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Seahawks To Hire Rams’ Jake Peetz

February 15th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the candidates for the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator position, Jake Peetz will instead join another team that recently hired a new head coach. This will result in another Sean McVay assistant departing the Rams.

The Seahawks are adding Peetz to their staff as pass-game coordinator, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Peetz has not previously coached alongside Mike Macdonald or new Seattle OC Ryan Grubb. He will nevertheless become the latest Rams assistant to depart Los Angeles and join one of this year’s new HC hires.

[RELATED: Seahawks Hire Aden Durde As DC]

Peetz, 38, has been with the Rams for two seasons; he served as a pass-game specialist. He will follow Raheem Morris, Zac Robinson, Jimmy Lake and Eric Henderson off McVay’s staff. Previously the Panthers’ QBs coach under Matt Rhule in 2020, Peetz has spent time in the college game. But he did not coach on the same teams that employed Grubb and Macdonald previously. The Bucs interviewed Peetz late last month but hired another ex-McVay staffer, Liam Coen, to be their play-caller.

Peetz worked as LSU’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and was on Nick Saban‘s Alabama staff in 2013 and then again in 2018. Macdonald was at Georgia in 2013, prior to his long-term Ravens stint, and then resurfaced at Michigan in 2021. While Grubb has spent most of his career in the college ranks, he was in Division I-FCS or at the mid-major level prior to becoming Washington’s OC in 2022. But hiring McVay staffers represents a trend that has not cooled off within the NFL.

While this will keep a McVay tributary flowing to Seattle, Peetz did not work on the same staff as previous Seahawks OC Shane Waldron. The Rams ranked 10th in pass offense last season, and Matthew Stafford bounced back from an injury-filled 2022 to finish sixth in QBR. The 35-year-old passer led a team tied to a retooling year back to the playoffs, nearly toppling the No. 3-seeded Lions in the wild-card round. McVay now must replace his QBs coach and pass-game specialist. Peetz turned down a chance to work with Rhule at Nebraska late in 2022, opting to continue his career in the pros.

Additionally, the Seahawks are hiring Scott Huff as their offensive line coach, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Huff spent the past seven years as Washington’s offensive line coach. He was also set to follow Kalen DeBoer alongside Grubb to Alabama. But Grubb will instead bring him back to the Pacific Northwest. Huff previously served as Boise State’s co-OC, being on Chris Petersen’s staff for 11 seasons — several of them coaching the Broncos’ O-linemen or tight ends. Like Grubb, this will be Huff’s first NFL assignment.

Seattle is also adding Devin Fitzsimmons as its assistant special teams coach. Fitzsimmons will work under ST coordinator Jay Harbaugh. Fitzsimmons has nine seasons’ worth of NFL experience, most recently serving as the Panthers’ assistant ST coach.

2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 9th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

Buccaneers To Interview Jake Peetz For OC

January 28th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Dave Canales taking a quick route to a head coaching job, the Buccaneers need to find a new play-caller. Yet again, a Sean McVay staffer is in the mix for a promotion.

The Bucs are planning to sit down with Jake Peetz this week, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. After a 2021 stint at LSU, Peetz has been back in the NFL — as a Rams pass-game specialist — for the past two seasons.

Peetz could have multiple promotion opportunities this offseason. The Rams have lost quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, one of this cycle’s most popular coordinator candidates, to the Falcons. But a coordinator gig represents a higher rung on the coaching ladder. This Tampa Bay opportunity marks the first Peetz interview request during this year’s hiring period.

Peetz, 39, worked under McVay for a season in Washington (2014) and was on each of Jack Del Rio‘s three Raiders staffs over the next three years. After a season at Alabama, Peetz resurfaced as the Panthers’ running backs coach under Ron Rivera. Matt Rhule kept Peetz on and moved him to QBs coach in 2020, Carolina’s Teddy Bridgewater year, but saw him become LSU’s offensive coordinator in 2021. The SEC school ranked 80th in scoring offense under Peetz in 2021; the team fired Ed Orgeron that year, and Peetz made his way back to the NFL soon after.

The Rams have Mike LaFleur in place as McVay’s top offensive assistant, and no HC or OC requests have come in for the ex-Jets play-caller. With Robinson gone and Peetz on the coordinator radar, LaFleur’s status looms as critical for a team that will once again need to replace a coordinator — after Raheem Morris became the new Falcons HC.

Courtesy of PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker, here is how the Bucs’ OC search looks so far:

NFC West Coaching Updates: Rams, Kubiak, Cardinals

March 26th, 2023 at 8:25pm CST by Ely Allen

The Rams announced that they’ve finalized their coaching staff for the 2023 season earlier this month, according to Rams staff writer Stu Jackson. We covered a number of the changes from 2022 already, but below are the ones we have yet to cover.

With the departure of Thomas Brown, who will be calling plays for the Panthers in 2023, head coach Sean McVay had an opening for a new assistant head coach. We heard last month that the team added Jimmy Lake to the staff, but we didn’t have details on his role. It turns out that he will be replacing Brown as the Rams assistant head coach.

On offense, the biggest change we have yet to cover is the addition of Ron Gould as the team’s new running backs coach. After allowing Ra’Shaad Samples to depart for a college position, the Rams went and poached Gould away from San Diego State a month after Gould was named the associate head coach and running backs coach for the Aztecs. He spent the last six years coaching running backs at Stanford. Additionally, two assistants received promotions this offseason. Jake Peetz, who was an offensive assistant last year has been given the new title of pass game specialist. Kenneth Black, last year’s coaching fellow in Los Angeles, will fill Peetz’s previous role of offensive assistant.

Los Angeles made two new additions to the defensive staff. They hired Joe Coniglio to coach outside linebackers in 2023. Coniglio played a similar role for Navy last season. The other addition is Andrew Carter, who will be the new assistant defensive line coach after the departure of Skyler Jones. Carter was a defensive quality control coach for the Broncos last year.

Additionally, the Rams’ defensive staff saw a rare swap occur. Chris Shula, who served last year as the team’s pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach, will spend 2023 as the inside linebackers coach/pass rush coordinator. Last year’s inside linebackers coach, Chris Beake, will now coach defensive backs.

Here are some other staff changes in the NFC West:

  • We heard last month that the 49ers added Klint Kubiak to their staff in an unnamed role. The team recently announced that Kubiak will serve as San Francisco’s offensive passing game specialist in 2023. The 49ers also announced the hires of Jacob Webster as defensive quality control coach and Max Molz as coaching operations assistant. Both are making their NFL-debuts with Webster coming from Wisconsin as a graduate assistant and Molz serving as the associate director of football operations at Missouri last year.
  • The Cardinals hired some personnel help for new general manager Monti Ossenfort earlier this week, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Arizona is bringing in Rob Kisiel to a pro personnel department executive position. Kisiel has been a pro scout for the Falcons for the last two seasons and previously served as director of pro personnel for the Texans.

NFC West Notes: Cards, Purdy, Rams, Hawks

December 15th, 2022 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals will be without their 10th-year GM going forward. Steve Keim stepped away from his post for the time being, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes this health-related matter has been on the radar for months (video link). Keim’s future with the Cardinals is “up in the air,” Rapoport adds. This news comes months after Keim agreed to an extension that runs through 2027. Both Keim and Kliff Kingsbury signed add-ons this offseason, though the latter has also run into some turbulence. With Keim stepping away, Kyler Murray going down with an ACL tear and Kingsbury on the hot seat, this has been one of the more disappointing seasons in recent Cardinals history.

Here is the latest from Arizona and the rest of the NFC West:

  • Brock Purdy was not throwing during the 49ers‘ Tuesday practice, but the new San Francisco starter is expected to play through his rib and oblique injuries against the Seahawks tonight, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Purdy stayed in Sunday’s game despite suffering those injuries. The 49ers, who have lost both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to major injuries this season, have journeyman Josh Johnson — recently signed off the Broncos’ practice squad — in place as their backup. Purdy and Johnson are the only two healthy QBs on San Francisco’s 53-man roster. Garoppolo remains on the active roster, for IR-management purposes, but is unlikely to return this season.
  • Shifting back to the Cardinals‘ quarterback situation, Murray is not slated to have surgery until after Christmas, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets. This is common for ACL surgeries, with the delay helping the swelling subside. Saquon Barkley ended up waiting over a month to have his ACL surgery in 2020 and was ready in time for the 2021 season. Week 1 will obviously be Murray’s goal, but given the through-2028 extension the Cardinals gave Murray this offseason, it would not surprise to see the organization play this cautionsly.
  • Thought to be leaving for Matt Rhule‘s Nebraska staff, Rams assistant Jake Peetz is staying in Los Angeles. Peetz turned down an offer to head to Lincoln, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Currently a Rams offensive assistant, Peetz was believed to have been offered the Nebraska quarterbacks coach job. He was the Panthers’ QBs coach under Rhule in 2020 and is a Nebraska native who played for the Cornhuskers during the 2000s. With Rams OC Liam Coen leaving to be Kentucky’s OC soon, it would not surprise to see Peetz rise on Sean McVay‘s staff.
  • The Rams will, however, lose their running backs coach — Ra’Shaad Samples — to the college ranks. Samples is heading to Arizona State to become the Pac-12 program’s wide receivers coach and passing-game coordinator, per Matt Zenitz of On3Sports. This season marked Samples’ first in the NFL. Impressively rising to the level of an NFL position coach at just 27, Samples will return to the college ranks. He was previously SMU’s running backs coach before heading to L.A. Samples also drew coordinator interest at the college level, Zenitz adds.
  • McVay’s staff has seen a run of connections to the college level in recent weeks. Prior to Arizona State and Georgia Tech hiring Kenny Dillingham and Brent Key, respectively, the schools were interested in Rams assistants. Tight ends coach Thomas Brown drew interest from the Sun Devils, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds defensive line coach Eric Henderson was on the Yellowjackets’ radar. A Georgia Tech alum, Henderson, 39, has been with the Rams since 2019. Brown, 36, has been with the team since 2020, joining the Rams after 10 seasons as a college staffer. The latter has generated praise as a rising NFL assistant, so the Rams retaining him is critical.
  • The Rams used their high waiver position to claim former Titans defensive lineman Larrell Murchison, but Field Yates of ESPN.com notes the Seahawks and Lions also made claims (Twitter link). Murchison’s rookie contract runs through the 2023 season; the Rams will have a chance to evaluate the former fifth-round pick.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, OBJ, Hawks

December 5th, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly three months after losing Trey Lance to a season-ending broken ankle, the 49ers saw Lance insurance policy Jimmy Garoppolo go down with a broken foot. Although Garoppolo’s exact prognosis is being determined, Kyle Shanahan said again Monday he is done for the season. Garoppolo appears to, however, have avoided Lisfranc trouble, Shanahan said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, on Twitter). Garoppolo went through an offseason of trade talk and has long been expected to hit free agency, but a report surfacing hours before his latest injury indicated the 49ers are interested in another reunion. Garoppolo’s third season-ending injury as a 49er may well affect that, but Lisfranc trouble being avoided would aid the nine-year veteran as he attempts to successfully navigate another rehab program.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Staying with the 49ers, they lost one of their defensive linemen to another significant injury. Hassan Ridgeway sustained a pectoral strain and will miss six to eight weeks, Shanahan said. Ridgeway operated as the 49ers’ Arik Armstead replacement for much of this season, making seven starts for the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense. Armstead made a long-awaited return in Week 13, but the team is now without Ridgeway and Javon Kinlaw. San Francisco has a complicated IR situation, having used seven of its eight injury activations already. If the team wants to have Elijah Mitchell back, it cannot activate Kinlaw. This situation may end Ridgeway’s season, if the 49ers move him to IR. Of course, it might come down to which player is readiest come playoff time.
  • The Rams kept a locker reserved for Odell Beckham Jr., though as it becomes clear the free agent wideout is not returning to Los Angeles, they are no longer doing so. OBJ previously expressed dissatisfaction with the Rams’ offer, and The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes the team submitted an incentive-laden proposal. That said, Rodrigue adds the Rams were flexible regarding the back end of the deal. Beckham has wanted a multiyear commitment. It will be interesting to see how Beckham’s next team ends up compensating him, as he is 30 and has sustained two ACL tears within a 20-month span. Waiting until 2023 — when a thin free agency wideout class is expected to be available — may have been Beckham’s better play.
  • Matt Rhule‘s poaching of NFL assistants is not limited to the Panthers’ staff. The new Nebraska HC is bringing over Rams offensive assistant Jake Peetz, Pete Thamel of ESPN.com tweets. Peetz, who coached Panthers quarterbacks under Rhule in 2020, is expected to reprise that role with the Cornhuskers. Peetz, who also played at Nebraska during the mid-2000s, follows Panthers assistant D-line coach Terrance Knighton as active NFL staffers set to leave their current gigs for Lincoln.
  • The Packers claimed Justin Hollins off waivers from the Rams, but Field Yates of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) the Seahawks also submitted a claim for the young linebacker. Hollins has played in two Packers games as a reserve. Unlike recent Seahawks waiver claim Johnathan Abram, Hollins has seen extensive defensive action (35 plays) in Green Bay thus far.

Rams To Hire LSU’s Jake Peetz

February 22nd, 2022 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

A two-time quarterbacks coach in the NFL, Jake Peetz spent the past season as LSU’s offensive coordinator. It turns out the Rams will have two 2021 SEC OCs on their staff next season.

After naming ex-Kentucky coordinator Liam Coen as their next OC, the Rams are adding Peetz to their offensive staff, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This marks a reunion between Peetz and Sean McVay, who were both on Washington’s staff in 2014. Peetz, 38, has bounced around since.

Peetz’s most notable NFL development probably came in 2018, when the Colts had him on their offensive coordinator radar during the short time in which Josh McDaniels was on track to be their next head coach. McDaniels nixing those plans led Peetz to Alabama for a second one-year stint under Nick Saban. Peetz spent the 2019 and ’20 seasons with the Panthers, with Matt Rhule keeping the Ron Rivera-era assistant and moving him from running backs to quarterbacks coach.

Peetz, who was a quality control staffer during McVay’s first Washington OC season, also coached the Raiders’ QBs from 2016-17. LSU’s offense ranked just 80th in 2021, a 6-7 Tigers season, though sophomore quarterback Max Johnson did finish with a 27-6 TD-INT ratio in his first full year as a starter.

The Rams lost two-year OC Kevin O’Connell to the Vikings. Coen, Peetz, Greg Olson and Thomas Brown are set to be key McVay lieutenants for the defending Super Bowl champions next season. Of this group, Brown was the only one on staff last season.

NFC Coaching Turner, Peetz, Linguist, Harris,Whitted

January 30th, 2020 at 7:00pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Norv Turner will not be returning to the Panthers coaching staff, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. Turner had served as a special assistant to former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera, of course, was recently replaced by Matt Rhule and has since taken over in Washington. While nothing has been reported, it would not be a surprise to see Turner follow Rivera to the nation’s capital to work with young quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

At the same time, Carolina blocked running backs coach Jake Peetz from interviewing for other positions, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Breer adds that Rivera wanted to take Peetz with him, but Carolina general manager Marty Hurney valued Peetz and the team decided to reward him with a promotion to quarterbacks coach.

Here’s some more notes from coaching staff’s around the NFC:

  • The Cowboys hired Texas A&M cornerbacks coach Maurice Linguist to serve as the team’s defensive backs coach alongside Al Harris. Linguist did not have a history with either head coach Mike McCarthy or defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, but his personality impressed the pair so much that they offered him the job on the same day of his interview, according to Dallas Cowboys reporter Lindsay Cash Draper. Harris had been an assistant with Kansas City, but more notably, played under McCarthy during his tenure in Green Bay at cornerback.
  • Harris’ former team will be making a change at wide receivers coach. According Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers have let Alvis Whitted go and have begun the process of searching for his replacement. Whitted was hired just a year ago to join Matt LaFleur’s staff, but it appears LaFleur will be going in a different direction.

Extra Points: Panthers, Bucs, Kwon, Dolphins

February 20th, 2019 at 9:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have hired former Alabama assistant Jake Peetz as their new running backs coach, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Carolina announced that Peetz’s predecessor, Jim Skipper, will retire after spending six seasons with the club. Peetz, 35, worked for the Raiders from 2015-17, serving as quarterbacks coach during his final campaign in Oakland. He was briefly rumored to be an offensive coordinator candidate in Indianapolis under presumptive head coach Josh McDaniels in 2018, but that never occurred after McDaniels spurned the Colts. Peetz will lead a Panthers backfield that was dominated by Christian McCaffrey — who played 91% of the team’s offensive snaps — last year.

Let’s take a look at a few more coaching notes from around the NFL:

  • Impending free agent linebacker Kwon Alexander has already met new Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians and wants to re-sign with Tampa Bay, as he told WDAE-FM (link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). Alexander doesn’t think the Bucs’ likely shift to a 3-4 front under new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles would be a hindrance to his play. “Man, I’m a baller, period,” Alexander said. “I’m going to get to the ball whatever scheme it is. If it’s 4-3, 3-4, I know how to make plays and that’s what I’m going to do if I’m in there.” From a contractual standpoint, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com recently reported that Tampa Bay had no intention of paying Alexander $10MM per year even before he tore his ACL last October.
  • Panthers free agent linebacker David Mayo recently underwent sports hernia surgery, but is expected to make a full recovery, reports Joe Person of The Athletic (Twitter link). As of yet, there’s been no timeline reported for Mayo’s return to full health. A fifth-round pick in 2015, Mayo hasn’t been much of a factor on Carolina’s impressive linebacker unit, playing only 307 defensive snaps over four years. But he’s been extremely reliable on special teams. Mayo has played on at least 60% of the Panthers’ ST snaps in all of his NFL seasons, and has ranked either first or second in Panthers’ special teams snaps in each of the past three years.
  • Alabama special teams/offense analyst Brendan Farrell will join the Dolphins as an assistant special teams coach, per Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com. Miami is attempting to rebuild its special teams staff after losing longtime coordinator/associate head coach Darren Rizzi to the Saints earlier this year. Farrell will work under Danny Crossman, the former Bills’ ST coach who joined the Dolphins earlier this month. Farrell previously served as the special teams coordinator at Northwestern State.

Colts To Target Darrell Bevell For Offensive Coordinator

February 4th, 2018 at 9:22am CST by Rory Parks

Several weeks ago, it was reported that Josh McDaniels — who will be named as the Colts’ new head coach after today’s Super Bowl — would hire Raiders quarterbacks coach Jake Peetz as Indianapolis’ next offensive coordinator. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that a new name has emerged as McDaniels’ top target for the position: former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell (Twitter link).

Darrell Bevell (vertical)

Bevell, of course, has been in high demand. He has already interviewed for the Vikings’ offensive coordinator vacancy, and he interviewed for the Cardinals’ OC job before Arizona hired Mike McCoy. Bevell was also mentioned as a candidate for several quarterbacks coach positions, and Rapoport adds that the Giants are interested in Bevell for their own OC job.

Seattle fired Bevell on January 10, after the team failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Seahawks’ offense was a middle-of-the-road unit in 2017, but Bevell was on the sidelines for some of the club’s best seasons, including its Super Bowl XLVIII victory. However, his call for the Seahawks to pass from the 1-yard line spoiled a would-be victory in Super Bowl XLIX, and he was never really able to salvage his reputation with the fans thereafter.

But he apparently does have a number of supporters around the league. Given McDaniels’ background as an offensive guru, it is unlikely Bevell would have the same level of control over the Colts’ offense that he enjoyed in Seattle, but he would be working with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Andrew Luck.

Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets that he heard Peetz may no longer be in the running for the Colts’ job last week. Peetz did not respond to Holder’s attempts to reach him in the past several days.

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