2022 February - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Hire Anthony Lynn As AHC

February 4th, 2022 at 7:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers are hiring Anthony Lynn as their new Assistant Head Coach (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Lynn will be tasked with helping to guide the 49ers’ offense with a focus on the ground game, Schefter hears.

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Lynn, 53, spent four years as the Chargers’ head coach. His highpoint came in 2018 as he guided the Bolts to a 12-4 record and a playoff win. Things took a turn after that, however. The Chargers went just 5-11 last season and 7-9 in 2020, losing a mind-boggling amount of close games in those final two campaigns.

Lynn spent the 2021 season as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, but head coach Dan Campbell didn’t invite him back for ’22. The Lions averaged just 16.8 points per game during Lynn’s eight games as the play-caller, and they failed to record a win during that time. In the following eight contests, they averaged 19.25 points per game, squeezing out two victories and a tie.

Still, Schefter hears that Lynn had a healthy market in this cycle, garnering offers in the pro and NCAA ranks. Despite his lackluster run in Detroit, he’s still regarded as a solid offensive mind, particularly when it comes to the ground game.

For now, Lynn is set to report to Mike McDaniel, though he’s also in the mix for the Dolphins’ head coaching job.

Colts To Hire Gus Bradley As DC

February 4th, 2022 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts have tabbed their Matt Eberflus replacement. Gus Bradley has landed Indianapolis’ defensive coordinator job, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star reports (on Twitter).

Bradley joined Jim Schwartz, Chris Harris, Joe Cullen, Kris Richard and Joe Whitt Jr. in interviewing for the position. This will continue an interesting stretch for Bradley, who will be a defensive coordinator for a third team in three seasons. The former Jaguars HC will move from the Chargers to the Raiders to the Colts.

Bradley, 55, spent four seasons with the Seahawks, Jaguars and Chargers before being a one-and-done with the Raiders. Las Vegas changing regimes led Bradley back onto the market, and he landed on his feet yet again. Eberflus spent the past four years leading the Colts’ defense, and Bradley will now be in charge of a group that houses Pro Bowlers in DeForest Buckner, Darius Leonard and Kenny Moore. The Colts have ranked in the top 10 in points allowed in three of the past four seasons, finishing ninth in 2021.

Three four of Bradley’s four Chargers defenses ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed. The 2018 unit finished third, spearheading a 12-4 Bolts season. This season’s Raiders defense ranked 14th in yardage but 26th in points yielded, bottoming out in two blowout losses to the Chiefs. The Raiders did make strides, with Maxx Crosby earning a Pro Bowl nod and multi-city Bradley charge Casey Hayward grading as one of Pro Football Focus’ top-rated cornerbacks.

Initially making a name for himself by being the Seahawks’ DC during the Legion of Boom’s first seasons together, Bradley parlayed the group’s 2012 success into a shot as the Jaguars’ head coach. That tenure did not go well, and the Jags canned Bradley after a 14-48 record. This Colts gig will be Bradley’s fourth as an NFL DC.

Ravens Hire Ex-Browns VP Sashi Brown; Team President Dick Cass To Retire

February 4th, 2022 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ravens president Dick Cass is stepping down after 18 years on the job, and the team will add a familiar name in AFC North circles to replace him. Former Browns executive VP Sashi Brown is coming aboard to replace Cass.

Cass, 76, took over as Ravens president shortly after owner Steve Bisciotti bought the team in 2004. For Brown, this is a return to the NFL after a few years away. Brown has been with the Washington Wizards since 2019 but officially vacated that position Friday. The Ravens will make their Cass-to-Brown transition April 1, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (on Twitter).

Brown is best known for being the point man in charge of a radical rebuild effort in Cleveland a few years ago. The Browns gutted their roster in 2016 and geared their rebuild around an analytics approach. This led to one of the worst stretches in NFL history, with the Browns going 1-31 from 2016-17. Jimmy Haslam fired Brown late in the 2017 season, hiring John Dorsey to replace him. Prior to Brown’s Cleveland stay, he spent nearly 10 years with the Jaguars, working on the business side.

Brown’s name resurfaced prior to this Ravens move. Hue Jackson accused Haslam of paying out bonuses to himself, Brown and others associated with tanking during that two-year span. Haslam denied the accusation. Brown will now have a chance to bounce back in the NFL, joining GM Eric DeCosta and John Harbaugh as a top Ravens power broker.

Raiders Interview Patrick Graham For DC, Set Up OC Meeting With Drew Petzing

February 4th, 2022 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Patrick Graham has generated considerable attention this offseason. After making it to the final round of the Vikings’ HC search, he booked a Raiders defensive coordinator interview.

The Raiders are interviewing the Giants’ DC for the same position Friday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. They also requested a meeting with Browns tight ends coach Drew Petzing, Zac Jackson of The Athletic tweets. Petzing will interview for Las Vegas’ OC job Saturday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Should Graham’s Raiders interview go well, he may have an interesting decision to make. New Giants HC Brian Daboll wants Graham back as DC, despite the latter being a Joe Judge holdover. Daboll and Graham worked together in New England, however. Graham also has close ties to the new Raiders power structure, having worked alongside Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler with the Patriots. McDaniels and Graham overlapped as Pats staffers from the 2011 playoffs — when McDaniels returned after a one-and-done Rams OC stint — through the end of the 2015 season, after which Graham left for his first run as a Giants assistant.

The Vikings chose Rams OC Kevin O’Connell over Graham, but Graham has now met with three teams — also being up for the Steelers’ DC job that went to in-house candidate Teryl Austin — this offseason. The 43-year-old defensive play-caller will land on his feet soon. The Raiders poaching Graham would force the Giants into other plans.

This upcoming OC interview marks new territory for Petzing, who has been a position coach for the past several seasons. Petzing, 34, has worked with Browns HC Kevin Stefanski throughout his career. After five years with the Vikings, Petzing went with Stefanski to Cleveland in 2020. McDaniels plans to call plays for the Raiders, minimizing their next OC’s role to some degree. The team has its new QBs coach in place already, in Bo Hardegree. The Raiders are also retaining wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett.

Chiefs Sign Justin Watson, Audition Shane Ray

February 4th, 2022 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite his first-round pedigree, Shane Ray has not played in a regular-season game since his Broncos rookie contract expired after the 2018 season. The Chiefs are checking on the former Broncos edge rusher, however.

Ray worked out for the Chiefs on Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The former University of Missouri pass rusher is a Kansas City native. The Chiefs also met with former Buccaneers wide receiver Justin Watson and tight end Josh Pederson, the son of new Jaguars HC Doug Pederson. Watson has since signed with the Chiefs, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Toronto Argonauts signed Ray last year, and he played five games with the CFL team. Ray, 28, worked as a starter opposite Von Miller in 15 games from 2016-17. Both Ray and Shaquil Barrett were rotational backups on Denver’s dominant Super Bowl-winning defense in 2015, but the duo’s paths diverged in the years that followed. Beyond Ray’s eight-sack 2016, he could not come especially close to justifying Denver’s 2015 first-round investment.

A fifth-round Bucs pick in 2018, Watson caught two touchdown passes during the 2019 season but did not see the field much during the franchise’s Tom Brady seasons. He suited up for 11 games during the 2020 season, playing in the NFC championship game that Antonio Brown missed, but only played in one this season.

Seahawks Make Defensive Staff Changes

February 4th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks’ Ken Norton Jr. replacement effort appears to be a multi-pronged approach. Not only will Clint Hurtt move up to Seattle’s defensive coordinator post, but the team is also expected to bring in Ed Donatell.

Hurtt will rise from defensive line coach to DC, Bob Condotta and Adam Jude of the Seattle Times report. Donatell, who interviewed for the DC gig, is expected to join Seattle’s staff in a different role, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. A senior defensive assistant title appears likely for Donatell, a veteran coordinator who has been an NFL assistant since 1990.

Sean Desai, whom the Bears promoted to DC in Matt Nagy‘s final season, is also a Seahawks target, according to the Seattle Times. Desai, Donatell and Hurtt have worked for Vic Fangio in the past, making for an interesting arrangement in Seattle. The Seahawks endured brutal starts to the past two seasons on defense, being on pace for record-setting yardage totals, though each of Norton’s final two units stabilized to some degree. This will double as the team’s top staff shakeup this offseason, with Pete Carroll and OC Shane Waldron sticking around.

As should be expected, Carroll is interested in incorporating Fangio’s system. Donatell spent the past three seasons running it in Denver, operating as Broncos DC. Despite Bradley Chubb‘s injury trouble and Von Miller‘s midseason departure, the Broncos finished in the top 10 in total defense and points allowed this season. Donatell and Carroll have worked together with the Jets in the early 1990s and were each part of the University of Pacific’s staff back in 1983.

Hurtt, 43, has been with the Seahawks since 2017. He worked under Fangio in Chicago from 2015-16. This will be his first chance at a coordinator role at any level. Desai received that opportunity last year. Despite the Bears losing Khalil Mack midway through the season, Desai’s unit ranked sixth in total defense. Robert Quinn broke Richard Dent‘s 37-year-old team sack record, finishing with 18.5. Desai’s Seattle arrival will be contingent on him not landing the Las Vegas DC job. The Raiders interviewed Desai on Thursday.

Steelers Interview Three GM Candidates

February 4th, 2022 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Kevin Colbert‘s lengthy Steelers GM tenure will not conclude until after the draft, the team is beginning to meet with potential replacements. Three external candidates interviewed for the job this week.

Titans VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden joined Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds and Chargers director of player personnel JoJo Wooden in meeting with Steelers president Art Rooney II in Mobile, Ala., during Senior Bowl week, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes.

All three came up in at least one other team’s GM search this year. Dodds met with two other teams — the Bears and Raiders — ahead of his Steelers interview, which also likely included Colbert and Mike Tomlin, who are also in Mobile. Cowden met with the Giants last month, while the Bears targeted Wooden before hiring Ryan Poles. Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan is also a candidate to succeed Colbert.

While Pittsburgh is in need of a starting quarterback for the first time in nearly 20 years, Colbert’s impending departure vacates the team’s GM chair for the first time in more than 20. Colbert, however, is open to staying with the Steelers in a reduced capacity, Dulac adds (on Twitter). Colbert has been with the Steelers since 2000.

With the Colts since 2017, Dodds withdrew from both the Bears’ 2022 GM search and the Panthers’ search process last year. The former Seahawks exec also pulled out of the Browns’ GM search in 2020. Cowden is in his sixth year with the Titans, coming to Tennessee after 16 years with the Panthers. Wooden has been with the Chargers since Tom Telesco‘s GM tenure began in 2013.

Ravens Notes: Lamar Jackson, Marquise Brown, Coaching Staff Changes

February 4th, 2022 at 1:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta held an end-of-season press conference on Friday. In it, he provided updates on a number of key points in the team’s upcoming offseason, including the current status of contract negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

DeCosta made it clear that he is personally handling talks with Jackson, and has been from the beginning of the negotiation process. He added that the two of them have spoken “five or six times over the past year” (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, DeCosta added “I’m proud of the relationship that we have” (Twitter link).

Jackson certainly didn’t have the season he or the Ravens were expecting. In 12 games, he recorded 2,882 passing yards and a near-even (16:13) touchdown-to-interception ratio. While he added another 767 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, he also had six fumbles. Between those numbers, and a season-ending ankle injury, 2021 was a far cry from Jackson’s 2019 MVP campaign. If anything, that could further complicate his contract talks, which were reportedly not proceeding as hoped earlier in the season. DeCosta stated: “We’re working at Lamar’s pace… We will operate based on his urgency” (Twitter link), suggesting the team is willing to let the 25-year-old play on his fifth year option.

Here are some other important notes from the presser, along with some updates to the team’s coaching staff:

DeCosta said he expects to pick up the fifth year option on wide receiver Marquise Brown (Twitter link via Hensley). A close friend of Jackson’s, Brown had his most productive season in 2021 (91 catches, 1,008 yards, six touchdowns), though he tailed off considerably late in the campaign.
The offensive line will be a priority in the offseason. As Zrebiec tweets, DeCosta stated a desire to strengthen the unit overall, though he is “optimistic” left tackle Ronnie Stanley will be able to return to full health after a second major ankle surgery.
Zreibec adds that the team is planning on getting younger along the defensive front. With that said, DeCosta has already been in communication with veteran Calais Campbell, who was thought to be contemplating retirement throughout the year.
Hensley tweets that cornerback Marcus Peters is expected to be back. He missed the entire season and his release would create $10MM in cap space, but the former All-Pro would provide a playmaking element to the secondary if healthy.
As for the coaching staff, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that inside linebackers coach Rob Ryan will not return. Hensley adds that outside LBs coach Drew Wilkins has also been let go, to pursue new opportunities alongside former DC Don Martindale.
According to Zrebiec, former Raven Zach Orr is a candidate to replace Ryan. After his promising career was abruptly ended due to a rare neck ailment, he’s taken to coaching. He spent 2021 on the Jaguars’ staff.

Lions “Open For Business” On No. 2 Pick

February 4th, 2022 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

While it’s still early days when it comes to the draft process for 2022, Lions general manager Brad Holmes has made it clear that he’s not leaving out any options during the offseason, even with regards to the team’s second overall pick in April. He stated the team is “definitely open for business” when asked about the availability of that selection (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).

During an interview with Pelissero at the Senior Bowl, Holmes said “I’m never scared to move around” during the draft. In a year without a consensus top choice, not to mention one where Detroit has another first round pick (as a result of the Jared Goff trade), moving down the board would make a good degree of sense.

The two highest-rated prospects in this year’s class, according to most, are edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Aidan Hutchinson. While the Lions would be guaranteed at least one of them by remaining at No. 2, they could end up with both being on the board if the Jaguars use the first pick on Alabama tackle Evan Neal, as some believe they will.

Prioritizing the defense in the draft would certainly make sense for the Lions, as they finished 31st in the league in points allowed in 2021. That could still be accomplished with the likes of cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. or safety Kyle Hamilton, though, if the team moved down slightly.

With plenty of holes to fill this offseason, Detroit has a number of decisions to make to rebound from the first season of the Dan Campbell era. Flexibility in the draft would certainly go a long way to helping rebuild the roster, even if it were to mean moving out of a top-two draft slot.

Mike Pettine Favorite For Vikings’ DC Job?

February 4th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Adam La Rose

With it all-but official that Kevin O’Connell will become the next head coach of the Vikings, there is a growing sense that his first defensive coordinator is soon to be named. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that Mike Pettine is the “likely” hire as DC.

Specifically, La Canfora says “I keep hearing” Pettine’s name attached to the DC job in Minnesota. The 55-year-old has been a coach in the NFL dating back to 2002. He’s had three different stints as a DC, with the Jets, Bills and Packers. The latter chose not to renew his contract after the 2020 season. He spent this year with the Bears under the title of senior defensive assistant.

Chicago ranked sixth in the league in yards allowed, and fourth in sacks. That success came with players like Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks each missing considerable time. Pettine’s experience helped Sean Desai during his first campaign as a coordinator, which has garnered him interest from the Raiders.

If Pettine were to take on a fourth DC job, he would be tasked with guiding a Minnesota unit that finished 30th in the league in yards allowed and 24th in points against last year. The team has a litany of veterans that are pending free agents, especially on the edge and in the secondary. An offseason of roster turnover could at least be helped by the presence of a veteran coach with plenty of experience in the NFC North.