HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Broncos Interview Kris Richard For DC Job

February 16th, 2023 at 12:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Denver’s defensive coordinator search now includes one of Sean Payton‘s former Saints staffers. The team has met with ex-New Orleans assistant Kris Richard, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Saints recently parted ways with Richard, one of their two co-defensive coordinators last season, but he joined New Orleans’ staff during Payton’s time. Richard, 43, was the Saints’ defensive backs coach during Payton’s final season in New Orleans.

[RELATED: Broncos Request Vance Joseph DC Interview]

Best known for his Seattle tenure, Richard came up for the Denver job earlier this month. Payton has been connected to a few of his former Saints staffers, interviewing Ronald Curry for the Broncos’ OC position. And Richard has some notable experience here.

After seeing both Gus Bradley and Dan Quinn become head coaches elsewhere, the Seahawks promoted Richard in 2015. The Legion of Boom’s position coach, Richard finished off the Bradley-, Quinn- and Pete Carroll-led run of Seattle leading the NFL in scoring defense in four straight seasons. No team had accomplished that since the Browns in the 1950s. Richard re-emerged as a DC last season, working alongside Ryan Nielsen. The Saints ranked in both the top 10 in total defense and points allowed, but after Nielsen left for Atlanta, Dennis Allen still made a change. Allen hired ex-Broncos DC Joe Woods after an interview process that looked to be just Woods.

This would be a new opportunity for Richard, whose two chances at DC posts came under defensive-minded HCs. Payton is, of course, an offense-oriented leader. His search has featured veterans and younger coaches, with Sean Desai and Rex Ryan coming up most often in this search. Despite Ryan being an NFL Countdown staple since being fired by the Bills late in the 2016 season, he is viewed as the favorite for the Denver job.

Rams To Add Jimmy Lake To Staff

February 16th, 2023 at 12:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean McVay will give Jimmy Lake an opportunity, more than a year after Washington fired him as head coach. The Rams will add the former Pac-12 HC to their staff, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Washington fired Lake before his second season as HC ended, doing so after suspending him for an incident in which he appeared to strike a player on the sidelines. With another complaint against Lake coming out during his suspension, Washington moved on in November 2021. But Lake had visited the Rams as a guest of Raheem Morris in the past, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, who notes he has been on the team’s radar for about a month (Twitter link).

Lake, 46, was with Washington for eight seasons, rising from Huskies defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator to head coach in that span. Morris appears set to hire Lake to his defensive staff, though Pelissero notes it is uncertain what the role will be.

Morris and Lake were both on Jon Gruden‘s Buccaneers staff in the 2000s, with McVay also starting his career by spending a season under Gruden. Lake also worked as defensive backs coach under Morris in Tampa from 2010-11; he spent the next decade at the college level. The Rams moved on from defensive backs coach Jonathan Cooley last month; Cooley is now with the Panthers.

Washington fired Lake after the above-referenced incident, which occurred just after one of his players argued with an Oregon player during a 2021 game. The Seattle Times also reported Lake faced an allegation of being physical with a player during halftime of a 2019 game. Lake has been in coaching since 1999. He only ended up leading the Huskies for 13 games, going 7-6.

The Rams are also promoting Zak Kromer to be their assistant offensive line coach, Rodrigue tweets. The son of former Rams O-line coach Aaron Kromer, Zak has been with the Rams for the past six seasons. Aaron Kromer remains with the Bills, who lost their assistant O-line coach — Ryan Wendell — to the Rams; Wendell is now Los Angeles’ O-line coach.

Colts Request OC Interview With Jaguars’ Jim Bob Cooter

February 16th, 2023 at 10:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Four years after his Lions offensive coordinator stint, Jim Bob Cooter has received considerable interest about moving back up the ladder. The Jaguars assistant has now received three OC interview requests.

The Colts want to speak with the Jags’ pass-game coordinator about their OC job, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Since the hiring period began, Cooter has received meeting requests from the Buccaneers and Panthers as well. He has gone through with both interviews, with Joe Person of The Athletic noting (via Twitter) the Panthers meeting has taken place.

This would be a for a non-play-calling role, however. Shane Steichen has confirmed he will call plays in Indianapolis. Frank Reich has not yet done so in Carolina, though the ex-Colts coach operated as the team’s play-caller throughout his time in the AFC South. The Bucs have filled their OC post, hiring Dave Canales on Wednesday night. Cooter served as the Lions’ primary play-caller under Jim Caldwell and Matt Patricia, though it has been a bit since that stint concluded.

Although the Jags may not be thrilled about Cooter interviewing with a division rival, they cannot block the meeting from taking place. Since the job involves a promotion, Cooter is free to meet with the Colts. Cooter, 38, has been with the Jags for a year, coming over after Doug Pederson‘s hire. The Jags have built an extensive brain trust for Trevor Lawrence, with Pederson calling plays but Cooter, OC Press Taylor and quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy spearheading a turnaround this past season.

Steichen and Cooter have not overlapped during their careers thus far. Cooter has been with three teams since the Lions moved on following the 2018 season. He spent two years as the Jets’ running backs coach under Adam Gase and was an Eagles consultant in 2021. The Colts must interview at least one external minority candidate for their OC role, though based on how thorough the team was during its HC search, there will likely be a few interview requests sent out before this process wraps.

The Lions promoted Cooter to OC when he was just 31, and Matthew Stafford finished eighth in QBR in each of Cooter’s first two years as OC. The Jags are coming off a remarkable turnaround, going from picking first overall to advancing to the divisional round. Lawrence showed consistent promise down the stretch, culminating with his leading the third-biggest comeback in NFL playoff history — a 27-point rally past the Chargers in the wild-card round.

Giants Open To $14MM-Per-Year Saquon Barkley Deal?

February 16th, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Sam Robinson

With Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley‘s free agencies happening in the same year, the Giants face the prospect of losing their two-time Pro Bowl running back. They have made their priority clear: Jones’ positional value will lead to the quarterback being the first order of business. That clouds Barkley’s Big Apple future.

The Giants did approach Barkley about an extension before Jones, entering negotiations with the former Offensive Rookie of the Year during their bye week. But GM Joe Schoen confirmed the sides did not come close on terms. The Giants were believed to have offered Barkley a deal worth around $12.5MM per year. While Barkley said he was not looking to reset the running back market, he is believed to be looking for an accord in the Christian McCaffrey neighborhood ($16MM AAV).

A compromise may be in reach, however. Should the talks move to a $14MM per year compromise, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes that is believed to be enough to finalize a deal. This would place Barkley between the first and second tiers at his position, bridging a narrow gap between the McCaffrey-Alvin Kamara plane ($15MM and up) and the field.

This might not be a splashy conclusion for Barkley’s camp, with McCaffrey’s deal having topped the market for almost three years now, but it would set up the former No. 2 overall pick to be a pivotal part of the team’s Jones-centric future. Guarantee structure would also play an obvious role in Barkley agreeing to an extension ahead of free agency, though the running back — via his draft-slot contract and fifth-year option — has already done quite well for himself.

Barkley has said he would like to return, and it would be interesting to see the Giants’ skill-position centerpiece agree to a new contract before testing the market. Feelers to potentially interested teams would undoubtedly occur, with the Combine (the illegal tampering hub) approaching. But a host of running backs being near free agency also opens the door to a buyer’s market forming at a position that has not fared too well in recent Marches. Since Le’Veon Bell‘s $13.13MM-AAV Jets deal in 2019, no running back has signed for more than $7MM annually on the open market. Each of the league’s RB deals in the $12MM-AAV range — for Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones — came via extensions.

Then again, Barkley is more talented than just about any back to reach free agency over the past several years. Even with the prospect of Kareem Hunt, Miles Sanders, Jamaal Williams, Devin Singletary and David Montgomery hitting the market together, Barkley would reside as the clear-cut top prize. He led the league in yards from scrimmage (2,028) as a rookie and showed he could hold up for a full season in 2022, totaling 1,650 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns while anchoring a bottom-tier Giants skill corps. Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard being tagged would only increase Barkley’s value.

The Giants have been linked to a willingness to match or surpass $35MM per year for Jones, and Raanan confirms the quarterback’s extension is expected to check in north of that number. Jones on this deal and Barkley at $14MM per year — on a team that has extension candidates in Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas — would bring a major change from its 2022 payroll setup, thus impacting the team’s funds for outside upgrades. But the salary cap’s steady rise will be beneficial here. The cap will climb by nearly $17MM this year, moving to $224.8MM.

Conflicting reports have emerged about the Giants’ appetite for tagging Barkley, though Raanan notes a Jones extension before the tag window closes (March 7) leaving the door open for a Barkley tag is the team’s preferred option. Schoen has referenced a Jones tag, but that cap hold ($32.4MM) would hinder the Giants’ free agency plans. Tagging Barkley would cost the Giants just $10.1MM. This limits Barkley’s leverage with the team, and with the tag window opening Tuesday, the Giants’ Barkley-Jones setup remains the most interesting situation on this front.

Broncos Request DC Interview With Cardinals’ Vance Joseph

February 16th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Sam Robinson

Vance Joseph‘s status in Arizona remains in limbo, but with Jonathan Gannon likely to make changes (and already connected to other names on the defensive side of the ball), it appears likely the veteran coach will be elsewhere in 2023. On that note, Joseph has received an unusual request.

The Broncos are interested in interviewing him for their defensive coordinator position, Mike Klis of 9News reports (on Twitter). Joseph has spent the past four years in Arizona, trekking south after the Broncos fired him in 2019. Joseph remains under contract with the Cardinals, who could block the move. But the fact the Broncos are seeking this interview in the first place offers intrigue.

While Joseph is not long removed from his two-year tenure as Denver’s head coach, the Broncos do have a new regime in place. John Elway hired Joseph in 2017, famously going with the defense-oriented leader after a process that included a Kyle Shanahan interview, and pulled the plug after Joseph’s 11-21 tenure. The Broncos now have George Paton in place as GM and Sean Payton running the show as head coach. The team features new ownership as well.

It would be interesting to see if Joseph goes through with the interview, but it would not be unprecedented to see a team’s former head coach return as its defensive coordinator. It’s happened twice in the AFC West in the not-so-distant past. The Broncos brought back Wade Phillips in 2015, doing so after firing him as HC (to pave way for Mike Shanahan‘s 1995 hire). Less time had passed for the Chiefs, who rehired Gunther Cunningham — their head coach from 1999-2000 — as DC in 2004. Cunningham stayed on as DC under Dick Vermeil and Herm Edwards for five seasons.

The Cardinals interviewed Joseph for their HC position early in their lengthy search process but ended up preferring two other DCs — finalists Gannon and Lou Anarumo. Joseph, 50, oversaw DVOA’s 24th-ranked defense in 2022 but had more success in previous seasons. Despite the Cards missing J.J. Watt for much of the season and having issues at cornerback, their 2021 defense ranked sixth in DVOA. In 2020, the metric measured Joseph’s Cards defense as the league’s 10th-best unit. In Denver, Joseph’s 2017 defense — which still featured some troops from the team’s Super Bowl-winning unit — ranked third in yards allowed. Though, the franchise’s quarterback issues that sank Vic Fangio initially keyed Joseph’s Denver ouster. Justin Simmons is the only defender left on the roster who played under Joseph.

Denver’s DC search has gone in a few directions. The most notable names now connected to it are Rex Ryan and Sean Desai, and Mike Zimmer has now been connected to both the Broncos and Cardinals. Ryan may now be the favorite here, despite having not coached since 2016. But Joseph — an ex-Colorado Buffalo — would certainly be an interesting addition to Denver’s mix.

Bucs To Hire Seahawks’ Dave Canales As OC

February 15th, 2023 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Buccaneers have landed on their new offensive coordinator, hiring Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales to call plays in Tampa Bay next season, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The longtime Seattle staffer made a true name for himself with the help of a resurgent season by veteran quarterback Geno Smith and will now get the opportunity to lead an entire offense.

The Seahawks gave Canales his first opportunity in the NFL back in 2010 as their wide receivers coach. Before that his only coaching experience was as the offensive coordinator at his former high school, the special teams & tight ends coach at El Camino College, and the assistant strength and conditioning coach at USC. Over seven years in his initial role in Seattle, Canales developed Seahawks receivers like Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, Sidney Rice, Jermaine Kearse, Percy Harvin, Paul Richardson, and Tyler Lockett. Despite the many big names, only Baldwin ever eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in a season under Canales, who typically developed a versatile room of targets.

In 2018, Canales was granted the quarterbacks coaching position, tasked with mentoring seventh-year veteran Russell Wilson and backup quarterback Brett Hundley. Although he wouldn’t play, Smith would join the roster the following season. For the next four years, two of which he spent under the title of passing game coordinator, Canales worked primarily with Wilson as the starter, tutoring Smith through the few appearances he would make during the time.

In 2022, with the trade that would send Wilson to the Broncos, Canales’s years of tutelage over Smith would be put to the test. Today, it’s fair to say that both Smith and Canales passed with flying colors as Smith would go on to lead the NFL in completion percentage, lead the Seahawks to the playoffs in their first season without Wilson, earn a Pro Bowl bid, and win the Comeback Player of the Year award.

Canales is now getting his due credit, as well, being rewarded with the opportunity to lead an NFL offense for the first time in his career. Canales will be tasked with a similar challenge as he faced this past season. After three seasons with Tom Brady at quarterback, Tampa Bay, barring a move in free agency, trade, or the draft, will be turning to either a veteran backup who started early in his career in Blaine Gabbert or a young developing quarterback in Kyle Trask.

Canales received recognition for his coaching of Smith early, receiving coordinator interest from both Tampa Bay and Baltimore. He actually was a strong candidate for the Ravens’ position, receiving a second interview for the job that would eventually go to Todd Monken. Regardless, Canales is the man for the Buccaneers. Under head coach Todd Bowles, Canales and the Buccaneers will look to return to playoffs in the post-Brady era.

AFC Coaching Rumors: Broncos, Henry, Texans, Donatell

February 15th, 2023 at 8:14pm CST by Ely Allen

As has been expected for a little while now, Saints offensive assistant Declan Doyle will be departing New Orleans to join Sean Payton‘s new staff in Denver, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The original reports about Doyle indicated that he was in consideration for a first-time position coaching role leading the tight ends for the Broncos, but Underhill’s recent report didn’t specify what his role would be.

The Broncos made another minor coaching staff addition today, hiring someone who has a bit of a different connection to New Orleans, as reported by Zach Barnett of Football Scoop. While not a former Saints staffer, new Broncos passing game quality control coach Logan Kilgore was the offensive coordinator for new Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning during their time together at the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Kilgore was set to rejoin head coach Butch Jones at Arkansas State as the Red Wolves’ tight ends coach after working as an offensive analyst with the team in 2021. Instead, Kilgore is headed to Denver, where he will work with many other former New Orleans coaches.

Here are a few other coaching rumors from around the AFC, starting with a new assistant coaching hire in Buffalo:

  • The Bills have hired a veteran to their staff in longtime wide receivers coach Adam Henry, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Newtork. Henry has coached the position at McNeese State, LSU, and Indiana at the college level, serving, as well, as offensive coordinator at McNeese State, passing game coordinator at LSU, and co-offensive coordinator at Indiana. At the NFL level, Henry’s first position coaching role was as tight ends coach under Tom Cable in Oakland. Since then, he has coached receivers for the 49ers, Giants, Browns, and Cowboys. An interesting aspect of this hire is Henry’s connection to free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Henry coached both Beckham and Jarvis Landry when the two were at LSU and in Cleveland.
  • The Texans have made a number of decisions recently for new head coach DeMeco Ryans‘s staff, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. First, Houston hired former Browns defensive line coach Chris Kiffin as their new linebackers coach. The younger brother of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and former NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Chris formerly worked alongside Ryans during their time together in San Francisco. Second, the team chose to retain defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire from Lovie Smith‘s staff. Under Cesaire, the defensive line saw surprising contributions from defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and defensive tackle Maliek Collins. Third, former 49ers defensive passing game specialist and secondary coach Cory Undlin is expected to reunite with Ryans as the Texans defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach. Finally, fourth, after choosing not to retain offensive line coach George Warhop, Colts offensive line coach Chris Strausser has emerged as the leading candidate to replace him.
  • The Dolphins have requested to interview Chargers assistant secondary coach Tom Donatell for the secondary coaching position in Miami, according to a tweet by Pelissero. The son of Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, Tom is making his own way up through the coaching ranks of the NFL.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/15/23

February 15th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the only minor moves from today:

New England Patriots

Hayes has bounced around quite a bit in his first three years of NFL play with New England being his fifth destination. He played in the last two games for the Patriots this year. Wilkerson signed with the Patriots practice squad in 2020 after initially signing as an undrafted free agent with the Titans. The former All-OVC receiver out of Southeast Missouri State showed promise at the end of the 2021 season, catching four passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start but was placed on injured reserve just before the start of the 2022 season. Nordin has had a bumpy road as a Patriot. Initially being chosen to kick for the team over Nick Folk as an undrafted rookie out of Michigan in 2021, despite a preseason game that saw him miss a 36-yard field goal and two extra points, Nordin never saw action in his rookie season due to injury. He spent the 2022 season on the reserve/non-football injury list.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/15/23

February 15th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s reserve/futures contracts:

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

The Chiefs will likely enter into extension talks with Creed Humphrey when the Pro Bowler becomes eligible in 2024, but they are also retaining their Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LV center starter. Reiter, 31, played for the Dolphins in 2021 but did not see any action for the Chiefs this season. The Chiefs cut Shelton after training camp but kept the veteran defensive tackle around on their practice squad. Shelton, 29, played in one game for the Super Bowl champions this season and will be set to collect a second Super Bowl ring; his first came in 2018 with the Patriots.

Allen, 28, put his track and field career on pause to attempt a football comeback, and the two-time Olympic 110-meter hurdle finalist resided on the Eagles’ practice squad all season. While the Paris Games are not until 2024, Allen ran 2022’s top 110 hurdle time (12.84 seconds) — which doubled as the third-fastest time in history — and will be on the radar to claim his first world championship in the event. This year’s World Track and Field Championships are slated for Aug. 19-27 in Budapest, so it will be interesting to see if Allen puts track aside for the time being or if the Eagles greenlight dual participation. The Bears did so for long jumper/wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in 2021, but that was for an Olympic Trials competition that did not conflict with training camp.

Ravens Re-Sign Brent Urban, Daryl Worley

February 15th, 2023 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two Ravens role players remain in the organization’s plans. The team re-signed both Brent Urban and Daryl Worley on Wednesday. Both were on one-year deals in 2022.

Both journeymen found their way to Baltimore last year, with Urban a 2014 Ravens draftee who had been elsewhere from 2019-21. Each re-signed on one-year deals in 2022, and it should be expected Wednesday’s pacts match that duration.

Urban, 31, played a bigger role for the 2022 Ravens, seeing action on 29% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps. Urban joined Michael Pierce as a defensive lineman who returned to the Ravens after seasons away and will now join Calais Campbell among 30-something D-linemen to return to the team. Campbell recently announced he was coming back.

The Ravens used Urban as a full-time starter during his initial contract year, back in 2018, but let him walk in free agency. Urban moved on to the Titans but caught on with the Bears and Cowboys in between Baltimore stays. Last season, Urban forced three fumbles, registered a sack and two tackles for loss. He will be in line to compete for a depth role again.

Worley, 27, flooded the transaction wire last year, signing with the Ravens in August and bouncing on and off their practice squad on a near-weekly basis. The Ravens used the veteran more as a special-teamer. In the eight games he played, the seventh-year veteran saw action on 41% of the Ravens’ ST plays last season. Worley started the team’s season finale against the Bengals, however.

The Ravens are Worley’s eighth team. The former Panthers third-round pick has also stopped by for stints with the Eagles (non-regular-season stopover), Raiders, Bills, Cowboys, Cardinals and Lions.

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