton’s trip to free agency last offseason was delayed because the Panthers waited to release him until they explored trade options, and COVID-19 protocols at the time did not permit interested teams to evaluate him for awhile. He will have a better chance at securing a favorable deal this offseason, but his poor passing performance will limit his market.

The former MVP would certainly have fared better with a more talented set of receivers surrounding him, but it would still be surprising to see a team sign him and give him a starting job outright. Instead, he will probably be brought aboard by a club that wants to have him compete for a starting role.

The Patriots, meanwhile, will still have Jarrett Stidham under contract in 2021, but they are likely to bring in an established veteran or use a high draft choice on a rookie passer.

Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari, TCU’s Tre’von Moehrig Declare For Draft

January 3rd, 2021 at 12:06pm CST by Rory Parks

Several high-profile collegiate prospects declared for the 2021 NFL draft yesterday. Per Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com, Georgia edge defender Azeez Ojulari is foregoing his final two years of college eligibility and will enter the draft, and TCU safety Tre’von Moehrig announced on Twitter that he is also turning pro.

Ojulari is arguably the best pass rusher in the draft, and most mocks have him going off the board in the first round. He has led the Bulldogs in sacks in each of the past two seasons, and he ended the 2020 season with 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 12.5 tackles for loss. He ended his college career on a high note, having piled up three sacks and two forced fumbles in Georgia’s Peach Bowl victory over Cincinnati. He took home defensive MVP honors for the game and was a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive player.

Ojulari is lauded for the series of pass rush moves that he has already developed, which will serve as a strong foundation for his future in the pros. His technique, along with his size and explosiveness, make him an especially intriguing prospect, and the Broncos, Browns, and Vikings profile as possible landing spots.

Moehrig, meanwhile, is a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, and many pundits — like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. — consider him to be the best safety in the 2021 class. He is a definite playmaker, having recorded nine takeaways over the past two seasons, and is a finalist for the Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back. He is at his best when asked to play a single-high, “centerfielder” role.

Lions Interview Marvin Lewis For HC

January 3rd, 2021 at 11:42am CST by Rory Parks

Thus far, the Lions’ GM search has generated more headlines than their hunt for a new head coach, but their HC pursuit will soon kick into high gear. Detroit started that process by interviewing longtime Bengals HC Marvin Lewis several days ago, as Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report.

Lewis interviewed with the Texans for their HC vacancy last month, so the 62-year-old appears to be firmly back on the NFL radar. He currently serves as the co-defensive coordinator on Herm Edwards‘ staff at Arizona State.

The defensive acumen that he displayed while working as the Ravens’ DC from 1996-01 helped Lewis secure the Cincinnati gig in 2003, a position he held for 16 seasons. Though his 0-7 record in the postseason has garnered plenty of attention and ultimately contributed to Lewis’ ouster, the fact that he got the formerly moribund Bengals to the playoffs seven times during his tenure was in and of itself a major accomplishment.

Detroit is considering a wide variety of candidates for its HC post. Robert Saleh, the current 49ers defensive coordinator, is said to be high atop the team’s wish-list, but the Lions are also considering offensive-minded coaches. Chiefs offensive coordinator and hot commodity Eric Bieniemy is a target, as is Titans OC Arthur Smith.

Peter Schrager of the NFL Network reports that Saleh, Bieniemy, and interim HC Darrell Bevell are expected to interview this week (Twitter link).

Carson Wentz To Request Trade

January 3rd, 2021 at 10:30am CST by Rory Parks

The relationship between Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz is fractured beyond repair, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. Wentz is expected to ask the Eagles for a trade this offseason and will do whatever he can to facilitate a deal out of Philadelphia.

Wentz was benched for rookie signal-caller Jalen Hurts a few weeks ago, but shortly thereafter, it was reported that Philadelphia had not lost faith in Wentz and had no intention of trading him (though that may have simply been a tactic to maintain its leverage in trade negotiations). Wentz, however, was said to be rattled by the team’s decision to select Hurts in the second round of this year’s draft and was upset with how his benching unfolded. As a result, he is looking for a fresh start elsewhere.

Just yesterday, we learned that the Eagles plan to retain Pederson for the 2021 season, so assuming Mortensen’s report is accurate, the club may be choosing its head coach over its former MVP-candidate quarterback. However, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the Eagles still believe the situation is salvageable (Twitter link), so it remains to be seen how aggressive the team will be in trade talks.

If the club does elect to move on from Wentz, a trade is much more feasible than a release. Trading Wentz before the third day of the 2021 league year would result in a dead cap charge of just under $34MM for 2021, but given that Wentz’s cap number for next season is set to be just above $34MM, the Eagles would actually save a bit of cap space and would at least have some draft pick compensation in their pocket. Releasing Wentz would result in a massive dead cap hit of nearly $60MM, and while the Eagles could spread out that hit over two years by designating him a post-June 1 cut, carrying $30MM on the books for two consecutive seasons for a player no longer on the roster wouldn’t make much sense.

Because of the presence of former Eagles OC Frank Reich and their abundance of cap space, the Colts have been rumored as the most likely destination for Wentz in the event a trade is consummated. Indeed, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says Wentz would prefer Indianapolis over several other clubs (video link), and if incumbent Colts signal-caller Philip Rivers elects to retire at season’s end, Indy will certainly be in the market for a QB.

Rapoport says that Rivers, who signed a one-year, $25MM pact with the Colts this offseason, is very much open to retirement, and his decision may hinge on whether the team advances to the playoffs. TV networks are said to be eyeing Rivers, who could easily transition to the broadcast booth if he hangs up the cleats.

Lions To Pursue Seahawks GM John Schneider

January 3rd, 2021 at 9:40am CST by Rory Parks

The Lions are leaving no stone unturned in their search for a new GM. In addition to three in-house candidates and myriad external options, including a few high-profile targets, the club is expected to make a run at Seahawks GM John Schneider, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

Schneider has long been considered one of the best executives in the game, and he and Pete Carroll have forged a remarkably productive GM-HC tandem since they came to Seattle in 2010. Under their leadership, the ‘Hawks have compiled a 111-63-1 record, five division titles, two NFC championships, and a Super Bowl.

But Carroll, not Schneider, has final authority over all personnel decisions. That means that a club like the Lions could interview Schneider if it offers him full control (though as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, it may not be quite that simple, and Detroit may need to send compensation to Seattle if it wants to hire Schneider away). Plus, while Carroll signed a long-term extension several months ago that will run through the 2025 campaign, Schneider is only under contract through the 2022 draft, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Rapoport says that, in addition to Detroit, Schneider is expected to get a call from at least one other team,

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says the Lions would also be interested in Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. Colbert has gone year-to-year with Pittsburgh for awhile, but that’s because he wants to leave open the possibility of retirement. He plans to be back with Pittsburgh in 2021, so it looks like another one-year pact is on the horizon.

Vikings assistant GM George Paton, who has been a fixture on the GM rumor mill in recent years, is also on the Lions’ radar, per Rapoport, and there is a new and interesting connection between Minnesota and Detroit. Paton’s boss, Rick Spielman, is the brother of new Detroit exec Chris Spielman, who is expected to have an integral role in the Lions’ search process.

Cowboys To Retain OC Kellen Moore

January 3rd, 2021 at 9:02am CST by Rory Parks

Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is staying put. Moore may or may not have taken an interview to become Boise State’s head coach, but despite mutual interest between him and his alma mater, the 32-year-old will remain in the professional ranks, the Cowboys announced.

Moore’s contract with Dallas was due to expire at the end of the season, and as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports, he signed a lucrative extension that will run through the 2023 campaign (Twitter link). According to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (via Twitter), Moore would not have even considered collegiate openings, but because it was Boise State that came calling, he had to think about it.

“I am very excited to remain with the Dallas Cowboys as the offensive coordinator,” Moore said. “I will no longer be pursuing the head coaching job at Boise State. I love Boise State. I will always root for them, and I hope one day to be a part of the program again.”

Despite injuries along the Cowboys’ O-line and starting quarterback Dak Prescott this year, the team’s offense is still a top-12 unit in terms of total yardage. Prescott played under the franchise tag this season, but the expectation is that he will remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future, and he has spoken in the past about the importance of a quarterback having continuity at the OC post. The future is also bright at the skill positions and on the offensive line, so Moore’s unit should be able to produce at a high level going forward.

And as Jon Machota of The Athletic observes, Moore’s ultimate goal is to become an NFL head coach. Assuming the offense does, in fact, continue to thrive, he may start attracting HC consideration from other clubs — and maybe even the Cowboys — within the next couple of years.

Another Browns Coach Tests Positive For COVID-19

January 3rd, 2021 at 8:02am CST by Ben Levine

January 3, 8:02am: Browns CB Kevin Johnson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list last night, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. He was supposed to start this afternoon’s critical matchup with Pittsburgh in place of Denzel Ward, who is also on the list. Instead, the club will rely on a combination of Terrance Mitchell, Tavierre Thomas, M.J. Stewart, and Robert Jackson.

Cleveland also elevated UDFA rookie A.J. Green from the practice squad, who may start opposite Mitchell. Green has played one defensive snap this season.

January 2, 1:47pm: The Browns will be without both offensive line coaches Sunday. The team announced Bill Callahan and assistant O-line coach Scott Peters will not coach against the Steelers. Assistant Ryan Cordell will oversee Cleveland’s offensive front during the team’s win-and-in Week 17 assignment. Cordell spent five years with the 49ers, working as both a front office and coaching assistant, and is in his second season as a Browns football research analyst.

While the Browns will be down three coaches, they announced their latest round of contact tracing did not result in more players being identified as high-risk close contacts, Ulrich tweets.

January 2, 9:06am: There’s been another positive COVID-19 test on the Browns’ coaching staff, but as of right now, it doesn’t sound like it will impact Sunday’s game against the Steelers. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the Browns had a positive test and have closed their facility (via Twitter). Josina Anderson tweets that the Browns will not practice this morning.

The Browns released a statement confirming the news (via Twitter):

“The Cleveland Browns were informed this morning that a member of their coaching staff has tested positive for COVID-19. The team will continue virtual meetings as the facility is currently closed while contact tracing is conducted. We will consult with league medical professionals on the appropriate next steps.”

Browns wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea had already been declared unavailable for tomorrow’s game after testing positive earlier this week. Despite the second positive test result, a source told Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal that there’s been no change to that status of tomorrow’s game (Twitter link).

This is obviously poor timing for Cleveland, as the Browns are on the verge of clinching their first playoff spot since the 2002 season. A win against Pittsburgh will secure that postseason appearance, but there are plenty of scenarios where Cleveland could make the playoffs with a loss tomorrow.

With O’Shea testing positive earlier this week, the Browns were forced to close their facilities. The team finally got their first full team practice in yesterday, and everyone understands the significance of preparing for tomorrow’s game.

“We have to be ready,” Browns wideout Jarvis Landry told Ulrich. “We have to win this game. There’s no secret about it.”

Jets Plan To Fire Adam Gase

January 2nd, 2021 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The expected firing of Adam Gase is on track to transpire after Week 17, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. While Gase said earlier this week he has not been notified he will be fired, the Jets’ 0-13 start essentially ensured he would not be back.

This will mark Gase’s second ouster in three seasons; the Dolphins fired him after the 2018 season. He has gone 9-22 with the Jets. Although the former successful OC led his team to upset wins over two potential playoff squads and helped the Jets hire GM Joe Douglas, the past two Jets seasons have involved controversy and continued losing.

As far as a replacement goes, the Jets appear to be looking at a wide array of candidates. Current assistants Eric Bieniemy (Chiefs OC), Matt Eberflus (Colts DC), Don Martindale (Ravens DC), Arthur Smith (Titans OC) and Brandon Staley (Rams DC) are set to be considered. As are college coaches Jim Harbaugh (Michigan), Matt Campbell (Iowa State) and Dan Mullen (Florida), according to NFL.com. Harbaugh, a previous Jets candidate, appears a long shot. The former 49ers coach is finalizing an extension to stay at Michigan, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic tweets.

After leading the Dolphins to the playoffs in his first season as head coach, Gase has seen his teams miss the past four postseason brackets. In New York, he feuded with previous GM Mike Maccagnan and was consistently connected to dissatisfaction with Le’Veon Bell‘s contract and performance. Two-plus months after cutting Bell, the Jets will move on from Gase. They were prepared to fire Gase earlier this week had the Browns upset not occurred, according to NFL.com.

The Jets already fired Gregg Williams after the polarizing defensive coordinator made a play call that cost the Jets an excellent chance at beating the Raiders. Gase and Williams feuded as well. Jets ownership sought Williams, which helped lead to then-Baylor HC Matt Rhule declining to leave the college ranks in 2019. Rhule ended up in Carolina a year later.

Gase’s Jets offense rarely generated much excitement. The team has struggled to build an offensive line and did not equip Sam Darnold well at the skill positions. As a result, the former No. 3 overall pick has regressed. And during the months in which the Jets were connected to Trevor Lawrence, Darnold frequently landed in trade rumors. As Darnold’s third season concludes, his status is in limbo. The Jets are set to hold the No. 2 overall pick in April and could well look at a quarterback to begin the post-Gase era.