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Gary Kubiak

Coaching Rumors: Marrone, Phillips, Del Rio

January 3rd, 2015 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

As the carousel continues to spin, we’ll get you caught up on all the latest coaching rumors right here..

  • The Jets will formally meet with Doug Marrone today, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • Former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips will interview for Washington‘s defensive coordinator opening this week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • The Raiders asked for permission late last night to speak to Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and an interview could come as soon as today, according to ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson (on Twitter). Del Rio, he adds, has to be considered a favorite in Oakland (link).
  • Gary Kubiak is generating interest, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). When the Ravens’ season is over, Rapoport expects the 49ers and Jets to talk with him. Of course, if the Ravens’ season extends to February, there’s no guarantee those teams will wait for him.
  • The Bills will interview Mike Shanahan and it could take place as early as this weekend, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Facebook).
  • Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is interviewing today with the Bills for their head coaching job, according to Rapoport (on Twitter).
  • The Bills will interview Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich on Sunday and the Jets will speak with him on Monday, according to NFL.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter).
  • The Bills requested permission to interview Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, a team source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Coach Notes: Kubiak, Raiders, Giants, Sumlin

December 31st, 2014 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Already cited as a candidate for multiple head coaching jobs, Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak told reporters today that he isn’t currently thinking about those opportunities (link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). According to Kubiak, his entire focus is on winning this Saturday’s game against the Steelers.

“I told you guys before that I’m consumed with what I’m doing,” Kubiak said. “It’s not time for stuff like that. It’s always flattering as a coach to be mentioned by any organization in football. My total focus is on our football game and trying to enjoy what I’m doing right now.”

As our head coaching search tracker shows, the Bears and Jets have requested an interview with Kubiak, so perhaps if the Ravens lose this weekend, those two clubs will have a chance to speak to him next week.

Here are a few more coaching-related updates, as we get ready to turn the page on 2014:

  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll revealed that his offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, has already interviewed for the Raiders‘ head coaching position.
  • Following the departure of quarterbacks coach Danny Langsdorf for Nebraska, the Giants have re-hired a familiar face for the position, bringing back Mike Sullivan, the team announced today in a press release. Sullivan was the club’s quarterbacks coach in 2010 and 2011.
  • Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin has informed multiple NFL teams with interest in his services that he’ll remain with the Aggies, sources tell ESPN.com. Will Carroll of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears from a source that Sumlin’s agent was contacted by three NFL clubs.
  • Speaking of Texas A&M, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets that Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver was on the school’s radar for the same position with the Aggies. As ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson writes, Tarver’s contract with Oakland is set to expire, so there’s a good chance he’ll be on the move this offseason, especially if the team doesn’t make Tony Sparano its permanent head coach.

Coach Notes: Bears, Quinn, Marrone, Ryan

December 31st, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

The Bears are eyeing a pair of Ravens employees, according to Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report, who reports (via Twitter) that Chicago has expressed interest in Eric DeCosta for the team’s general manager job and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak for its head coaching opening. Both men have drawn interest from the Jets as well, and we detailed yesterday why DeCosta may be reluctant to pursue any GM jobs, given the nice situation he’s in with the Ravens. Still, it looks as if the Bears will kick the tires and try to schedule an interview.

Here’s more on the head coaching searches from around the NFL:

  • Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has interviews scheduled with the Jets and Bears on Friday, and the Falcons on Saturday, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • Most Bills assistant coaches are only signed for one more season, and head coach Doug Marrone would like some more stability from ownership for his staff, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, as of this morning, those Bills coaches aren’t sure whether or not Marrone will opt out of his contract, says Caplan (via Twitter). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com took a look this morning at why Marrone would consider using his opt-out, which has a deadline of today.
  • Refuting an earlier report, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins did not make an offer to Rex Ryan to be their defensive coordinator.
  • Adam Gase‘s interviews with the 49ers, Falcons, and Bears are scheduled to take place this Friday and Saturday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
  • This is our second round-up of coaching news and rumors today — you can find the first right here.

Coach Rumors: Raiders, Jets, Ryan, Holmgren

December 30th, 2014 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

Black Monday wasn’t quite as eventful around the NFL in 2014 as it has been in some recent years, with only three head coaches being handed their walking papers. Still, with the Raiders on the lookout for a more permanent head coach, and the 49ers and Jim Harbaugh agreeing to part ways, that makes a total of five teams currently conducting coaching searches. That should make for an interesting few weeks, as those clubs – the Jets, Falcons, Bears, Raiders, and Niners – eye several of the same candidates. Here are the latest coaching-related rumblings from across the league:

  • Current 49ers assistant and former Browns and Jets head coach Eric Mangini is scheduled to interview with the Raiders for the club’s head coaching job, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). In his five seasons in New York and Cleveland, Mangini recorded a 33-47 overall record, earning one playoff berth with the Jets. In addition to Mangini, Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will also interview for the Raiders’ position, according to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com (Twitter link).
  • Garafolo has more details on the Raiders‘ head coaching hunt, reporting that the team actually offered more money to Harbaugh than the University of Michigan did, extending a proposal that would have made him the NFL’s highest-paid head coach (Twitter video link).
  • In addition to setting up an interview with Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the Jets have also requested permission to speak to Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Seahawks assistant head coach Tom Cable, Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, and Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
  • While former Jets head coach Rex Ryan intends to explore potential head coaching opportunities, he’s meeting with ESPN executives today for a possible role with the network, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). It sounds as if TV would be Ryan’s second choice after a head coaching job, but it may depend on what opportunities are available for him.
  • Speaking to Dave Mahler of KJR in Seattle (Twitter link), former Packers and Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren said he’s “gotten a couple of inquiries” from teams searching for a head coach, though he didn’t identify the clubs. According to Mahler (via Twitter), Holmgren said he’s “mulling things over” when it comes to current coaching opportunities.
  • The Buccaneers currently have an opening at offensive coordinator, and the team is interested in Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Atlanta has kept Koetter on board for now, after firing head coach Mike Smith yesterday, but if the team parts ways with its OC, the Bucs will almost certainly be in touch.

AFC North Notes: Forsett, Steelers, Gresham

October 19th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Rory Parks

After Justin Forsett‘s surprising emergence as the Ravens‘ best running back this season, fans are wondering if he will have a future in Baltimore beyond 2014. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes that it is too early to answer that question, particularly since Forsett is a small back that cannot withstand a big workload and is 29 years old. Hensley notes that Baltimore could certainly give Forsett a “modest” two-year contract at the end of the year, but the team remains high on younger players such as Bernard Pierce and Lorenzo Taliaferro.

  • In the same piece, Hensley writes that if the Ravens‘ offense continues its upward trajectory under new OC Gary Kubiak, the chances increase that Kubiak will get another crack at a head coaching job in 2015. If that happens, current quarterbacks coach Rick Dennison, Kubiak’s right-hand man, would likely leave with Kubiak, and the Ravens ‘ only other legitimate in-house option would be current offensive line coach Juan Castillo. In other words, if Kubiak leaves, expect Baltimore to bring in an outside candidate to replace him.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that an appeal hearing date has been set in the Ray Rice case, and a final decision could be handed down by mid-November, which means that Rice could be reinstated and eligible to play within the next four weeks. Whether a team would take the risk and sign him is another story, but La Canfora points to the Colts and Patriots as potential landing spots.
  • Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that, although the Steelers prefer to “reload” rather than “rebuild,” that strategy has them currently caught in no man’s land: “not good enough to compete for a championship, but not bad enough to select high in the draft.”Although their decision to not entirely rebuild the roster in recent years is understandable, given that they have a franchise quarterback, the declining performance of some of the team’s veterans may soon make Pittsburgh’s front office reevaluate its strategy going forward.
  • Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal describes how Browns OC Kyle Shanahan, like Kubiak, is reestablishing himself as a viable head coaching candidate as he leads Cleveland’s suddenly potent offense.
  • With the trade deadline just over a week away, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham, who is in a contract year, could be available for the right price.

AFC North Links: Shipley, Keenum, Cox, Grossman

August 31st, 2014 at 8:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Former Ravens center A.Q. Shipley wasn’t unemployed for very long, as he was claimed off waivers by his former team, the Colts, earlier today. The offensive lineman briefly spoke to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun and reflected on his stint with Baltimore (all via Wilson’s Twitter):

“I was definitely surprised to get cut, being a veteran guy. I understand it’s a business…Definitely a good feeling to go back to a lot of familiar faces and an offense I was learning before I got traded…I totally understand about keeping draft picks. I get it. John Urschel is a good kid. I’m happy for him…I had a lot of fun playing for the Ravens. It was great.”

Let’s check out some more rumblings from the AFC North…

  • Considering Case Keenum‘s connection to Baltimore offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley believes the Ravens could pursue the quarterback.
  • Derek Cox will not be signing with the Ravens this evening, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. However, there’s a good chance he’ll be back with Baltimore soon, possibly on Monday.
  • Browns coach Mike Pettine indicated that recently-released quarterback Rex Grossman might be back sooner than later. “I wouldn’t read too much into it right now,” he said (via a tweet from the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot). “Some guys could come back. It’s fluid.”
  • The Browns worked out former Bears offensive lineman James Brown, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs (via Twitter).

Ozzie Newsome Reflects On Ravens Offseason

June 27th, 2014 at 12:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Most team executives feel pretty good about themselves following an eventful offseason, and Raven general manager Ozzie Newsome is certainly included in that bunch. The Hall of Fame tight end talked to Kevin Byrne, the team’s Senior Vice President of Public and Community Relations, about some of his transactions. Here are a few of the notable tidbits…

His assessment of the current roster and where it’s most improved:

“We feel pretty good right now. We could tweak the roster a little between now and the start of the regular season, but, overall, we accomplished a lot since the end of last season.

We’ll be better on offense. I really like Gary (Kubiak’s) schemes. It’s very precise. It’s physical. I think we’ll run the ball better, we’ll keep the ball more and we’ll have big plays. You can tell the players, especially guys like Joe (Flacco), like it – and they can see that we have a good chance to be a lot better.”

On the contract extension for linebacker Terrell Suggs and the status of Haloti Ngata‘s contract talks:

“We wanted two things from these contracts. The first is to create some cap room and the other is to try and make sure these two players remained Ravens forever. We got ‘Sizzle’ done and we’re still hopeful with Haloti.”

On losing cornerback Corey Graham and defensive end Arthur Jones:

“We lost Corey when we thought we could get him, but (the Bills) paid a premium. We knew we couldn’t sign Arthur Jones. He earned a huge salary and the Colts gave it to him. We couldn’t go there and sign other players we needed. The $10 million increase in the salary cap helped us get the others done.”

Thoughts on team’s additions at wide receiver and offensive line:

“We landed Steve Smith, who is not your typical aging player. He’s a special competitor, driven to show everyone he can play at a high level. You saw him during the camps. He’s going to help.

“Getting Jeremy Zuttah was a bonus. He wasn’t on the front burner at the beginning of the offseason. But, like Steve Smith, he was on a list we’ve developed of guys who are late in their contracts and might be available. We asked the question and they (the Buccaneers) were willing to move him. He’s a good player.”

AFC Notes: Clary, Johnson, Archer, Pats

May 17th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Matt Feminis

During Chargers rookie minicap, third-rounder Chris Watt was working at right guard, “the same position of Jeromey Clary, who is to make $4.55 million in total compensation in 2014,” writes ESPN’s Eric D. Williams. “Watt lining up at right guard probably is not a coincidence.”

This comes on after an ESPN Insider piece (subscription required) about veterans whose jobs are in jeopardy in which Nathan Jahnke put the magnifying glass on Clary: “Thanks to the drafting of D.J. Fluker in 2013, Clary was moved from right tackle to right guard last year. The move didn’t work out well for Clary, who had the third-lowest run-block rating for all guards per PFF. In addition, the Chargers’ running backs averaged 4.6 yards per carry when running to the left compared to 3.6 yards per carry when running to the right, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Clary had something to do with that large difference.”

Here’s a few more AFC news and notes:

  • Any rumors of Andre Johnson being reunited via trade with Gary Kubiak in Baltimore were quashed by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com passed along a few Patriots tidbits: The team will carry three quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Mallett), but Mallett is expected to depart via free agency at year’s end; Shane Vereen could earn a contract extension with a healthy, productive season; and 2013 fourth-rounder Josh Boyce, who struggled with the “mental aspect” as a rookie, will “compete for the kickoff return job while also vying for a role as a No. 3-5 option on the depth chart.”
  • Free agent linebacker James Anderson, who started all 16 games for the Bears last season, tried out for the Patriots, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
  • On third-rounder Dri Archer, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told Post-Tribune writer Alan Robinson, “We think we got the fastest player in the draft.” The Steelers hope to take advantage of Archer’s versatility, according to Colbert, who says the rookie could be used as a kick returner, in the slot, in the backfield and maybe as an H-back.
  • When asked about potential surprise cuts depending on how many rookies/young players make the Jaguars, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco mentioned Tyson Alualu, Denard Robinson and Ricky Stanzi as bubble players.
  • With the Jets adding Daryl Richardson via waivers, Mike Goodson is not expected to be with the team, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).

Ravens Interested In Re-Signing Jacoby Jones If Price Is Right

January 31st, 2014 at 5:40pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens receiver/kick returner Jacoby Jones is a pending unrestricted free agent the team would like to have back, though limited cap space means a raise is not in order, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson.

Jones, 29, ranked in the upper third of the league’s kickoff (28.8-yard average, one touchdown) and punt returners (12.5), while finishing fourth on the Ravens with 37 receptions for 455 yards (12.3) and two scores in 12 games. However, given the emergence of rookie Marlon Brown and the recyclable nature of return men, Jones will be considered an “unaffordable luxury” at his 2013 salary ($3MM base salary plus $1MM roster bonus). Wilson believes the Ravens would welcome Jones back at a discounted number, but there have been no talks to date.

If Jones does re-sign with the team, new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak will likely have something to do with it. Kubiak was Jones’ head coach in Houston and said the two have a great relationship. “I don’t want to say I was like a father figure to him,” said Kubiak, “but he was like one of my children.”

Should Jones depart, the Ravens are expected to seek younger, cheaper alternatives at the receiver and kick returner positions.

AFC North Notes: Taylor, Burress, Spagnuolo

January 29th, 2014 at 4:48pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ike Taylor has been the Steelers’ top corner for a number of years, but Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Sulia link) believes he could be released this offseason. With a salary of $7MM and a cap hit of close to $13.9MM, the best case scenario Dulac envisions is the long time Steeler taking a big pay cut to stay with the team. Here is other news from around the AFC North:

  • Former Steelers receiver Plaxico Burress is reportedly mulling retirement, according to Kyle Meinke of mlive.com. “We’ll see how I feel,” Burress said. “If I don’t (feel healthy), I’m very satisfied with things in this business. I’m not just going to go out there and risk my physical health, just to go out and prove people wrong.” Burress did not appear in a regular season game for the Steelers last year, and was unlikely to be with the team in 2014.
  • The Ravens have hired former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo as their secondary coach, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Spagnuolo came to fame as the coordinator of the great Giants’ defense that stopped the 2007 Patriots’ bid for a perfect season. He was also named assistant head coach. The Ravens also hired Brian Pariani as their tight ends coach, previously the tight ends coach for the Texans.
  • The Browns were reportedly turned off by Gary Kubiak‘s contract demands, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. He allegedly asked to be “head coach of the offense”. Kubiak went on to be hired as the offensive coordinator of the Ravens, replacing Jim Caldwell.
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