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Chargers, Commanders Request HC Interview With Cowboys DC Dan Quinn

January 8th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Ben Levine

For a third-straight offseason, Dan Quinn is emerging as a popular name on the head coaching carousel. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Commanders and Chargers have requested permission to interview the Cowboys defensive coordinator. We learned earlier today that the Panthers had also requested an interview with Quinn.

After getting fired as the Falcons head coach during the 2020 campaign, it didn’t take long for Quinn to re-emerge as a head coaching candidate. During the 2022 offseason, he interviewed for the Bears, Broncos, Dolphins, Vikings, and Giants jobs before ultimately deciding to stay in Dallas. He was sought after once again in 2023, garnering interest from the Cardinals, Broncos, and Colts. For a second-straight year, Quinn decided to stick with the Cowboys.

This time around, Quinn might be more open to a HC opportunity. We heard recently that Quinn is believed to be “more receptive to the right offer.” The coach has certainly rehabilitated his image during his three seasons as the Cowboys defensive coordinator. The Cowboys defense has finished two of those three seasons in first place for points allowed, and the defense has never finished lower than 11th in yards allowed.

Of course, Quinn’s resume goes beyond his stint in Dallas. Following a short stint as the Seahawks defensive coordinator, Quinn was named the Falcons head coach in 2015. He led his team to the Super Bowl during his second season at the helm, and the Falcons won another playoff game in 2017 after finishing with a 10-6 record. However, the team stumbled to 7-9 records in both 2018 and 2019, and Quinn was fired following an 0-5 start to the 2020 campaign.

Washington would certainly be an interesting fit for Quinn; the Commanders have become plenty familiar with their division foe over the past three seasons. As Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports opines, that makes a Quinn/Commanders pairing “hard to imagine,” although it’d be “quite a coup” if Josh Harris and co. can pull it off.

A number of candidates have already emerged for the Commanders HC job, with the organization requesting interviews with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, and Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver. The Commanders have also been linked to Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, while incumbent offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is expected to be considered for the job.

The Chargers have also been connected to Belichick and Harbaugh. Their list of definitive candidates includes Glenn, Johnson, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

Panthers Request HC Interviews With Mike Macdonald, Raheem Morris, Dan Quinn, Frank Smith

January 8th, 2024 at 7:43pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got four more candidates to add to the Panthers head coaching search. The Panthers have announced that they’ve requested interviews with nine head coaching candidates, with four new names joining our list:

  • Mike Macdonald, Ravens defensive coordinator
  • Raheem Morris, Rams defensive coordinator
  • Dan Quinn, Cowboys defensive coordinator
  • Frank Smith, Dolphins offensive coordinator

These four coaches join a growing list of candidates, a grouping that also includes Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales, and Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.

Macdonald joins his offensive counterpart in Baltimore in interviewing for the open Carolina gig. The second-year Ravens DC helped guide the NFL’s top-scoring defense in 2023. Macdonald also managed to squeeze unexpected production from his pass rushers; despite Kyle Van Noy signing in September and Jadeveon Clowney catching on late in the summer, the duo combined for 18.5 sacks this past season. The Commanders have already requested an interview with Macdonald for their head coaching vacancy.

Morris also got an interview from the Commanders, the organization in which he served as the secondary coach between 2012 and 2014. Morris has spent the past three seasons as the Rams defensive coordinator, and he’s been a popular name on the interview circuit in recent years. He interviewed twice for the Vikings job in 2022, and he was linked to the Broncos and Colts gigs in 2023. Morris is seeking his second head coaching job after leading the way in Tampa Bay between 2009 and 2011.

After withdrawing from head coaching interest in each of the past two offseasons, we heard recently that Quinn is now believed to be “more receptive to the right offer.”After a hot start to his Falcons head coaching tenure, Quinn was fired in 2020 following two-straight 7-9 campaigns and an 0-5 start to the 2020 season. He’s spent the past three seasons as the Cowboys defensive coordinator, overseeing a unit that’s finished top-five in points allowed and top-10 in yards allowed each season.

This is the first job that Smith has been connected to, although we previously heard that the Dolphins offensive coordinator was expected to generate some head coaching interest. Smith and head coach Mike McDaniel finally saw their offensive vision come to fruition in 2023, with the unit finishing second in points scored and first in yards. Both the passing offense and rushing offense have taken off this season, making Smith an intriguing candidate regardless of personnel.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

January 7th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Week 18 is in the books, meaning the top 18 draft slots are locked in going into the offseason. The Commanders, Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers all lost. Only the Bolts changed positions, by virtue of the Giants’ win over the Eagles. The Giants, however, only dropped one spot through their home win.

The Falcons and Saints’ efforts to upend the Buccaneers in the NFC South did not pan out, with Tampa Bay beating two-win Carolina in its regular-season finale. This will keep Atlanta and New Orleans in much better draft positions. Despite finishing 8-9, Tampa Bay now cannot move past No. 19 without a trade.

While the Bears’ seminal decision — Justin Fields or Caleb Williams, seemingly, with all the trade and contract factors that go along with this forthcoming choice — will headline the leadup to this draft, the Commanders have secured the No. 2 selection and will have their own call to make. New owner Josh Harris showed he will help drive his front office to moves that will load up draft capital, as the Montez Sweat and Chase Young trades showed, and he is all but certain to hire a new regime in the coming weeks.

The draft’s second-best quarterback will be available to Washington, which saw its Sam Howell wire-to-wire season fail to solidify him as the team’s surefire long-term QB. Will Washington become closely connected to Howell’s North Carolina successor (Drake Maye)? The Commanders’ call will help shape how the Patriots proceed, unless New England — which is also all but certain to move on from Bill Belichick and start anew — completes a trade-up effort.

As the postseason determines the bottom 14 draft slots, here is how the top 18 look after the regular season:

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

Latest On Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, DC Dan Quinn

January 7th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ahead of their regular season finale, the Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot but there is still a division title up for grabs. The team’s ability to secure the NFC’s No. 2 seed and, of course, their showing in the postseason, could have major implications on the sidelines.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has faced an uncertain future during much of a relatively succesful run in Dallas. The former Super Bowl winner guided the team to consecutive 12-5 seasons over the past two years (a mark which would be replicated again with a win today over the Commanders). However, the franchise’s drought with respect to deep playoff runs has continued.

In spite of that, recent reports (along with an offseason vote of confidence from owner Jerry Jones) have pointed to McCarthy being safe for next year. A strong showing both today and in the first two rounds of the playoffs would certainly help his job security, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter does add, however, that personnel around the league and within the Cowboys’ organization feel McCarthy’s future could be significantly tied to today’s result.

A win over the reeling Commanders would clinch the NFC East for the Cowboys, but a loss would open the door to the Eagles claiming the division title. The latter scenario would see Dallas go on the road in the postseason, something which would be particularly signficant given the drastic difference in performance the team has displayed compared to its home contests. Dallas came up short in Washington during last year’s season finale, and McCarthy and Co. will be aiming to avoid a repeat of that situation.

One year remains on McCarthy’s contract, so an extension this offseason would come as little surprise. The Cowboys have continued to post strong numbers on offense after the departure of OC Kellen Moore and McCarthy taking over play-calling duties on that side of the ball. The team has also been effective in many defensive categories, owing in large part to the job done by third-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

The latter has kept himself on the head coaching radar once again this season, as has been the case in the past two years. Quinn withdrew from HC consideration in both cases, but it remains to be seen if that will happen again in the near future. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News notes that Quinn is believed to be “more receptive to the right offer” in the upcoming hiring cycle than those of years past.

The 53-year-old was last a head coach with the Falcons from 2015-20, a stretch which included a Super Bowl appearance. Quinn has rebuilt his value as one of the game’s top defensive minds during his time in Dallas, though, and he will no doubt be a hot commodity if he entertains outside offers. Schefter adds the Cowboys want to keep Quinn, but their ability to do so while also retaining McCarthy would be a key storyline to follow. In any case, plenty will be at stake today and in the immediate future for Dallas’ coaching staff.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/24

January 6th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Ely Allen

The last week of pregame transactions and gameday callups for several teams this season:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • Placed on IR: T Mike McGlinchey
  • Activated from IR: T Alex Palczewski
  • Signed to active roster: CB Art Green
  • Elevated: S Devon Key

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Placed on IR: TE Hunter Henry
  • Signed to active roster: TE La’Michael Pettway
  • Elevated: TE Matt Sokol, OL Andrew Stueber

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Several teams whose season is set to come to an end tomorrow have elected to move injured players to injured reserve in order to create roster spots for practice squad options, particularly those who have had their three gameday elevations exhausted. In the case of the Broncos, McGlinchey will see his debut campaign in the Mile High City come to a premature end. Signed to a five-year, $87.5MM deal, the 28-year-old was part of a revamped O-line which did not produce the desired rebound on offense. Manning his usual right tackle spot, McGlinchey was charged with eight sacks and 49 pressures allowed by PFF, resulting in an overall grade of 67.5.

While the Giants will have an interesting decision to make with respect to Xavier McKinney‘s future, they will have Pinnock on the books for at least one more season. The latter’s rookie contract is set to expire following the 2024 campaign, one in which he will no doubt remain a vital member of New York’s secondary. Pinnock has recorded 85 tackles, two interceptions (including a 102-yard pick-six), six pass deflections and a pair of forced fumbles while logging over 1,000 defensive snaps this season. A return to health and a continuation of his 2023 level of play will be sorely needed next fall.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/4/24

January 4th, 2024 at 8:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Isaiah Buggs will provide the Chiefs with some defensive line depth as they head into the playoffs. After playing a part-time role with the Steelers to begin his career, Buggs joined the Lions in 2022 and proceeded to have a career season, finishing with 46 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 17 games (13 starts).

That performance earned him a two-year, $6MM extension this past offseason. However, his playing time dropped in 2023, and he collected 12 tackles and one sack in 10 games (three starts) before getting released earlier this week.

CeeDee Lamb Seeking To Become NFL’s Highest-Paid WR

January 4th, 2024 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given an expected invite to the Pro Bowl event, CeeDee Lamb is also on course for his initial first-team All-Pro honor. The Cowboys wide receiver has timed his career-best season well, seeing as he will be an extension candidate this coming offseason.

Rumors about the Cowboys extending Lamb early surfaced in 2023, but after neither they nor the Vikings extended their top wideouts, the streak of first-round receivers never being extended with two years of rookie-deal control remaining has reached 10 offseasons in the fifth-year option era. Lamb and Justin Jefferson may soon be linked, however, as their teams reopen negotiations.

Jefferson should be expected to enter the 2024 season as the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver, but Lamb said Thursday (via the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken) he would ideally secure the NFL’s top WR salary on his second contract. Stating that would be a goal of his “for sure,” Lamb is prepared to discuss an extension with the Cowboys after the season ends. Dallas picked up the 2020 draftee’s fifth-year option, slotting him in at $17.99MM guaranteed for the ’24 season.

While Jefferson stands on his own tier in terms of receiving yards through three seasons, shattering Randy Moss‘ record in that timeframe, Lamb has put together his best season in Year 4. The Oklahoma product, chosen after Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy (but ahead of Jefferson) four years ago, leads the NFL with 122 receptions and has posted a career-high 1,651 yards. Both numbers smash Lamb’s previous career-best figures. Lamb has totaled 12 touchdowns this season, adding two on the ground while amassing 106 rushing yards. He has done just about everything possible to secure a lucrative second contract from the Cowboys.

Of course, Dallas’ payroll looms as a question. For the time being, Dak Prescott is on a $40MM-per-year deal and Micah Parsons his rookie contract. But Prescott is armed with leverage that gives him an excellent opportunity to become the NFL’s highest-paid player. A $60MM-AAV deal, which would top Joe Burrow‘s current league-high salary by a notable margin, is believed to be in play. That will make matters more difficult on the Lamb front, with Parsons also on track for an extension that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. At 24, Lamb is six years younger than Prescott. But the former likely resides as the Cowboys’ No. 3 priority — in the grand scheme — regarding a new contract.

Dallas caved on player-friendly terms for Prescott, eschewing its usual approach for five- or six-year extensions to sign its quarterback just before the 2021 deadline to apply franchise tags. Preventing a $37MM cap hold from going on their 2021 payroll, the Cowboys procedurally tagged Prescott — for the purpose of the QB avoiding a 2025 tag. While Prescott joins Lamb in being signed through 2024, he is effectively finishing out a contract year. Prescott’s 2024 cap number spikes to $59MM. No team has ever gone into a season with a player attached to even a $45MM cap number, giving Prescott tremendous leverage as he closes out a quality bounce-back season.

The Cowboys’ decision to bail on Amari Cooper‘s five-year, $100MM contract has been costly at points, but the team made that move with an eye on Lamb’s future. It would surprise if the Cowboys were suddenly uninterested in extending Lamb, though he did not enter the 2023 season with a realistic chance of becoming the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. His success this season raises the stakes a bit. Although Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase will both be extension-eligible in 2024, Lamb has put together a monster season that could conceivably vault him past Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM-per-year number before Week 1 of next season.

The Prescott and Parsons matters provide complications. Parsons can be kept on his rookie contract through 2025, via the fifth-year option. Big picture-wise, having a Prescott-Parsons-Lamb trio each signed to position-record contracts would make it challenging to build a roster around them. This doubles as a good problem for the Cowboys, given the talent at these positions, but it will present an interesting dilemma.

Ravens, Cowboys Interested In Dalvin Cook?

January 3rd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dalvin Cook saw his brief and underwhelming Jets tenure come to an end yesterday. As a result, he is on the waiver wire until Thursday afternoon. A free agent agreement with a playoff-bound team (presuming he clears) would come as little surprise.

Suitors in that regard may be emerging. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the Ravens and Cowboys are among the teams which could consider adding the four-time Pro Bowl running back. No firm interest appears to be in place at this point, and that will likely remain the case until Cook clears waivers. Still, both teams would represent logical landing spots if a deal were to emerge.

As Anderson notes, Baltimore would specifically be eyeing Cook as a practice squad addition (although the same will likely be true for Dallas and any other interested parties). Players added to the taxi squad can be designated a gameday elevation up to three times without occupying a 53-man roster spot, something of particular importance in the postseason.

The Ravens lead the league in rushing this season, averaging nearly 160 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has accounted for for a large portion of that success, however, and the team finds itself thin in the backfield late in the year. Starter J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season to an Achilles tear in Week 1, though undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell burst onto the scene midway through the campaign. The latter took on an increased workload upon entering the lineup, and he averaged 8.4 yards per carry in his brief stretch of action.

However, Mitchell suffered an ACL tear last month, sidelining him until 2024. The Ravens will therefore depend largely on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill at the RB spot in the postseason. Cook could attempt to carve out a limited role in Baltimore’s backfield while looking to boost his free agent stock in the process.

The Cowboys have not been as strong as expected on the ground this season, the first full campaign with Tony Pollard in place as the undisputed lead back. Playing on the $10.1MM franchise tag in 2023, Pollard has posted a career-low 4.0 yards per carry average; his impact in the passing game (295 scoreless yards on 53 receptions) has also left something to be desired. He will still enter the postseason as the clear option atop the depth chart, though.

Dallas’ second-leading rusher, Rico Dowdle, has amassed just 315 yards this year. That has contributed to the Cowboys’ middling performance in their ground attack (averaging 112 yards per contest, 14th in the NFL). Cook may have a clearer path to playing time with Dallas, but questions will be asked with respect to how much he will be able to contribute to close out the campaign. The longtime Vikings starter logged just 67 carries with the Jets this year, the first time he failed to receive triple-digit attempts since 2018.

David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets the Cowboys are simply doing their due diligence on Cook at this point. With further developments likely to take place in the near future, the interest shown by Dallas, Baltimore and any other RB-needy teams will be a storyline to follow closely in advance of the postseason.

Cowboys, La’el Collins Agree To Deal

January 3rd, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 3, 6:50pm: The Cowboys and Collins have officially come to an agreement, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

JANUARY 3, 11:00am: The Cowboys have not officially brought back Collins, with NFL.com’s Jane Slater indicating an agreement is not complete. Slater adds both sides want this to come to pass, but Mike McCarthy confirmed Wednesday the contract is not done.

Being a practice squad agreement, this deal does not bring much in terms of complications. McCarthy added (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) the sides are “working through some things.” A Collins return appears likely, but it appears the particulars will take some time.

JANUARY 2: La’el Collins‘ lengthy free agency stay will end Tuesday. The visit Collins made to his original NFL home earlier today will result in a reunion. The Cowboys are bringing the veteran offensive lineman back, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.

This will be a practice squad deal, but it will be Collins’ first agreement since the Bengals cut him from their reserve/PUP list in September. Collins had met with the Jets, Giants and Bills (last week) since that separation but did not find a new gig. The Cowboys, who employed him from 2015-21, will step in and greenlight a return.

Initially signing Collins — a first-round-caliber talent who fell out of the 2015 draft due to an off-field concern at the time — as a UDFA, the Cowboys moved him from guard to right tackle early in his career and gave him two extensions to reward him for work at his second NFL position. Collins has been a right tackle regular for many years, though speedbumps have emerged during his career. This year qualifies, after the Bengals reconfigured their O-line without him in their first-string plans.

Collins operated as Dallas’ full-time right tackle from 2017-19 and again in 2021, though a PED suspension marred the final season of his first Cowboys stint. The team will sign off on a second stay, and Collins will represent insurance for a Cowboys team that has dealt with some injuries up front. Left guard Tyler Smith came out of Dallas’ Week 17 game with a full plantar fascia tear, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes. Tyron Smith and Zack Martin have dealt with maladies this year as well, though the former has logged 12 starts and has made a bigger contribution to this year’s Cowboys effort than last season’s.

Given a big-ticket extension this summer, Terence Steele — who suffered a torn ACL late last season — has not recaptured his pre-injury form just yet. Pro Football Focus ranks Steele in the bottom 10 among tackle regulars this season (75th), well off his quality 2022 performance that garnered the five-year, $82.5MM extension. The Cowboys plugged in Steele, a former UDFA, to succeed Collins last year — after the team designated the latter as a post-June 1 cut. Collins, 30, is set to return as insurance to close out what may still end up a lost year for the veteran blocker.

Tyler Smith has not been ruled out for Week 18, though Collins has not played guard in many years. The Cowboys slid the LSU alum to right tackle in 2017, and the Bengals did not consider kicking him back inside to accommodate the Orlando Brown Jr.. addition. Jonah Williams replaced Collins at RT this season. Collins has 86 starts on his resume but has not yet bounced back from the ACL and MCL tears he suffered in Week 16 of the 2022 season. The Cowboys made decent use of P-squad addition Jason Peters last season; Collins now resides in the veteran insurance role.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/24

January 3rd, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

  • Activated from IR: DL Viliami Fehoko
  • Placed on IR: RB Deuce Vaughn

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Troy Andersen is eyeing a return for the regular season finale after having been sidelined since late September with a pectoral injury. The 2022 second-round pick started five of his 17 appearances as a rookie, finishing with 69 tackles. Andersen had 19 tackles in a pair of appearances this season, with the linebacker missing Week 2 while sitting in concussion protocol.

An ankle injury will end Deuce Vaughn‘s rookie season early, with the sixth-round pick finishing with 80 yards from scrimmage on 30 touches. Regular backup RB Rico Dowdle missed last week while dealing with a lingering ankle injury, but Vaughn’s removal from the active roster probably bodes well for Dowdle’s availability. Of course, this move will also lead to even more speculation surrounding a potential Dalvin Cook pursuit.

After starting five of his 23 appearances through his first four seasons in the NFL, Phil Haynes entered the 2023 campaign as Seattle’s starting right guard. He started each of Seattle’s first eight games this season before landing on injured reserve with a toe injury. Anthony Bradford has been starting at the position in Haynes’ place, and he could keep his starting gig with Jason Peters sidelined with a foot injury.

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