HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Jets To Hire Todd Downing As Passing Game Coordinator

February 13th, 2023 at 11:53am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets made a notable move when they hired Nathaniel Hackett as their new offensive coordinator. Another key addition has reportedly been made to their staff.

New York is hiring Todd Downing to serve as their passing game coordinator, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). He meets head coach Robert Saleh‘s previously stated goal of adding an experienced offensive staffer, something not accomplished by hiring Hackett as OC. The latter’s stint as head coach of the Broncos led to his dismissal before his rookie HC campaign ended, and did not see him retain play-calling duties throughout his tenure.

Downing, 42, spent the past two seasons as the Titans’ offensive coordinator. Tennessee kept him in place following his November DUI charge, but fired him at the end of the season. The Titans ranked near the bottom of the NFL in terms of both total and scoring offense in 2022, as running back Derrick Henry was less effective than usual and the team struggled to generate consistent production in the passing game.

Tennessee has since promoted Tim Kelly to their OC position, but Downing was quickly able to find his next NFL gig. The latter has plenty of familiarity with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, given their time spent together in Nashville. Prior to that, Downing also worked as the QBs coach, and later offensive coordinator, of the Raiders. That allowed him to spend time with Derek Carr, who is expected to hit free agency in the coming days and be a target of the Jets. New York is in the market for an upgrade under center, and Downing would be a familiar face to those two passers should an Aaron Rodgers acquisition not come to fruition.

Downing will join offensive line coach Keith Carter, who also made the move from Tennessee to New York upon Hackett’s hiring. Downing worked with the latter in Buffalo in 2014, so he will provide not only experience but familiarity as well, as the new-look Jets staff aims for a step forward on offense in 2023.

Chiefs QB Chad Henne Retires

February 13th, 2023 at 10:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs will have their head coach around for at least one more season, but they do need to find a new backup quarterback. Chad Henne announced (via Instagram) in the aftermath of Kansas City’s Super Bowl victory that he is retiring.

The 37-year-old spent the first nine years of his career in Florida. A second-round pick of the Dolphins in 2008, he started 31 of his 36 appearances in Miami before being replaced by Ryan Tannehill. That led Henne to Jacksonville, where he held the starting role for a pair of seasons prior to the arrival of Blake Bortles. Overall, he finished his career with an 18-36 record as a starter.

For the past four seasons, Henne backed up Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. He made just one start over that stretch, and 11 total appearances. His limited action with the Chiefs was enough to earn him a new one-year, $2MM deal this past offseason. Rather than attempting to land a new contract in Kansas City or elsewhere, the Michigan product will hang up his cleats with a pair of Super Bowl rings.

Henne was called into action during the Chiefs’ divisional round game against the Jaguars this postseason, after Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain. That injury was a key talking point throughout the remainder of the team’s playoff run, and forced Henne to briefly come into the game. It seemed as though that scenario could be repeated again last night, after Mahomes re-injured his ankle at the end of the first half. Instead, Henne remained on the sidelines for the Chiefs’ comeback victory.

Henne ends his career with modest totals from a statistical standpoint (13,290 passing yards, 60 touchdowns, 63 interceptions) but his Chiefs tenure allowed him to take part in a pair of championship runs. His total earnings add up to nearly $40MM after 13 years in the NFL. Kansas City has former UDFA Shane Buechele and 2022 seventh-rounder Chris Oladokun available as in-house replacement options.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

February 13th, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.

The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.

For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:

  1. Chicago Bears: 3-14
  2. Houston Texans: 3-13-1
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  4. Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
  5. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-10
  14. New England Patriots: 8-9
  15. Green Bay Packers: 8-9
  16. Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 9-8
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  21. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
  22. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
  23. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
  24. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  25. New York Giants: 9-7-1
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  27. Buffalo Bills: 13-3
  28. Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
  29. New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
  30. Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3

This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Andy Reid To Return In 2023

February 13th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 13: Reid was, unsurprisingly, asked about his future in the immediate aftermath of the Chiefs’ victory. His answer (to NBC Sports’ Peter King, among others) made it clear that he has no plans of retiring, and will carry on with what many are calling the NFL’s latest dynasty.

“I look in the mirror and I’m old,” Reid added, via PHNX’s Howard Balzer (Twitter link). “My heart though is young. I still enjoy doing what I’m doing. I’m too old, but I’m good with what I’m doing right now… If they’ll have me, I’ll stick around.”

FEBRUARY 12: The Chiefs are preparing to play their third Super Bowl in the past four years, each of which has taken place during Andy Reid‘s tenure in Kanas City. Questions have unsurprisingly been raised regarding the head coach’s future.

When speaking to Reid earlier today, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer brought up the matter of the former potentially retiring as early as this offseason. The response he received was not definitive one way or the other, which has invited speculation that today could be Reid’s final game on an NFL sideline.

“I’m not getting any younger,” Reid said. “I still have a young quarterback. I have a decision I have to make after this game” (video link). The 64-year-old also made it clear that he has approached Super Bowl LVII with a different mentality to the other ones he has taken part in with respect to reflecting on the moment as opposed to focusing exclusively on the game itself.

In the aftermath of the Chiefs’ title from the 2019 season, Reid said retirement was not on his mind, even though that victory ended his personal championship drought which in a number of ways defined his coaching career to that point. His lone Super Bowl appearance with the Eagles ended in defeat, and he heads into tonight’s matchup with his former team with a 1-1 title game record in Kansas City. A second ring would further cement his status as one of the game’s most decorate coaches, but a retirement decision coming soon after would come as somewhat of a surprise.

Reid indicated in July 2020 that he would be willing to continue in his post throughout the length of quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ massive extension. That would require staying on the sidelines into his 70s, a feat which could remain appealing given the consistent success the Chiefs have enjoyed in recent years. Kansas City has hosted the AFC championship game five years in a row, and with Mahomes at the heart of a strong core of players, a significant decline does not appear likely any time soon. Reid is currently under contract through 2025.

Today’s game will be the center of attention around the league, of course. Reid’s self-proclaimed decision with respect to his career path will no doubt become a key storyline not long after it, though.

Colts Targeting Shane Steichen As HC

February 12th, 2023 at 10:07pm CST by Rory Parks

The Colts have zeroed in on Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their top head coaching candidate, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It seems Indianapolis is pretty confident it will land Steichen, as the club has told other candidates it is moving in a different direction.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that Jeff Saturday, who finished the 2022 season as the club’s interim head coach, has been told that he is out of the running (Twitter link). That will likely come as welcome news for those within the organization who have attempted to dissuade owner Jim Irsay from removing the interim tag from Saturday’s title.

Irsay’s controversial Saturday hire was the precursor to a long and expansive head coaching search that at one time appeared as if it might lead to a rare third round of interviews. Earlier this week, we learned that the Colts were unlikely to go that route, and that the club had whittled its list to five finalists.

And if Indianapolis can land Steichen, it will be difficult to criticize the result, even if the process leading up to it was a bit unorthodox. Steichen, who also secured HC interviews with the Panthers and Texans in this year’s cycle, has quickly turned into a hot commodity on the head coaching market. The 37-year-old was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2020 — which happened to be Justin Herbert‘s impressive rookie year — and he joined Philadelphia in the same capacity in 2021. Eagles HC Nick Sirianni handed Steichen the play-calling reins midway through the 2021 campaign, and the Eagles’ pivot to a run-heavy offense drove them to that season’s playoff bracket. Jalen Hurts’ progress as a passer this season helped the team secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a trip to today’s Super Bowl.

The Eagles finished the 2022 regular season third in both total offense and points per game, and Steichen’s work with Herbert and Hurts is surely viewed favorably by a Colts outfit that may well add a quarterback in the first round of this year’s draft. Plus, it is clear that Indianapolis wants to retain incumbent defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, and Steichen — who worked with Bradley when both men were on the Chargers’ coaching staff from 2017-20 — would presumably be amenable to that.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, is in danger of losing both of its top coordinators. A report this morning indicated that the Cardinals have requested a head coaching interview with Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon, and given that Arizona has waited until it could interview Gannon before naming a new bench boss, one has to assume that he is the favorite to land the post (interestingly, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Gannon was also on the radar for the Colts’ HC position, though it does not appear as if that is still the case).

If Steichen does indeed become Indianapolis’ new head coach, then Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson would likely become Philly’s OC, as Schefter adds in a follow-up tweet. Johnson interviewed with the Rams and Jets when those clubs were still looking for a new offensive coordinator, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported before the Steichen news broke that the Ravens are expected to speak with him for their own OC vacancy (Twitter link).

Whether or not Johnson speaks with Baltimore in light of today’s developments remains to be seen.

Broncos Interviewed Rex Ryan For DC Position

February 12th, 2023 at 8:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Sean Payton in place in Denver, attention is turning to the assistants brought in to comprise his first Broncos staff. A notable name has been added to the list of candidates to lead the team’s defense.

Rex Ryan interviewed recently for Denver’s defensive coordinator position, per Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer (Twitter link). The news puts him on the radar for what would be his first coaching role in seven years. Ryan has most recently served as a broadcaster with ESPN.

The 60-year-old started his NFL coaching career in Baltimore, spending six seasons there before being promoted to defensive coordinator. He held that post for four years, establishing himself as one of the league’s top defensive minds and earning head coaching interest along the way. He was hired to lead the Jets in 2009, and had an encouraging start to his tenure in the Big Apple. The Jets made two straight AFC championship game appearances, and Ryan had a 28-20 record after the 2011 campaign. Things took a turn for the worse as time went on, though, and he was fired after the 2014 season.

Ryan immediately followed that up with a tenure as the Bill’s HC lasting less than two seasons. He was let go after Week 16 in 2016, and has not taken a coaching job at any level since. His name as popped up as a potential DC candidate a few times over the years, including Kansas City in 2019. Ryan and Payton have not worked together in their respective careers, though the latter has spent considerable time working with Rob Ryan in New Orleans.

Broncos brass made it clear they wanted Payton to keep DC Ejiro Evero, who impressed in his first season with the team last year. However, he was let out of his contract and allowed to head elsewhere, quickly landing in Carolina. The Denver position is one which is appealing, given the presence of several high-end players the unit boasts. Ryan is joined by Brian Flores – who took the DC job in Minnesota – and Sean Desai as known candidates for the position in Denver.

Troy Renck of Denver7 reports that Payton spent time yesterday interviewing candidates for the team’s special teams coordinator vacancy (Twitter link). As the coaching cycle winds down, the Broncos’ staff should become clearer in the near future.

Cardinals To Request HC Interview With Jonathan Gannon

February 12th, 2023 at 8:00pm CST by Rory Parks

8:00pm: In an update to his previous reporting, Balzer states rather definitively that Gannon “will be the Cardinals’ new head coach” (Twitter link). He adds that there is a “strong possibility” Browns QBs coach Drew Petzing is hired for the OC role, something SI’s Albert Breer tweets would come as no surprise if Gannon were to be hired. Petzing and Gannon have history with each other dating back to their time spent with the Vikings.

10:16am: When Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said that his team’s new head coach would not be announced until after today’s Super Bowl, it led to plenty of speculation that he wanted to interview one of the coordinators participating in the title bout. That turned out to be the case, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Arizona is expected to request an HC interview with Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon (Twitter link).

Gannon interviewed for the Texans’ head coaching position in January and was at one time considered the frontrunner for the post, particularly since he had interviewed for the same job last year. Houston, however, pivoted to DeMeco Ryans, and until today, Gannon had not been formally connected to any other HC opening in this year’s cycle.

It’s easy to see why the Cardinals would have interest in Gannon. The 39-year-old, who just wrapped his second season as Philadelphia’s DC after a three-year stint as the Colts’ defensive backs coach, oversaw a unit that ranked second in the league in total defense and eighth in points allowed in 2022. The Eagles also boasted the best pass defense in the NFL — which reflects well on Gannon given his background as a DBs coach — and posted a whopping 70 sacks (60 of which came from a base front, as opposed to a blitz).

In a lengthy feature on Gannon’s life and career, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says that Gannon’s scouting experience — he spent several years as a college and pro scout with the Rams — has boosted his stock as a top HC candidate. Gannon himself confirmed that the GMs he has spoken with appreciate the fact that he knows and understands that side of the business.

Gannon also has a strong relationship with new Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort, as Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Breer adds that Bidwill also did a great deal of background work on Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, though no interview has been requested as of the time of this writing. It presently appears as if Steichen is in line to land the Colts’ head coaching job, so the Eagles could find themselves looking to replace both of their top coordinators in short order.

The strength of Gannon’s Arizona candidacy will depend, at least in part, on whom he taps as his offensive coordinator, as Howard Balzer of PHNX tweets. Kyler Murray may not be ready to return to action until midway through the 2023 season, but he is the team’s franchise quarterback, and his performance will largely drive the team’s fortunes in the coming years. So in addition to bringing the right head coach aboard, the team also needs to hit on its OC hire.

Bengals DC Lou Anarumo and Giants OC Mike Kafka are the Cardinals’ other two head coaching finalists.

Buccaneers, Panthers To Conduct Second OC Interviews With Thomas Brown

February 12th, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of offensive coordinator vacancies have still not yet been filled, in no small part due to the interest being shown in staffers taking part in this year’s Super Bowl. One assistant who is free to join a new team at any time, however, is scheduled to meet with a pair of suitors.

Rams tight ends coach Thomas Brown will interview for a second time with both the Buccaneers and Panthers, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (via Twitter). Brown was the subject of Tampa Bay’s most recent first interview for their Byron Leftwich replacement; that sit-down obviously went well, as he is among the next round of candidates. Pelissero notes that Brown will interview on Wednesday.

One day later, though, Brown will head to Carolina for a second interview with the Panthers, per Pelissero. Brown had not previously been connected to the OC position in Charlotte, one which was occupied in 2022 by Ben McAdoo. With the arrival of head coach Frank Reich, it comes as no surprise that a new direction is the target on offense, as it was on defense as well with the hiring of Ejiro Evero.

The Panthers struggled on offense early in 2022, one of the top contributing factors to Matt Rhule‘s midseason dismissal. That move was followed by the trade sending running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, a signal of the Panthers’ intentions with respect to competing down the stretch. However, their ground game remained strong to close out the season under interim HC Steve Wilks. Overall, though, they struggled in the air and ranked 29th in total offense and 20th in scoring.

Brown, 36, has been rising in acclaim in recent years as he takes on a larger role with Sean McVay and the Rams. With a background coaching both running backs and tight ends, he could be a contributor to both the running and passing game. Brown has not been a coordinator at the NFL level, however, meaning his hire would likely leave play-calling duties with Reich.

Brown is the only reported Carolina candidate so far aside from Jim Bob Cooter. With respect to the Bucs, he is part of a much longer list of staffer connected to the position. The possibility of remaining in Los Angeles still remains, of course, but Brown is very much on the radar for a possible move to the NFC South.

Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Timeframe; Jets To Aggressively Pursue Rodgers

February 12th, 2023 at 6:05pm CST by Rory Parks

6:05pm: In a move which comes as no surprise at all given previous reporting on the matter, Fowler tweets that the Jets have indeed “inquired” about Rodgers’ availability. The answer to that question will, of course, be dictated by his decision regarding his intention of playing in 2023, but if a trade becomes possible, the Jets will be the team to watch.

8:10am: For Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, all options remain on the table: he may return to the Packers in 2023, he may ask to be traded, or he may retire. The 39-year-old said during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show this past week that he will contemplate his future during a four-day, four-night “darkness retreat,” which will commence after today’s Super Bowl (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).

Rodgers said he will retreat to a small house in an undisclosed location, and his only contact with the outside world will come when his meals are delivered. While recent reports have suggested that Rodgers will play in 2023 rather than walk away from an eye-popping amount of money, Rodgers told McAfee that retirement is a very real possibility.

“For sure; it’s a real thing, 100 percent,” Rodgers said. “That’s why it’s going to be important to get through this week and to take my isolation retreat and just to be able to contemplate all things my future and then be able to make a decision that I think is best for me moving forward and in the highest interest of my happiness and then move forward.”

The implication here is that Rodgers will alert the Packers of his decision shortly after his retreat, though team president Mark Murphy confirms that there is no deadline at this point (video link via ESPN’s Dianna Russini). Murphy acknowledged that the club would like an answer sooner rather than later, and he expects to have clarity on the matter no later than the opening of free agency on March 15.

Several Packers sources tell Connor Hughes of SNY.tv (video link) that they expect Rodgers to return to Green Bay. However, Hughes and the NFL.com duo of Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report that, no matter what the four-time MVP wants to do, the Packers will accommodate his wishes.

That means, of course, that if Rodgers decides he wants to play for another team — which may actually be Green Bay’s preference — the Packers will work with him to make that happen (though Rodgers would need to first agree to a reworked contract in order to allow a trade to be consummated). While Green Bay reportedly will not deal its franchise icon to an NFC club, there will nonetheless be multiple suitors.

The Jets and Raiders have already been linked to Rodgers in various reports, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says he is “more convinced than ever” that New York will aggressively pursue Rodgers (subscription required). The Jets believe that they are close to contention, and they have locked in on Rodgers as Plan A. Only if a Rodgers pursuit is unsuccessful will the team pivot to Derek Carr, whom Fowler says is Gang Green’s No. 2 choice.

Chiefs Activate RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Place WR Mecole Hardman On IR

February 12th, 2023 at 4:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 12: Even though Edwards-Helaire is healthy enough to play, he is among the team’s inactives for tonight’s championship game. That news comes as little surprise given the time he has missed, and confirms that Pacheco and McKinnon will handle the load in the backfield for Kansas City.

FEBRUARY 6: As the countdown to Super Bowl LVII continues, the Chiefs have made a pair of injury-related moves. The team announced on Monday that running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had been activated from injured reserve, while wideout Mecole Hardman has been placed on IR.

[Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LVII?]

The former’s three-week activation window had nearly expired, as he had been designated for return on January 17. The news will be a welcomed sight for Kansas City in terms of being closer to full health on offense, though the former first-rounder may not be in line for a particularly large role in the championship game.

Edwards-Helaire has not played since Week 11 due to a high ankle sprain. In his absence, the Chiefs have increasingly turned the reins over to seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as their early-down back. Jerick McKinnon, meanwhile, has excelled in a pass-catching role, scoring at least one touchdown in six straight games to close out the regular season. It will be interesting to see how much of a workload Edwards-Helaire takes on within the team’s backfield after missing extended time and with the other two backs enjoying success in his absence.

The other move is likewise not surprising. Hardman being placed on IR guarantees that he will not play in the Super Bowl, something which head coach Andy Reid recently indicated was the likely outcome in his situation. Kansas City suffered a slew of injuries at the receiver position in their AFC title game win over the Bengals, with Hardman reaggravating his pelvis injury suffered earlier in the year.

Fellow pass-catchers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney are in better shape as it relates to their potential availability for next week’s big game. The Chiefs are always in position to be dangerous through the air with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (who is, of course, nursing an ankle sprain of his own) and tight end Travis Kelce available. Still, the uncertainty they face at the WR position could be a key talking point over the course of the next few days.

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