Doug Whaley

East Notes: Dolphins, M. Smith, Coughlin

January 10th, 2016 at 11:42am CST by Rory Parks

In a fascinating post from Armando Salguero this morning, the Miami Herald scribe dives into the Dolphins‘ front office drama that the team hopes will come to an end in the Adam Gase era. In 2013, Salguero writes that the relationship between then-Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin and then-GM Jeff Ireland was on the rocks, and owner Stephen Ross ultimately chose to fire Ireland. Ross also debated firing then-offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, and in order to save his assistant and friend, Philbin privately blamed the team’s offensive struggles on quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Although Philbin continued to toe the company line publicly, reaffirming his faith in Tannehill on numerous occasions–with one or two notable exceptions–his internal discussions had a much different tone. Philbin urged the team to draft Derek Carr in the first round of the 2014 draft, and even after Tannehill enjoyed a relatively successful 2014 campaign, Philbin continued to take out his frustrations on Tannehill, a trend that continued into the team’s difficult start to the 2015 season. Ultimately, that situation was one of the factors that led the Dolphins to hire Gase, who they expect to forge a relationship with the quarterback they’ve committed to and to make him the best player he can be.

Now let’s dive into a few more notes from the league’s east divisions, beginning with more out of South Beach.

James Walker of ESPN.com affirms that Dan Campbell‘s future with the Dolphins will be determined by Gase, but Walker does add that Ross would like to keep Campbell on the team’s coaching staff. In a separate piece, Walker writes that Gase will be calling the team’s offensive plays.
Mike Smith will interview with the Giants for their head coaching vacancy tomorrow, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
Mike Garafolo of FOXSports tweets that there were “rumblings” that the Giants would interview Hue Jackson for their head coaching job, but they may not get that chance, as there are multiple reports suggesting that the 49ers could hire Jackson as early as today.
Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer says former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin will meet with the Eagles tomorrow to discuss their head coaching vacancy. Interestingly, Berman calls the meeting an “interview,” and not a “feeling-out” as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggested yesterday.
Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News compiles an offseason to-d0 list for the Bills, a list topped by an extension for GM Doug Whaley and a release of Mario Williams.
David Moore of the Dallas Morning News looks into why the Cowboys have been unable to land an adequate backup quarterback for Tony Romo, and Moore says head coach Jason Garrett should bear as much responsibility for that failing as owner Jerry Jones.

Bills Notes: Whaley, Ryan, Backup QB

January 6th, 2016 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Two somewhat conflicting reports on the Bills surfaced on Tuesday from The Buffalo News, with Vic Carucci suggesting owner Terry Pegula had issued a playoffs-or-else ultimatum to head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley when he decided to bring them back for the 2016 season. However, Tyler Dunne suggested no such ultimatum had been issued, reporting that the Bills were actually nearing a contract extension for Whaley.

We attempted to make sense of those reports at the time, but Dunne and Carucci have since added more details, so let’s dive in and round up the latest from them, as well as the rest of the day’s notes out of Buffalo…

Whaley’s extension could get finalized this weekend, with the GM and the rest of the Bills’ brass planning to meet to recap the 2015 season and make plans for 2016, writes Dunne.
Within the same piece, Dunne notes that Pegula sent a text message calling the alleged ultimatum “BS,” and those close to the team’s owner indicate that it’s not in his nature to do something like that. However, Dunne also points out that there have been multiple instances in recent years where Pegula extended a coach or GM for his Buffalo Sabres, then fired him less than a year later. In other words, with or without an extension or an ultimatum, Whaley and Ryan will likely have to show improvement next year to keep their jobs.
It sounds like Carucci is sticking to his report on Pegula’s ultimatum, suggesting that Pegula and other sources who are denying it are simply unhappy that it leaked in the first place. Within the same piece, Carucci also discusses the future of Bills defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman.
Tyrod Taylor will enter the 2016 season as the starting quarterback for the Bills, but who will back him up? Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines the team’s options.
Earlier today, we passed along word of the Bills signing former Packers wide receiver Jarrett Boykin to a reserve/futures contract.

Bills, GM Doug Whaley Working On Extension

January 5th, 2016 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

1:20pm: Dunne has published his full story on the Whaley extension talks, citing a source who says Pegula did not give a one-year ultimatum to the GM and head coach.

12:51pm: General manager Doug Whaley and the Bills are working on a new contract that would lock up Whaley beyond 2016, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). Jeremy White of WGR and Adam Benigni of WGRZ (Twitter links) each reported today that the two sides were working out the final details of the new deal, though Dunne says it hasn’t yet been presented to ownership.

On the heels of a morning report from Dunne’s Buffalo News colleague Vic Carucci, who suggested that owner Terry Pegula was giving Whaley and Rex Ryan one more year to make the playoffs and secure their jobs, news of a possible extension for Whaley comes as a surprise — particularly since Benigni indicates Whaley’s new deal would coincide with Ryan’s, meaning it would run through 2019.

It’s possible that Carucci’s report was inaccurate, though it’s hard to believe the Bills would stand pat again if the team has a sub-.500 season in 2016. It’s also possible that Pegula would consider making changes a year from now even after extending Whaley. For someone who spent $1.4 billion to buy the franchise in 2014, eating a few extra million dollars to replace a GM is probably viable.

Still, if that’s the case, extending Whaley seems somewhat unnecessary, unless the team simply doesn’t want its GM entering the year as a lame duck. Even if Pegula wants to express confidence and optimism heading into 2016, there’s likely a less expensive way to do it.

As we try to sort out what’s happening in Buffalo, here a few more Bills-related updates:

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Ryan was unwilling to say definitively that defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman would return in 2016, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
Veteran defensive tackle Kyle Williams has told the Bills he wants to continue playing next year, so as his long as his medical information checks out, he’ll likely be back, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.
Whaley downplayed the importance of signings outside free agents this offseason, joking that reporters covering the team can probably go on vacation during the first week of free agency. However, he referred to re-signing tackle Cordy Glenn and guard Richie Incognito as a “major point of emphasis” (Twitter links via Dunne and Buscaglia).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

No Ultimatum For Rex Ryan, Doug Whaley?

January 5th, 2016 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

1:19pm: Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News has contradicted his colleague’s report, citing a source who says Pegula did not issue a one-year ultimatum to Ryan and Whaley. The Bills and Whaley are reportedly working on an extension.

As I noted below, even if the Bills eventually do consider making changes a year from now, it would be unusual for such an ultimatum to be issued and reported at this point.

10:08am: Bills owner Terry Pegula announced last week that head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley would be returning to the team for the 2016 season. However, the duo shouldn’t get too comfortable in Buffalo just yet.

According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, Pegula has issued an ultimatum of sorts to Ryan and Whaley: If they can’t make the necessary improvements to the Bills to get the club into the postseason, they’ll be let go after the 2016 season.

The fact that Ryan and Whaley will enter the 2016 season in playoffs-or-bust mode perhaps doesn’t come as a real surprise, especially since Whaley has just one year left on his contract. The club had expected to make it into the postseason this year, and neither the head coach nor the GM was considered safe until Pegula’s announcement last week, so it makes sense that the Bills would explore other options if the team underachieves again in 2016. Still, it’s rare that this sort of ultimatum is reported so early, and so definitively.

While Ryan, who has four years remaining on the contract he signed last January with the Bills, will get at least one more season in Buffalo, the same can’t be said for all of his assistant coaches. A source tells Carucci that at least two changes will be made to Ryan’s coaching staff, though there are “strong indications” that defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman is safe.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Owner: Ryan, Whaley To Return In 2016

December 30th, 2015 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Bills owner Terry Pegula has released a statement in which he essentially confirms that head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley will remain with the team for the 2016 season. While Ryan’s job had been considered fairly safe after just one year, there have been rumors that neither he nor Whaley was totally safe, but Pegula issued a strong vote of confidence for the duo today.

“Kim [Pegula], Russ [Brandon], and I look forward to working and collaborating with Doug Whaley and Rex Ryan in forming a winning future for the organization,” Pegula said (Twitter link). “Our management team and coaching staff are very capable and work well together. This stable foundation is necessary to achieve long-term success in the NFL.”

Pegula prefaced that statement by acknowledging that the Bills feel their expectations for the 2015 season were not met, so Ryan and Whaley will likely be under pressure to field a playoff team in 2016. For now though, it doesn’t appear there will be major changes in Buffalo.

Pegula’s statement comes on the heels of Bill Polian indicating that he’s not interested in leaving ESPN to take on a formal role within the Bills’ front office, despite informally offering suggestions and feedback to Pegula. It’s not clear whether or not the Bills owner had interest in officially adding Polian to his team’s front office.

Bills GM Doug Whaley On Rex Ryan, Offseason

December 29th, 2015 at 1:45pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WGR 550, Bills GM Doug Whaley touched on a wide range of topics, including his offseason plans and his relationship with coach Rex Ryan. Here’s a look at some of the highlights, courtesy of The Buffalo News’ Tyler Dunne.

On his relationship with team ownership and Ryan:

Ownership is great. My relationship with Rex Ryan is something I cherish. I wake up every day happy to come into work with him. With my future, it’s one of those things where the ownership doesn’t have to tell me anything. I’ve always attacked my job as, ‘Let me do my job, not to lose it. But to keep it and keep getting better.’ So until the ownership tells me my keys don’t work, I’m here for the long haul and I’m here to get this team where we need to go.

On whether the Bills could draft a QB:

I look at it this way, I have to give credit to our scouting staff because the philosophy into this draft is we’ll draft the best player available. That’s why we think we were so successful. We didn’t see a perceived need or push somebody up and draft on need. Going into this draft, there is no position you can’t argue that we should or shouldn’t draft. So it opens up the board for us and let’s us scout with what we call ‘clear eyes’ instead of ‘needy eyes.’ And that helps us be a lot more successful. So to answer your question, there is nothing that would preclude us from taking any position on the board. That could be quarterback, that could be tight end, wide receiver, all across the board we could use an [influx] of young, talented depth.

On what this QB draft class looks like:

Right now, with the seniors, it’s not particularly top heavy but it is particularly deep. I think there’s a lot of quarterbacks you can get rounds two through six that have a chance to grow and progress into a solid No. 2 and possibly a No. 1 with time and seasoning.

On the areas he’ll be targeting this offseason:

With the injuries in the secondary, especially at the safety position, I’m not going to give you a total blueprint because I know people listen and it’d put us at a competitive disadvantage. But we have to get some depth in the secondary. We have to get some depth at the linebacker position. And some of the injuries like Powell, Ty Powell was out, that hurt us. A little more depth at the outside position with Jarius Wynn coming back.

And I just think an impact player on defense, like we brought in impact players on offense last year. So I think that’s what we’re going to look for, is just the best players available that’ll help us get to where we need to go on the defensive side of the ball.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills GM Doug Whaley “On Very Solid Ground”

December 27th, 2015 at 8:50am CST by Rory Parks

After a pair of reports last weekend suggested just the opposite, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Bills GM Doug Whaley is “on very solid ground” and that Whaley is more likely to receive an extension than be fired (Twitter link). Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that team ownership supports Whaley, and that the GM and head coach Rex Ryan work well together.

Reports from Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports last Sunday indicated that owner Terry Pegula had sought outside NFL consultation in an effort to address the problems that his club has faced in recent seasons, and those reports suggested that much of what Pegula heard was unfavorable to Whaley. Furthermore, Carucci and La Canfora suggested that Whaley and the Bills’ coaching staff did not see eye-to-eye, and La Canfora indicated that a “showdown” between Whaley and the team’s coaches could be coming at the end of the season.

Rapoport’s tweets, however, throws some cold water on all of that talk. And although Whaley has made a few missteps–blowing a first-round draft pick on EJ Manuel, for instance–he has also made some notable improvements to the roster during his time in Buffalo. Whaley, who served as the Steelers’ Coordinator of Pro Scouting for 11 years before being hired by the Bills as Assistant GM/Director of Pro Personnel in 2010, assembled a particularly strong rookie class in 2015, a class that has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing year. He also has a decent track record in free agency, and even though he should bear some of the blame for the Bills’ failure to qualify for the playoffs this year, he has certainly done enough to earn another chance in 2016. And despite the team’s recent attempts to lure Bill Polian to the front office–along with its continued consultation of Polian–Rapoport’s sources believe Whaley will get that chance.

Bills Rumors: Polian, Taylor, Whaley, Williams

December 24th, 2015 at 9:05am CST by Sam Robinson

After declining to re-join the Bills’ front office in January, Bill Polian has volunteered his services to the current Bills’ hierarchy as a consultant, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports.

The Bills’ general manager from 1986-1992 and 2015 Hall of Fame inductee, Polian told Carucci he will only provide consulting services for the Bills.

“Listen, I owe this franchise virtually everything I have in the National Football League,” Polian said. “A good reason why a yellow jacket’s on my shoulder is because of the Buffalo Bills. The bottom line is, I want this team to succeed.”

Although the 73-year-old Polian turned down an offer to be the Bills’ football czar, his being inducted into the Hall of Fame in August could help his chances at departing ESPN and reuniting with his former team, Carucci writes.

Here are some more Polian- and Bills-related items on Christmas Eve.

Among the stances Polian offered to owner Terry Pegula in recent months was that semi-breakout quarterback Tyrod Taylor is not the team’s long-term answer under center. “You can win with Tyrod if the other pieces are good,” Polian told Carucci. “If there are six or seven Pro Bowlers at other positions, you can win with Tyrod. But he’s not the quarterback of the future. He’s not Jim Kelly, and, although he doesn’t have the same track record, he’s probably comparable to Frank Reich. But he’s not 6-feet-4 like Frank Reich. He’s small and he’s going to get hurt, and he did. Now, you have to find his backup and the quarterback of the future.”
Polian also would likely cut EJ Manuel if brought in as a consultant after recommending the sputtering ex-first-rounder’s release to Pegula in a recent phone conversation. Manuel has one year left on his rookie contract and represented a source of friction between current GM Doug Whaley and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Carucci notes. The latter wanted Buffalo to retain Matt Cassel as Taylor’s backup, while Whaley, who played a key role in bringing Manuel to Buffalo at No. 16 overall in 2013, preferred the cheaper Manuel stay. Whaley has one year left on his contract, and per the Buffalo News, hasn’t had extension discussions.
Polian referred to the current Bills offensive line as “aging and unathletic,” a take that confused Buffalo News reporter Tyler Dunne, given that only Richie Incognito is over 29 among the current nucleus up front. Dunne also does not like the potential for coordination between Polian, Whaley and Rex Ryan, with Polian being critical of both recently.
Mario Williams‘ spree of assessments on the shortcomings of the Bills’ 21st-ranked defense continued, with the veteran insisting the current personnel does not fit Ryan’s scheme, per an Associated Press report. The 30-year-old edge presence also acknowledges his days with the Bills could very well be over soon. “Of course there’ll be changes,” Williams told media. “I mean, that’s obvious. You just wait and see if my number’s called.” Williams’ 2016 cap number of $19.9MM would be by far the most on the Bills.

Bills Notes: Woods, McCoy, Williams, Taylor

December 21st, 2015 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

It appears likely that Robert Woods‘ season will come to an early end. The Bills wide receiver suffered a groin injury, and head coach Rex Ryan told reporters today that it’s “safe to say” it’s a pretty severe one (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW). While the team hasn’t made anything official yet, Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that Woods will be placed on injured reserve.

With Woods out, there’s “probably a good chance” of Dezmin Lewis being promoted from the Bills’ practice squad to their active roster, according to Ryan (Twitter link via Buscaglia). As we wait for a formal announcement from the club on that roster move, let’s round up a few more items out of Buffalo….

While Woods’ season is probably done, it sounds like LeSean McCoy may get back on the field sometime in the last two weeks. Per Getlin (Twitter link), there are no plans at this time to shut down the running back. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network adds (via Twitter) that McCoy’s MCL sprain may sideline him for Week 16, but he’s expected to be fine for Week 17.
Bills safety Aaron Williams, who is currently on IR with the designation to return due to a neck injury, won’t return to action this season, Ryan said today (link via ESPN’s Mike Rodak). Williams will continue to practice while he remains on IR.
Addressing a pair of reports that surfaced over the weekend, Ryan denied any sort of rift between him and general manager Doug Whaley, adding that he has a “great deal of respect” for the Bills’ GM. Ryan also dismissed the idea that anyone within the organization doubted whether Mario Williams was sick last week, suggesting that story was “made up” (all Twitter links via Buscaglia).
Ryan was also asked about Williams’ comments from Sunday, in which the defensive end didn’t express any openness to the idea of accepting a pay cut to remain in Buffalo. While the Buffalo head coach said he’d love to have Williams – and everyone else on the team – back next season, he acknowledged that change is a part of the NFL offseason (Twitter link via Buscaglia).
Ryan gave Tyrod Taylor another vote of confidence, telling reporters that the team is “pretty sure” of who its quarterback will be heading into 2016 (Twitter link via Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News).
Bills outside linebacker Randell Johnson sustained a high ankle sprain, and doesn’t have a great chance to play in Week 16, tweets Buscaglia. Johnson may be a candidate for IR.

Bills Notes: Taylor, Whaley, Pegula

December 20th, 2015 at 11:11am CST by Rory Parks

After hearing a little more about the deteriorating relationship between the Bills and disgruntled defensive end Mario Williams this morning, let’s take a look at a few more links out of Buffalo:

By playing over half of the Bills’ offensive snaps, Tyrod Taylor voided the third year of the three-year deal he signed with Buffalo this season. He is due just $1MM next year, his final season under club control, and although the team could lock him up long-term, GM Doug Whaley and OC Greg Roman are reluctant to label him as the team’s quarterback of the future. Per Jerry Sullivan of The Buffalo News, Whaley expects to deal with Taylor’s contract at the end of the 2016 season, which may not be the wisest decision. Sullivan believes the team should at least offer Taylor some sort of bridge deal, something along the lines of a three-year, $27MM pact. Although Taylor, who has “outsized belief in his ability,” would likely reject such an offer, Sullivan thinks the Bills should at least try. Taylor is still relatively raw, but if his 2016 season is anything like his 2015 effort, he would likely be in line for a highly-lucrative deal in free agency, and as a result, the Bills may once again be without a quarterback when that time comes.
Whaley, of course, may not even be the one to make the decision on Taylor’s future. Per Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, Bills owner Terry Pegula is seeking outside NFL consultation as to what steps he should take to rid his club of the problems it has faced in recent seasons, and most of that advice is not favorable for Whaley. For instance, Pegula is hearing that the team needs to move on from EJ Manuel as the backup quarterback–something that Whaley has been steadfast in not wanting to do–and Pegula is reportedly “open to the idea of hiring someone to provide big-picture oversight of the football operation while also finding a new GM.” After all, the Bills nearly parted ways with Whaley last offseason, when they reached out to Bill Polian to run the team’s football operations, and the fact that Whaley has now had problems with two head coaches is viewed as a black mark on his resume.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports confirms that Whaley is “at odds” with the Bills’ coaching staff, and La Canfora expects there to be a “showdown” between Whaley and the staff this offseason. Whaley is especially frustrated that the team does not regularly feature Sammy Watkins–for whom Whaley traded a bounty of draft picks–and he would also prefer the team move on from Roman and others. Pegula, however, is a big Roman supporter, and Whaley’s decision to invest so much draft stock in one player, along with his decision to draft Manuel, may be too much for the GM to overcome. It appears as though Whaley may be on his way out, while Rex Ryan and Roman will be given a chance to right the ship and continue to mold the team within Ryan’s ground-and-pound, defense-oriented vision.

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