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Colts To Interview Three More DC Candidates

January 31st, 2022 at 9:50am CST by Adam La Rose

The list of potential Matt Eberflus replacements continues to grow for Indianapolis. The Indy Star’s Joel Erickson reports (via Twitter) that the Colts will be interviewing three more candidates for the defensive coordinator position: Raiders DC Gus Bradley, Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. and Saints defensive backs coach Kris Richard. 

The team met with Jaguars DC Joe Cullen, as well as WFT DBs coach Chris Harris, last week. Then, it came out yesterday that they will also be interviewing longtime DC Jim Schwartz, who has most recently held the title of senior defensive assistant with the Titans.

Bradley was hired by the Raiders last January, in an attempt to bring in an experienced defensive mind to a team desperate for success in the second Jon Gruden era. The 55-year-old had served as DC with the Chargers, following four-year stints as head coach of the Jaguars and DC of the Seahawks during the ‘Legion of Boom’ era.

As for Whitt, an interview request is certainly nothing new. Each of the Seahawks, Ravens and Steelers met with him as potential replacements for their previous DCs. His work in Dallas this season contributed to the defense’s surprising performance, led on the back end by Trevon Diggs‘ league-leading 11 interceptions. At the age of 43, he has been an NFL position coach dating back to 2007, but has yet to be a DC at any level.

Richard has also generated DC interest this year. Just like Whitt, he has already received requests from Baltimore and Pittsburgh for their vacancies. The 42-year-old has spent most of coaching career in Seattle, including a three year stint as DC from 2015-2017. Since then, he’s been the DBs coach for the Cowboys, and, this past season, the Saints. If Dennis Allen takes over as HC in New Orleans, as is expected, Richard’s path back to a DC role may come via an internal promotion, rather than an external hire.

Erickson notes that these three interviews will take place today and tomorrow, which should bring the Colts one step closer to making a DC hire sometime in the coming days.

 

 

Bucs To Start Post-Brady Rebuild?

January 29th, 2022 at 9:03pm CST by Ely Allen

With three-time MVP quarterback Tom Brady announcing his retirement earlier today, speculation has already started on the future of the Buccaneers’ franchise. Brady’s retirement has experts wondering about the futures of tight end Rob Gronkowki and head coach Bruce Arians. Both have flirted with retirement before. 

Contributing to the postulation on Arians’ situation is head coaching interest in the Buccaneers’ coordinators on both sides of the ball. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich recently had his second interview for the Jaguars open coaching position. Reportedly, talks have stalled as Leftwich has expressed issues with current general manager Trent Baalke continuing in that position, with Leftwich preferring Cardinals’ vice president of pro scouting Adrian Wilson to replace the polarizing GM. The Saints have requested an interview with Leftwich, who previously received interest from the Bears before they hired Matt Eberflus. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has interviewed with the Bears, Jaguars, Raiders, and Vikings. With the Bears’ job taken, Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels being the presumed frontrunner in Las Vegas, and Jacksonville having conducted multiple second interviews Bowles’ opportunities for a head coaching job are starting to dwindle, as well.

More cause for speculation has risen from an article from Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. In the article Wilson reports that Arians has informed the entire coaching staff that they have permission to seek jobs around the league regardless of whether or not the new position would be a promotion. With the potential exit of the two New England-legends and the impactful group of Buccaneers heading into free agency, this permission could potentially be an opportunity to abandon ship before the start of a Tampa Bay rebuild.

In terms of those free agents, joining free-agent-to-be Gronkowski are three other significant role players: wide receiver Chris Godwin, center Ryan Jensen, and cornerback Carlton Davis. Godwin is expected to be the top free agent priority in Tampa Bay after he received the franchise tag for this past season. Jensen came over three years ago from the Ravens on what then made him the highest paid center in the NFL. Davis was a key contributor due for a big contract year on defense before being placed on IR after Week 4 of the season and missing eight weeks during a crucial year.

The domino-effect of Brady’s retirement is already looming large over the Buccaneers’ prospects for the 2022 NFL season. Tampa Bay has the entire offseason to navigate these obstacles and mitigate the potential fallout. After winning a Super Bowl just last year, the departure of Brady could be as game-changing to the Buccaneers as his arrival was nearly two years ago.

Jaguars Interview Vic Fangio For Head Coach

January 27th, 2022 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

While the head coaching headlines have been dominated by the two hires made this morning, another interesting piece of news has come out. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Vic Fangio has interviewed with the Jaguars for their HC vacancy. 

This is the first time Fangio’s name is being mentioned as a HC candidate. He was fired after the Broncos’ regular season ended. His three year tenure didn’t include a return to the postseason, or even an end to the streak of what has now become five consecutive losing seasons.

While his first HC stint was certainly unsuccessful, Fangio has DC roles with five different teams on his resume. That background certainly differs from the comparative lack of experience that Urban Meyer had at the NFL level prior to his disastrous time in Duval County.

Things may change very soon with respect to the Jag’s HC search, but for now, here’s where things stand:

 

Giants To Conduct Second HC Interview With Brian Daboll

January 24th, 2022 at 10:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The first finalist for the Giants’ head coach position has been revealed. As Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports (via Twitter), Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will have a second interview with the team today.

Update (12:00pm CT): SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano tweets that Daboll’s interview will take place on Tuesday.

[Related: Giants’ HC Search Beginning With Brian Daboll, Leslie Frazier]

Daboll was the first candidate to take part in the initial round of interviews with New York. That certainly didn’t come as a surprise, between the HC interest he’s generated with the Dolphins and the Bills connection to newly-hired general manager Joe Schoen. Widely believed to be a target for the Giants once Schoen was brought in, the 46-year-old had finished his initial interview within a matter of hours of his former Bills colleague being hired.

That first interview was conducted via teleconference with Schoen and co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch. This time, the meeting will take place in person; the same is expected to be true of New York’s first interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, to take place today. Quinn, one of the most sought-after candidates in this year’s hiring cycle, has already been linked to five other HC vacancies around the league.

Worth noting is the fact that Daboll cannot be hired right away, regardless of the outcome of today’s interview. As NJ.com’s Darryl Slater tweets, the Giants still need to conduct at least one in-person interview with a minority candidate to remain in compliance with the Rooney Rule. It must involve someone from outside the organization, so their upcoming meeting with current DC Patrick Graham doesn’t factor into that total. The likeliest way to meet the requirement would be a second interview with Bills DC Leslie Frazier, whose first meeting with the front office was conducted electronically, or an in-person sit down with Brian Flores.

Giants’ HC Search Beginning With Brian Daboll, Leslie Frazier

January 21st, 2022 at 8:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Newly-hired Giants general manager Joe Schoen is wasting no time in beginning the team’s search for a new head coach. He has already completed an interview with Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and is expected to hold another one tomorrow with Buffalo’s defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier. 

According to a team announcement, the Daboll interview has already been completed, just hours after the hiring of Schoen was officially announced. The 46-year-old met via teleconference with Schoen and co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch. It should come as a surprise to no one that Daboll, the Bills’ OC for the past four seasons, is the candidate with whom the search process is beginning. It was immediately reported that he would be one of the key targets for the Giants once Schoen landed the GM job.

Meanwhile, Frazier’s name is being linked to the HC vacancy for the first time. As Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports (via Twitter), Frazier is expected to interview with the Giants on Saturday. Again, this is far from a surprise, given the Buffalo connection to Schoen. The 62-year-old has served in his current role for five years, overseeing the Bills’ defensive turnaround. He has already been interviewed by the Dolphins, and is also scheduled to meet with the Bears.

The other factor influencing the immediacy of these interviews, of course, is the fact that the Bills play on Sunday night. As Schwartz points out, any potential second interviews conducted prior to the Super Bowl could only take place if the first round was completed this weekend, something made easier by the fact that Schoen is still in Buffalo. The other two candidates linked to the Giants so far are ex-Dolphins HC Brian Flores and Cowboys DC Dan Quinn.

Jim Harbaugh Would Reportedly Take Vegas HC Job If Offered

January 20th, 2022 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Rumors have been constantly swirling around Jim Harbaugh and the Raiders’ head coaching position. While most of the reporting and speculation to date has been centered on owner Mark Davis working to convince Harbaugh to return to the NFL, not much has been said with respect to the latter’s interest in the position. 

According to a report from Bruce Feldman of the Athletic, the presumption that the current Michigan HC is the favorite to take over in Las Vegas is certainly warranted from both perspectives. As he writes, there are “multiple sources” inside the school’s program who “think [that] if Harbaugh is offered the Raiders’ head coaching job, he’d take it”.

The 58-year-old’s ties to the franchise date back to 2002, the start of his NFL coaching career. It was then, during his tenure as the team’s QB coach, that a longstanding friendship with Davis began. Feldman also notes that Harbaugh “has family ties to Las Vegas, which is where he met his wife”. Those were some of the factors that made him an early favorite for the HC position, before the Raiders even began conducting interviews.

Recent developments have also pointed towards Harbaugh ultimately being hired. GM Mike Mayock was let go on Monday; one of the effects of that decision is, according to many, an increased likelihood that interim HC Rick Bisaccia won’t return despite his ability to settle down a turbulent season and help guide the team to the playoffs. It has been reported for weeks, of course, that Davis has his sights set on Harbaugh, and has all along. A departure from Bisaccia would only open the door further to Harbaugh being brought in.

Two things are important to keep in mind with this situation. Firstly, Bisaccia interviewed for the full-time HC gig on Wednesday, so he does still have a chance to be retained. Secondly, as Feldman warns, “Harbaugh can be hard to read”. Taking that point into consideration, along with the fact that the Wolverines just had their best season of Harbaugh’s tenure (defeating Ohio State en route to a CFP semifinal appearance), leaves open the possibility that Michigan could try to keep him in place with a new contract.

Ultimately, though, this latest news seems to be another signal that a second head coaching role is in the cards for the former Super Bowl runner-up.

Giants Conduct Second Interviews With Joe Schoen, Ryan Poles

January 18th, 2022 at 3:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The second round of interviews conducted by the Giants to fill their general manager vacancy have begun. With it, two candidates have completed – or been scheduled to undertake – in-person meetings with the team’s ownership: Joe Schoen, assistant GM of the Bills, and Ryan Poles, the executive director of player personnel for the Chiefs.

According to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, Schoen had his interview on Tuesday. That news is significant, as he was also the first candidate to interview virtually in the opening round of the GM search. While that may be a coincidence and Schoen might not be the clear-cut favorite, Schwartz writes “there is no denying he is a bonafide NFL front office executive and those in the know around the league anticipate he will have the opportunity to run a team of his own sooner, rather than later”.

The 42-year old Schoen has spent the past five seasons as an assistant under current GM Brandon Beane, who has a relationship with Schoen dating back to 2001 when he was the general manager of the Panthers. The turnaround in Buffalo over the past few years, and Schoen’s role in that process, has earned him plenty of GM interest; he also interviewed with the Bears on Sunday. Not surprisingly, Schwartz writes that “if Schoen gets the job, it is expected he will endorse [Bills OC] Brian Daboll” to become the new head coach.

The request for a second interview with Poles, meanwhile, was first reported (via Twitter) by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He notes that Poles is no stranger to being in strong consideration for a GM job, as he was also a finalist for the position in Carolina last year. The fact that Poles, at 36, is the youngest candidate to fill the Giants’ vacancy makes it noteworthy that he is obviously on the shortlist of options. On the other hand, he has also received interview requests from the Bears and Vikings, proving how popular he is among GM-needy franchises.

Poles’ interview will be conducted on Wednesday, days before the Bills and Chiefs meet in the playoffs. Schwartz notes the large amount of success those two franchises have had in recent years, and the desire for the Giants to “hire someone from outside their organization to show them the way back in [to the postseason]”. He adds that the team is planning on having their GM “in place by the end of the week”.

Stay tuned to see any official announcements naming either of these two as the GM, or any more second interviews conducted with the other eight candidates.

Dolphins Request To Interview Rams’ Thomas Brown

January 14th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Ely Allen

One of the more interesting names to surface in this year’s head coaching market, Rams’ running backs coach/assistant head coach Thomas Brown has been targeted as a candidate by the Miami Dolphins. Tom Pelissero, of NFL Network, broke the news in a tweet that compares him to a young Mike Tomlin. As far as I can tell, this is the first time Brown’s name has been brought up for a job this high in the coaching ranks.

Brown had a short career in the NFL after being taken in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. As a young running back, Brown saw his rookie season end before it could even get going when a horse collar tackle landed him on IR. He never ended up finding his way onto the field after that.

Not one to sit dormant, Brown went back to his alma mater and became a strength and conditioning coach for the Georgia Bulldogs. He decided to take a step into coaching accepting the running backs coaching position at UT Chattanooga. He began to progress through the college football ranks as he spent a season each at Marshall, Wisconsin, and Georgia as a running backs coach. He followed Mark Richt to Miami where he spent three seasons before taking one last college job at South Carolina. Brown even rose to the title of offensive coordinator at Miami, although play calling duties remained with Coach Richt. Along all these stops, Brown mentored future NFL players, coaching Melvin Gordon, Corey Clement, Dare Ogunbowale, and Derek Watt at Wisconsin, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb at Georgia, Gus Edwards, Travis Homer, and DeeJay Dallas at Miami, and Tavien Feaster at South Carolina. In his lone season with Gordon, Gordon finished 42 yards short of breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record.

After that last season in South Carolina, Brown accepted the running backs coaching position for the Rams, helping them to cope with the loss of Todd Gurley by utilizing the three-headed attack of Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, and Malcolm Brown. This season, Brown was reunited with Michel and, despite the loss of Akers for the season, has led a fairly talented running backs group.

Brown is known for developing a trust with his players who would run through walls for him. He’s an advocate for his players and takes responsibility for their development outside the game as much as in it, as was displayed in a clip from HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” in which he spoke to his position group about the racial issues plaguing the nation.

I don’t expect this to be the last time time we see Brown’s name come up for a coaching job and I wouldn’t even be surprised to see him nab the Miami job. Get to know the name Thomas Brown. The 35-year old is only beginning to make his name in the coaching circuit.

Bears Request To Interview Chargers’ Wooden

January 14th, 2022 at 12:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Do not be surprised if you start getting calls from Chicago because the Bears are searching far and wide to fill their vacant general manager position and they are interviewing EVERYBODY! The newest candidate to add to the list is Chargers’ director of player personnel, JoJo Wooden, according to a tweet from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Wooden has been with the Chargers since 2013 overseeing the pro and college scouting department for the Chargers. He got his start with the Jets in 1997 and spent 10 seasons working his way up from pro personnel assistant to the assistant director, player personnel, a position he held for six more years.

What makes Wooden an interesting candidate for the Bears’ job is the connections he has to the search committee. Bears Senior Writer Larry Mayer reported a couple days ago that Bill Polian, who has spent time as a general manager for the Bills, Panthers, and, most notably, the Colts, will be a resource to the Bears as they go through the process of hiring a new head coach and general manager. Wooden is known as a key lieutenant for the Chargers’ current general manager Tom Telesco, and Telesco worked under Polian during Polian’s entire tenure in Indianapolis.

To date, the Bears have already interviewed the Browns’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Glenn Cook and their own assistant director of player personnel, Champ Kelly. They’ve also requested interviews with the Colts’ Morocco Brown and Ed Dodds, the 49ers’ Ran Carthon, the Saints’ Jeff Ireland, the Steelers’ Omar Khan, the Giants’ Joe Schoen, and the Patriots’ Eliot Wolf. Texans’ former general manager Rick Smith has also been identified as a candidate.

Vikings Make Four More GM Interview Requests

January 13th, 2022 at 4:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:04pm: More names are emerging on the Vikings’ fast-growing candidate list. The Vikings want to interview Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune tweets. Ossenfort’s name has been tossed around for GM vacancies for a bit now, dating back to his time with the Patriots.

With the Titans since 2020, Ossenfort advanced to the second round of Panthers GM interviews last year. He also has a history with the Vikings. The Minnesota-Morris alum worked as a training camp intern with the Vikes in 2001, Goessling notes.

8:59am: It was reported overnight that another three names have been added to the Vikings’ list of general manager candidates. Two of them are from the Eagles, including one who represents a piece of NFL history.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Vikings have put in a request to interview Eagles VP of football operations Catherine Raiche (Twitter link). That news is ground-breaking, as it is believed to be the first time a woman has been requested to be interviewed for a GM position. Schefter and others have noted that Susan Tose Spencer was the first female GM in NFL history, holding that title from 1983-85, but she was promoted internally to that role.

This doesn’t appear to be the first time that someone has shown interest in Raiche. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes in his annual GM preview that current Browns GM Andrew Berry tried to bring the 32-year-old with him when he left that same VP of football operations role to come to Cleveland. He adds that one of her former colleagues has stated “she will be the first female GM [hire]”. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that Raiche was promoted to her current position last year, following successful stints in the CFL and XFL which have helped her climb the executive ladder very quickly.

Garafolo also tweets that Eagles director of player personnel Brandon Brown has had an interview requested as well. Brown started full-time in an NFL front office with the Colts in 2015, then came to Philadelphia in 2017. He has spent the past five seasons with the Eagles, and was promoted to his current role – which includes work on both the pro and college scouting levels – in 2021.

Finally, Schefter tweets that the Vikings are requesting to interview Chiefs director of player personnel Ryan Poles. He has already been named as a candidate for the Giants’ open GM position, and was also linked to the Panthers for the same job last season. Poles has been with Kansas City since 2009, where he began as a scouting assistant, and has worked his way up to being a key member of the Chiefs’ font office.

These additions brings the total number of interview requests for the Vikings’ GM position to eight.

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