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Giants To Conduct Second HC Interview With Brian Daboll

January 24th, 2022 at 10:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The first finalist for the Giants’ head coach position has been revealed. As Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports (via Twitter), Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will have a second interview with the team today.

Update (12:00pm CT): SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano tweets that Daboll’s interview will take place on Tuesday.

[Related: Giants’ HC Search Beginning With Brian Daboll, Leslie Frazier]

Daboll was the first candidate to take part in the initial round of interviews with New York. That certainly didn’t come as a surprise, between the HC interest he’s generated with the Dolphins and the Bills connection to newly-hired general manager Joe Schoen. Widely believed to be a target for the Giants once Schoen was brought in, the 46-year-old had finished his initial interview within a matter of hours of his former Bills colleague being hired.

That first interview was conducted via teleconference with Schoen and co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch. This time, the meeting will take place in person; the same is expected to be true of New York’s first interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, to take place today. Quinn, one of the most sought-after candidates in this year’s hiring cycle, has already been linked to five other HC vacancies around the league.

Worth noting is the fact that Daboll cannot be hired right away, regardless of the outcome of today’s interview. As NJ.com’s Darryl Slater tweets, the Giants still need to conduct at least one in-person interview with a minority candidate to remain in compliance with the Rooney Rule. It must involve someone from outside the organization, so their upcoming meeting with current DC Patrick Graham doesn’t factor into that total. The likeliest way to meet the requirement would be a second interview with Bills DC Leslie Frazier, whose first meeting with the front office was conducted electronically, or an in-person sit down with Brian Flores.

Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order

January 24th, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The Divisional Round has come to end, and after each game was decided on the final play, the season has come to a bitter end for another four teams. That brings the total number of squads locked into their first round draft position to 28. Interestingly, the Rams and 49ers are still standing after they each parted ways with top draft picks this past offseason. San Francisco’s first choice is currently slated to be 61st overall, while the Rams aren’t projected to be on the board until the 101st pick. For Los Angeles in particular, the decision is certainly paying off so far.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.

Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:

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

* = Remaining playoff teams

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/22/22

January 22nd, 2022 at 4:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Los Angeles Rams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Giants’ HC Search Beginning With Brian Daboll, Leslie Frazier

January 21st, 2022 at 8:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Newly-hired Giants general manager Joe Schoen is wasting no time in beginning the team’s search for a new head coach. He has already completed an interview with Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and is expected to hold another one tomorrow with Buffalo’s defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier. 

According to a team announcement, the Daboll interview has already been completed, just hours after the hiring of Schoen was officially announced. The 46-year-old met via teleconference with Schoen and co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch. It should come as a surprise to no one that Daboll, the Bills’ OC for the past four seasons, is the candidate with whom the search process is beginning. It was immediately reported that he would be one of the key targets for the Giants once Schoen landed the GM job.

Meanwhile, Frazier’s name is being linked to the HC vacancy for the first time. As Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports (via Twitter), Frazier is expected to interview with the Giants on Saturday. Again, this is far from a surprise, given the Buffalo connection to Schoen. The 62-year-old has served in his current role for five years, overseeing the Bills’ defensive turnaround. He has already been interviewed by the Dolphins, and is also scheduled to meet with the Bears.

The other factor influencing the immediacy of these interviews, of course, is the fact that the Bills play on Sunday night. As Schwartz points out, any potential second interviews conducted prior to the Super Bowl could only take place if the first round was completed this weekend, something made easier by the fact that Schoen is still in Buffalo. The other two candidates linked to the Giants so far are ex-Dolphins HC Brian Flores and Cowboys DC Dan Quinn.

NFL Reserve/COVID-19 List Updates: 1/18/22

January 18th, 2022 at 9:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s reserve/COVID-19 list additions and subtractions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Eli Ankou

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

  • Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: FB Josh Hokit

 

Giants Conduct Second Interviews With Joe Schoen, Ryan Poles

January 18th, 2022 at 3:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The second round of interviews conducted by the Giants to fill their general manager vacancy have begun. With it, two candidates have completed – or been scheduled to undertake – in-person meetings with the team’s ownership: Joe Schoen, assistant GM of the Bills, and Ryan Poles, the executive director of player personnel for the Chiefs.

According to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, Schoen had his interview on Tuesday. That news is significant, as he was also the first candidate to interview virtually in the opening round of the GM search. While that may be a coincidence and Schoen might not be the clear-cut favorite, Schwartz writes “there is no denying he is a bonafide NFL front office executive and those in the know around the league anticipate he will have the opportunity to run a team of his own sooner, rather than later”.

The 42-year old Schoen has spent the past five seasons as an assistant under current GM Brandon Beane, who has a relationship with Schoen dating back to 2001 when he was the general manager of the Panthers. The turnaround in Buffalo over the past few years, and Schoen’s role in that process, has earned him plenty of GM interest; he also interviewed with the Bears on Sunday. Not surprisingly, Schwartz writes that “if Schoen gets the job, it is expected he will endorse [Bills OC] Brian Daboll” to become the new head coach.

The request for a second interview with Poles, meanwhile, was first reported (via Twitter) by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He notes that Poles is no stranger to being in strong consideration for a GM job, as he was also a finalist for the position in Carolina last year. The fact that Poles, at 36, is the youngest candidate to fill the Giants’ vacancy makes it noteworthy that he is obviously on the shortlist of options. On the other hand, he has also received interview requests from the Bears and Vikings, proving how popular he is among GM-needy franchises.

Poles’ interview will be conducted on Wednesday, days before the Bills and Chiefs meet in the playoffs. Schwartz notes the large amount of success those two franchises have had in recent years, and the desire for the Giants to “hire someone from outside their organization to show them the way back in [to the postseason]”. He adds that the team is planning on having their GM “in place by the end of the week”.

Stay tuned to see any official announcements naming either of these two as the GM, or any more second interviews conducted with the other eight candidates.

Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order

January 18th, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

With the Wild Card round complete, another six positions in the 2022 NFL Draft have been confirmed.

One of the most interesting developments relates to the Philadelphia Eagles. After losing on Sunday, their own first round pick has been locked in at No. 19, having already known they would also own the 15th and 16th selections. What the team does with that much draft capital will be one of the most interesting storylines of the draft.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.

Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:

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

* = Remaining playoff teams

Giants Eyeing Brian Flores, Brian Daboll

January 16th, 2022 at 1:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants’ short list of head coaching candidates includes former Dolphins HC Brian Flores and Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, according to sources who spoke with Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. Of course, the eventual successor to Dave Gettleman is expected to lead the search, as John Mara recently said that the GM will have “the flexibility to bring in the head coach that he wants.”

[RELATED: Latest On Giants’ Firing Of Joe Judge] 

Both Daboll and Flores have been discussed internally for a while, according to Vacchiano. It also helps that “several” of the Giants’ nine GM candidates also hold them in high regard.

As of this writing, the Giants are considering current assistant GM Kevin Abrams, 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon, Titans exec Ryan Cowden, Cardinals exec Quentin Harris, Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz, Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort, 49ers AGM Adam Peters, Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles, Cardinals exec Adrian Wilson, and Bills AGM Joe Schoen.

It’s safe to assume that Schoen has Daboll on the list while Abrams — a longtime member of the Giants’ front office — surely helped to shape the team’s view of both Daboll and Flores. Still, according to one report, Abrams is no longer viewed as a frontrunner. Apparently, the momentum lies with out-of-house candidates like Hortiz, who has serious momentum following his interview, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.

Flores, 40, is already in the mix for the Texans and Bears jobs. Vacchiano hears that the Brooklyn native is looking for a team that will commit to his vision. That’s worth keeping in mind here, given the Giants’ quick hook for their last few coaches.

Daboll, 46, was in consideration last time around, before the Giants ultimately hired Joe Judge. Judge even expressed interest in making Daboll his OC, but the Bills blocked his request. The Giants ultimately went with Jason Garrett, who was fired in November.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/14/22

January 14th, 2022 at 3:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Dolphins Request Interview With Bills’ Frazier

January 12th, 2022 at 9:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins have requested to interview Bills’ defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, according to a tweet from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. 

Frazier has been with Buffalo throughout Sean McDermott‘s five-year tenure, overseeing a Bills defensive resurgence, and would be a second-chance candidate after a four-season run as Vikings HC in the early 2010s. The 62-year-old assistant has been an NFL staffer since 1999, joining the Eagles under Andy Reid after two years with the University of Illinois.

Taking over the Vikings as an interim HC in 2010, Frazier did not enjoy a favorable quarterback situation while in that role. The Vikings used Christian Ponder as their starter for most of Frazier’s run. Frazier has called defensive plays for the Bills and has been connected to a couple of coaching searches in recent years.

Frazier interviewed twice for the Texans job that went to David Culley this year and met with the Colts following the Josh McDaniels about-face in 2018. Bills ownership has pushed for a team to hire Frazier as HC. It would be interesting to see the Dolphins once again go for a defensive play caller from a divisional rival.

Parts of this article were contributed by Sam Robinson

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