HEADLINES

Dan Quinn

Poll: Best Head Coaching Candidates

November 14th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

Colts‘ offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and Browns‘ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have accomplished plenty on their offenses this season, with each team currently leading its current division through nine games. Those performances could lead to big paydays as head coaches next season.

They are not the only coordinators being rumored for head coaching jobs. Giants‘ offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has been talked about as a possible successor for Tom Coughlin. Broncos‘ offensive coordinator Adam Gase could follow the path of his predecessor, Mike McCoy, who jumped from a record-setting Peyton Manning-led offense to the top job for the Chargers.

The defending champion Seahawks have taken a step back from last season, but the market may not have cooled on both of their coordinators. Both offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn have both been talked about as head coaching candidates, with particular interest coming from the Jets if general manager John Idzik is retained in New York and head coach Rex Ryan is fired.

Todd Bowles has helped put together a great defense in Arizona, as the Cardinals have gone 8-1 despite injuries on the defense. Lions‘ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could be in a similar position, as his team is currently leading it’s division based on the strength of the defense.

Add to the mix the possibility of Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher returning to the sidelines, or even the possibility of a college coach like David Shaw of Stanford jumping to the NFL, and teams will have a number of options should they decide to pursue a new coach in 2015. That list does not include the head coaches that will lose their jobs at the end of the season, a number of them will hit the open market with impressive records of success. That list could include Ryan, Mike Smith, and Jim Harbaugh, among others.

Jets Notes: Mornhinweg, Cap Room, Ryan

October 11th, 2014 at 12:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Jets owner Woody Johnson has agreed to sell his Manhattan co-op for $80MM, according to Jennifer Gould Keil of the New York Post. That’s a record price for a NYC co-op, and that money could ultimately help out the franchise.

Either way, as ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes, the owner would have been forced to open his checkbook this offseason. Franchises are required to spend at least 89 percent of their cap between 2013 and 2017, so the Jets will certainly be spenders in free agency – regardless of the owner’s extra $80MM.

Let’s see what else is going on in the organization, all via Cimini’s mailbag…

  • Cimini believes that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has avoided major criticism early on because of the team’s other issues. However, he believes Mornhinweg will face further scrutiny if the offense (particularly quarterback Geno Smith) continues to struggle.
  • The Jets are looking at about $67MM in cap room next season, but Cimini warns that the abundance of money isn’t an indication that the team will spend. The team will likely use the money to add a couple of marquee free agents as well as extend their own players.
  • If Rex Ryan were to be fired after the season, Jim Harbaugh would not be a likely candidate. Instead, Cimini suggests Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who already has a relationship with general manager John Idzik.
  • Cimini can’t envision both Ryan and Idzik being fired after the season. After all, firing Idzik would be an admittance by Woody Johnson that he was wrong, and the owner has traditionally held his general managers on a relatively long leash.

Dan Quinn May Have Taken Browns HC Job

February 3rd, 2014 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

In their hunt for a new head coach, the Browns targeted multiple coaches involved in Sunday’s game, including Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. However, when Quinn indicated he wouldn’t interview for a second time until after the Super Bowl, the Browns moved on to other options, eventually hiring Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. If Cleveland had waited and offered Quinn the job, he likely would have accepted it, as he told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer after Sunday’s game.

“I certainly would’ve been interested,” Quinn said. “I mean, it’s a big-time place. It’s the Cleveland Browns.”

The Browns can’t be blamed for wanting to finalize their decision well before this week. Cleveland was already the last club in the NFL without a head coach, and waiting another two weeks would’ve made it difficult for the team to fill out its staff, given all the coaches who found jobs in the meantime. Prior to Sunday, the Browns hired Jim O’Neil as their defensive coordinator and reportedly reached an agreement with Kyle Shanahan to become the team’s offensive coordinator.

As for Quinn, based on the Seahawks’ defensive performance on Sunday, it’s hard to say he made the wrong decision by choosing to focus solely on the game rather than pursuing another job. He told Cabot that he had “not one” regret about his choice. While Quinn appears poised to head Seattle’s No. 1 defense again in 2014, it will likely only be a matter of time before another head coaching opportunity arises for him.

NFC Rumors: Redskins, Graham, 49ers

January 29th, 2014 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Redskins expect to be active in free agency this offseason, and it sounds like the team anticipates plenty of overall roster turnover. GM Bruce Allen told CSN Washington that the club will be adding “about 20 new players” for the 2014 season, according to Tarik El-Bashir. Considering the Redskins are coming off a 3-13 campaign, don’t have a first round pick, and will have significant cap space for the first time in the last several years, it figures to be an interesting offseason in Washington.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC:

  • Jimmy Graham is a strong candidate for the franchise tag, meaning his position will be a point of contention next month, since the gap between the franchise tag for tight ends and wide receivers is $4MM+. Taking that disparity into account, the Saints likely appreciate Drew Brees‘ input on the matter. Appearing on NBC Sports Radio, Brees argued that Graham is a tight end, suggesting that tight ends aren’t always used traditionally in the team’s offensive scheme. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details.
  • The 49ers will have the opportunity to extend Aldon Smith‘s contract this offseason, but may be better off simply exercising his fifth-year option, putting off extension talks for another year, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, with an assist from cap expert Joel Corry.
  • Suspended Seahawks defensive back Brandon Browner is trying not to get caught up in the financial ramifications of his current situation, as he tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Browner, who will miss the Super Bowl as he continues to fight a ban that could force him to miss the 2014 season, is eligible for free agency this offseason, and would have been in line for a major payday if not for the suspension.
  • While the Packers need to add some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, linebacker figures to be a lower priority than the defensive line or secondary this spring, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky.
  • Concerned about waiting too long to fill out their staff, the Browns bypassed Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and hired Mike Pettine as their head coach last week. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter), Quinn admits that he would have wanted to wait until after the Super Bowl to have a second interview with the Browns.

Latest On Browns’ Coaching Search

January 20th, 2014 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns are the NFL’s only team with a head coaching vacancy, meaning there’s little risk now of another club grabbing their preferred candidate. As such, Cleveland’s search seems to progressing deliberately, with a number of options still in play. Here are the latest updates on the Browns’ hunt for Rob Chudzinski‘s replacement:

  • According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, the Browns would be exercising a little too much patience if they waited until after the Super Bowl to possibly interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase. Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn remains interested in Cleveland’s opening, and La Canfora expects the Browns to “put the full-court press” on Quinn this week in the hopes of securing a handshake deal.
  • The Browns conducted some background research on 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula last week, according to ESPN’s Bill Williamson, who says (via Twitter) that Tomsula could become a candidate for the Cleveland job.
  • Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com (Twitter link) hears that the Browns may still make one last run at Josh McDaniels, though he appears likely to remain with the Patriots.