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Coaching Notes: Klemm, Solari, Stoutland, Locust, Landow

February 5th, 2023 at 7:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Former Patriots offensive lineman and current associate head coach/run game coordinator/offensive line coach at the University of Oregon Adrian Klemm has been in consideration for an assistant coaching role with his former team this offseason, reportedly heading to Las Vegas to interview with the staff during their time at the Pro Bowl. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning claimed that he doesn’t anticipate any staff changes, though, indicating that Klemm will be remaining with the Ducks, according to James Crepea of Fox Sports Eugene.

This wasn’t the only coaching position Klemm has been considered for in New England. The 45-year-old assistant coach was also a candidate for the offensive coordinator position that was eventually awarded to Bill O’Brien. Keeping Klemm in Eugene is a big win for Lanning, as Klemm clearly has a lot of potential as a coach in the NFL.

Here are a few other coaching notes that may get swept aside as bigger names and jobs continue to make headlines:

  • Longtime offensive line coach Mike Solari will return to a coaching position in Dallas for the first time in 35 years. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Solari will be replacing Joe Philbin as the team’s new offensive line coach. Solari was an assistant offensive line coach and special teams coach for the Cowboys under Tom Landry in the 1987 and 1988 seasons and worked under Mike McCarthy in Green Bay for a year in 2015. He was not coaching in the NFL last year after a four-year stint in Seattle.
  • One of the key pieces to the Super Bowl-bound Eagles‘ staff will be sticking around for a bit longer, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Philadelphia’s run game coordinator/offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was an attractive candidate for multiple offensive coordinator jobs this offseason but has reportedly agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in the City of Brotherly Love. The Eagles boasted a top-five rushing attack this year that led the league with 32 rushing touchdowns behind an elite offensive line coached by Stoutland. He has been a huge part of what has helped the Eagles lead the NFC in points and yards this season and will be sticking around to attempt to continue that success.
  • The Titans have landed an exciting new defensive assistant, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, signing a deal with former Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust. She reportedly impressed both head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Ran Carthon in the interview process and will continue to work her way up the NFL coaching ladder.
  • The Broncos are reportedly parting ways with strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow, as reported by Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The 27-year veteran is seeking other opportunities as new head coach Sean Payton is expected to bring in his own strength and conditioning coach. In a year that saw Denver suffer an unusually large number of injuries, Landow surprisingly avoided much of the blame, which seemed to fall on the shoulders of former head coach Nathaniel Hackett and his unusual practice schedules. Landow has his own practice, Landow Performance, that has seen a remarkable level of success, but he will likely be considered for open strength and conditioning positions for the league in the future.

Latest On Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott, Tyron Smith

February 5th, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys have plenty of pieces already in place which helped take the team to the divisional round of the playoffs this season, but key decisions lay ahead with several high-profile players. A number of Dallas’ longest-tenured offensive contributors face uncertain futures in 2023.

One of those is running back Ezekiel Elliott. The 27-year-old has long been thought to be a cut candidate, owing to his shrinking role in Dallas’ backfield behind Tony Pollard and his cumbersome salary and cap hit remaining on his current contract. The former top-five pick recently made clear his intention of at least considering a pay cut if it helped keep him with the Cowboys, something the team would be mutually agreeable to in principle.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones and EVP Stephen Jones indicated that they want Elliott to remain in the fold for 2023, but added that both parties will “have to talk business” to make such a scenario financially feasible (Twitter link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Elliott has scheduled cap hits of at least $14.3MM for each of the four years remaining on his deal, though no guaranteed money remains on his pact.

The Cowboys’ decision with respect to Elliott will have to come against the backdrop of their desire to keep Pollard. The latter is a pending free agent, but could at least be retained for the 2023 season via the franchise tag ($10.1MM). Pollard is currently recovering from a broken leg, but the former fourth-rounder has firmly established himself as the more efficient member of Dallas’ halfback tandem. How much the team is willing to spend at the position will become a key factor in their offseason plans.

“We’re probably one of the top teams in the league already with what we pay running backs,” the younger Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore. “We have to make sure how we pay attention to this and how we spread it out, how we divide up the pie… Obviously, Tony is looking to make more money. So, we have to relook the whole things in terms of running back and what that looks like.”

Meanwhile, tackle Tyron Smith presents another interesting case for Dallas. The 32-year-old has played at an elite level when healthy, but he has missed 33 contests over the past three campaigns. His time in 2022 was limited by a torn hamstring, and he manned the right tackle spot upon his return. That decision came in part due to the absence of starting RT Terence Steele, but also the high-end play of first-round rookie Tyler Smith, drafted to one day succeed his namesake as the Cowboys’ blindside protector.

Tyron Smith has only one non-void year remaining on his contract, but with no guaranteed compensation due his $13.6MM salary could be in jeopardy. Smith also underwent another procedure this offseason (a scope, specifically), Hill tweets. When asked if the eight-time Pro Bowler would be back next season, Stephen Jones said “I have no reason to believe he won’t,” but injury concerns and other financial decisions could change that stance in the near future.

The Cowboys are currently one of 14 teams over the 2023 cap ceiling of $224.8MM. Many moves are soon to come as a result, so the futures of Elliott and Smith with their only NFL employer to date will be worth watching.

Cowboys Promote Brian Schottenheimer To OC

February 4th, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys’ search for a new offensive coordinator has ended in unsurprising fashion. The team announced on Saturday that Brian Schottenheimer has been promoted to the OC position.

Dallas parted ways with Kellen Moore after he had guided their offense for the past four seasons. That stretch included three seasons of high-end production in the regular season with a healthy Dak Prescott under center, but reports have since emerged citing strife between Moore (who has since landed with the Chargers) and head coach Mike McCarthy after the Cowboys’ season came to an end with an underwhelming loss to the 49ers for the second straight year.

With the latter set to handle play-calling duties, Dallas’ search for Moore’s successor ended up being rather brief. It was reported earlier this week that Schottenheimer would be a name to watch for the position, given his experience with the team and serving as an OC elsewhere around the NFL. The 49-year-old worked with the Cowboys as an offensive consultant in 2022, but has helped guide the offenses of the Jets, Rams and Seahawks previously.

“I am very happy to have Brian take on this key role with our team,” McCarthy said in a statement, via the team’s website. “He has been an important part of our staff already and has a great grasp of where we are and where we want to go.

“Brian has an exceptionally strong foundation, history and relationships beyond his time here that translates very well into understanding what our approach to operating and executing will be for the future. This will be an exciting and efficient transition for us that I am confident will help yield the growth and results we all want and expect.”

Schottenheimer will take on an increased role from his previous capacity in Dallas, looking to improve a unit which ranked fourth in scoring in the NFL last season. Uncertainty remains regarding their backfield tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, while additions are expected to be made in the pass-catching corps. Of course, Schottenheimer, McCarthy and the rest of the staff will principally be judged by their performance in the postseason as the post-Moore era begins on offense.

Doug Nussmeier Interviews For Ravens OC Job

February 2nd, 2023 at 6:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Doug Nussmeier won’t be back in Dallas next season, but he could land a promotion elsewhere. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer (via Twitter), the now-former Cowboys quarterbacks coach interviewed for the Ravens offensive coordinator job today.

Archer tweeted yesterday that Nussmeier won’t be back with the Cowboys next year. The coach’s contract expired, allowing him to pursue another gig elsewhere. Archer hinted in that tweet that there were “a few teams” that already reached out to the veteran coach, including “at least one” for a coordinator job.

Following multiple stints as offensive coordinator in college football, Nussmeier joined the NFL in 2018. After spending his first two years as the Cowboys’ tight ends coach, he was promoted to quarterbacks coach following the hiring of head coach Mike McCarthy. During Nussmeier‘s three years on the job, he dealt with five different starters at the QB position, including the unheralded Cooper Rush, who went 4-1. Dak Prescott also saw plenty of success playing under Nussmeier, with the QB setting the team record for touchdowns in a season.

As a result of his success in Dallas, Nussmeier has become an increasingly popular name on the coordinator market. He was previously mentioned as a potential candidate for the Patriots OC job (before the organization ultimately hired Bill O’Brien), and now he’s got his first official interview with the Ravens. The 52-year-old coach is also drawing overtures to return to collegiate football; per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter), Nussmeier has emerged as a strong candidate for the offensive coordinator job at the University of Miami.

With Greg Roman out in Baltimore, the Ravens are casting a wide net to find their new offensive coordinator. The following individuals have been connected to the gig at some point over the past few weeks:

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 2nd, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:

  1. Chicago Bears: $90.91MM
  2. Atlanta Falcons: $56.42MM
  3. New York Giants: $44.28MM
  4. Houston Texans: $37.56MM
  5. Cincinnati Bengals: $35.55MM
  6. New England Patriots: $32.71MM
  7. Seattle Seahawks: $31.04MM
  8. Baltimore Ravens: $26.87MM
  9. Las Vegas Raiders: $19.78MM
  10. Arizona Cardinals: $14.47MM
  11. Kansas City Chiefs: $13.96MM
  12. Detroit Lions: $13.83MM
  13. Indianapolis Colts: $12.59MM
  14. Denver Broncos: $9.07MM
  15. San Francisco 49ers: $8.28MM
  16. Washington Commanders: $8.24MM
  17. Philadelphia Eagles: $4.24MM
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.03MM
  19. New York Jets: $1.31MM over the cap
  20. Dallas Cowboys: $7.18MM over
  21. Carolina Panthers: $8.94MM over
  22. Los Angeles Rams: $14.19MM over
  23. Cleveland Browns: $14.64MM over
  24. Miami Dolphins: $16.45MM over
  25. Green Bay Packers: $16.48MM over
  26. Buffalo Bills: $17.88MM over
  27. Los Angeles Chargers: $20.38MM over
  28. Jacksonville Jaguars: $22.35MM over
  29. Minnesota Vikings: $23.43MM over
  30. Tennessee Titans: $23.67MM over
  31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $55.03MM over
  32. New Orleans Saints: $60.47MM over

These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.

While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.

The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.

The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).

Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.

Cowboys, Rams Likely To Pursue Odell Beckham Jr. In Free Agency

February 1st, 2023 at 1:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr.‘s free agency sweepstakes ended up producing nothing. The long-rumored Cowboys late-season signing did not happen, with injury concerns and the price tag scuttling an agreement.

The eight-year veteran sitting out this season, as opposed to attempting to score a multiyear deal at a late juncture and thus passing on a March free agency bid, made more sense as he finished up rehab from his second ACL tear. Beckham should now generate more interest on the market, after his Super Bowl LVI knee injury hijacked his 2022 free agency bid.

Two familiar teams should be expected back in the mix. The Cowboys will resume talks with Beckham in free agency, Jerry and Stephen Jones said Wednesday (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill), while The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes the Rams will likely pursue their 2021 starter as well (subscription required).

Jerry Jones took the wheel of the latest Beckham hype train, but after the parties’ visit, the presumed signing did not take place. Beckham hoped to catch on with a team, finish up his recovery and learn an offense ahead of a playoffs-only docket. Jones sought a player capable of contributing down the stretch in the regular season, and some leaks from Beckham’s Cowboys visit revealed the team did not believe the marquee wideout would have been able to meet that deadline. The Cowboys ended up adding T.Y. Hilton, but he is not under contract for 2023. While Jones moved the goalposts a bit and continued to indicate the team was in talks with OBJ despite the veteran pass catcher’s playoffs-only push, this storyline stopped before Christmas.

Both the Cowboys and Rams featured close Beckham ties last year. For months, the Rams appeared to have the inside track to re-sign OBJ. Each of the Rams’ power brokers confirmed they were negotiating, but Beckham ended up balking at an incentive-laden Los Angeles offer. Sean McVay indicated the team would make a better offer, but his team fell out of contention and was not in position to woo Beckham any longer. With McVay confirmed to coach a seventh Rams season, the team should be primed to investigate a Beckham move again.

While Rodrigue cautions the Rams probably will not be too aggressive for Beckham, his market value took a hit because of the season off. Beckham turned 30 in November, has not played since Super Bowl LVI and has sustained two ACL tears since November 2020. Although OBJ’s hot start to the Rams-Bengals matchup would have vaulted him in position to cash in big in March 2022, the second tear scrapped that reality. It will be interesting to see how teams approach him this year, especially considering a potentially weak receiver market awaits. As of now, Beckham will join the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Allen Lazard, Jakobi Meyers and DJ Chark in free agency.

Cowboys Interview Rams’ Thomas Brown For OC; Mike McCarthy To Call Plays

February 1st, 2023 at 12:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McCarthy will indeed return to a play-calling role. Rumored to be readying to be a play-calling head coach, the former Packers HC will take on that responsibility next season for the Cowboys, Jerry Jones confirmed Wednesday.

The Cowboys have begun interviewing offensive coordinator candidates to replace Kellen Moore, meeting with Rams assistant Thomas Brown and Panthers staffer Jeff Nixon (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill), but the position will come with a reduced workload in 2023.

While McCarthy did not call plays for all of his Green Bay stay, he spent extensive time doing so. He last served as the Packers’ play-caller during the 2018 season, when the team fired him before the year ended. McCarthy played a major role in Aaron Rodgers‘ first two MVP awards — in 2011 and 2014 — but also drew frequent criticism. The Cowboys will sign up for a season of McCarthy at the controls.

The Pack ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense in nine of McCarthy’s 13 seasons, including a 2013 campaign in which Rodgers missed seven games. Brett Favre bounced back in his age-38 season under McCarthy, who was then in his second year coaching the Packers, and Rodgers’ first offense ranked fifth — despite Green Bay’s 6-10 record. While McCarthy gained a conservative reputation during his Green Bay years, he does have considerable experience as a play-calling HC.

Dallas moved forward with an unusual setup in 2020, hiring an offense-oriented coach but keeping its OC not only employed but as its play-caller. McCarthy kept Moore in that role for three seasons, and the Cowboys ranked in the top five in scoring offense in both years Dak Prescott has finished. This included a fourth-place ranking in points this year, despite Prescott missing early-season time because of a thumb injury. Jones confirmed (via the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins) McCarthy and Moore had philosophical differences.

The Chargers have since hired Moore, adding him as their play-caller a day after the Cowboys ousted him. Nixon, the Panthers’ running backs coach under Matt Rhule, became an immediate OC candidate. Brown, who has interviewed for HC and OC positions this offseason so far, is now on the radar as well.

Brown met with the Texans about their HC position and interviewed for the Chargers and Commanders’ OC gigs. Mentioned as a potential OC candidate with the Rams, Brown remains in place as their tight ends coach. He has been on Sean McVay‘s staff since 2020, coming to Los Angeles after spending most of the 2010s in the college ranks. Brown, 36, is viewed as a rising sideline talent, though the Rams made an outside hire — ex-Jets staffer Mike LaFleur — for their next OC.

Cowboys To Interview Jeff Nixon For OC Vacancy

January 31st, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

For the first time in Dak Prescott‘s career, the Cowboys are on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator. With Kellen Moore headed to Los Angeles, their search for his replacement is set to begin.

Dallas is set to interview Panthers running backs coach Jeff Nixon for the OC position, reports Joe Person of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 48-year-old began his NFL coaching career with the Eagles in 2007, spending time there as an assistant on both offense and special teams. That led him to the Dolphins, where he took on the familiar role of exclusively coaching running backs.

Nixon spent four years in Miami, then one in San Francisco before working alongside Matt Rhule at Baylor. He joined the latter in Carolina upon his hire in 2020, and has been with the Panthers since. Nixon has once again been primarily working with the team’s running backs, but he also took over the interim OC role in 2021 following the dismissal of Joe Brady. In 2022, Nixon maintained senior offensive assistant as part of his title.

This past season saw the Panthers’ ground game lose its most potent weapon after Christian McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers midseason. In spite of that, the team still finished 10th in the league in rushing, averaging 130 yards per game on the ground. That element of their offense – driven by D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard following the McCaffrey deal – helped keep Carolina in the hunt for a playoff spot deep into the season despite their disastrous start under Rhule.

Nixon (who also interviewed for OC vacancies with the Jaguars and Raiders last offseason) is also a candidate to remain on staff in Carolina under new head coach Frank Reich. Should he depart, though, he could take on a sizeable role in a Cowboys offense which impressed in the regular season but fell short in the playoffs during Moore’s tenure. Dallas’ hire to fill the vacancy will not call plays, though, as head coach Mike McCarthy is reportedly set to assume those duties.

Another, internal, option for the Cowboys to consider is Brian Schottenheimer. The veteran staffer has OC experience with the Jets, Rams and Seahawks and served as a consultant in Dallas this past season. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer names the 49-year-old as a candidate to watch as the Cowboys’ search for Moore’s replacement starts to take shape in the coming days.

Cowboys Part Ways With OC Kellen Moore

January 29th, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

7:05pm: David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports that McCarthy will indeed call plays on offense in 2023, a season in which he will find himself increasingly on the hot seat.

5:56pm: The Cowboys were able to once again retain one of their key coordinators for the 2023 season, but the same will not hold true on the offensive side of the ball. Dallas has mutually parted ways with OC Kellen Moore, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). A team announcement has confirmed the news.

Moore, 33, joined the Cowboys in 2018 as the team’s quarterbacks coach. One year later, he was promoted to the role of OC, which he held until now. Regarded as one of the league’s top up-and-coming minds on that side of the ball, the move was seen with optimism especially given the promise shown by Dallas’ nucleus led by Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. The unit’s performance under Moore has led to mixed results.

Dallas had the No. 1 total offense in the league in 2019, a feat which they repeated in 2021. In terms of scoring, the Cowboys led the NFL that season, and ranked in the top six two other times. The lone campaign in which middling numbers can be seen was 2020, during which Prescott was limited to only five games played and the season was essentially deemed a write-off. Given those figures, Moore had become a highly-regarded coordinator receiving interest from outside teams for potential head coaching positions.

On the other hand, much of the blame for Dallas’ continued postseason shortcomings has been laid at Moore’s feet. The Cowboys were eliminated by the 49ers for the second consecutive year last week, a result marked in large part by Dallas’ inability to replicate their regular season scoring success. With Moore at the helm, this past season also saw Prescott lead the league with 15 regular season interceptions despite missing five games; he threw two crucial picks in the team’s divisional loss to San Francisco as well.

That has led to the expectation that Dallas will seek upgrades at the wide receiver position in particular, with their running back spot facing plenty of uncertainty as well. Regardless of which players are retained or replaced, the team will have a new play-caller in place for 2023. Some have speculated that head coach Mike McCarthy could take on that responsibility, one he held during his OC days and much of his tenure as the Packers’ bench boss.

As for Moore, he may not be unemployed for long. Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that the Buccaneers are expected to have “significant interest” in adding him as their new OC. Tampa Bay is searching for a Byron Leftwich replacement, after he was fired following a very disappointing season on offense for the NFC South champions.

The Cowboys will have both McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on the sidelines once again in 2023, which will lead to expectations remaining high for the team. Before the new season kicks off, however, they will need to navigate the sizeable OC market which has taken shape this year around the league.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/26/23

January 26th, 2023 at 5:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

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