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Kyle Shanahan

East Notes: Vick, Bills, Dolphins, RGIII

July 24th, 2014 at 5:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, John DeMarzo of the New York Post asked former Texans GM and current NFL analyst Charley Casserly to weigh in on the Jets‘ quarterback situation. “I don’t see it happening in training camp,” Casserly said when asked if Michael Vick will unseat Geno Smith for the starting job. “It’s Geno’s job to lose and he can’t lose it in camp. Vick is coming in to be the backup. [He may start] if Geno disintegrates, but that’s hard to happen…I’m not sure you have a good answer if you have to go to Vick. You ride this thing with Geno and see how he develops.” More out of the AFC and NFC East..

  • A prospective Bills ownership group that includes Jon Bon Jovi has conducted a feasibility study into buying the NFL franchise and building a stadium in Toronto, a person close to the situation tells John Wawrow of the Associated Press. The study identified at least three potential stadium sites, two in Toronto, including one on the waterfront, and another in the suburb of Mississauga. The Bon Jovi group has not said they would relocate the team, but Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says that he has no doubt the group’s intentions are to move the Bills to Toronto.
  • Pro Football Talk recently ranked all 32 teams in the NFL and placed the Dolphins at No. 31. Miami coach Joe Philbin doesn’t quite agree with that, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “I don’t think he knows the guys in our looker room or the guys that come to work in this building every single day from top to bottom,” Philbin said. Still, the ranking raised enough eyebrows in the Miami front office that owner Stephen Ross called Philbin to discuss it.
  • Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III has take a few shots at former coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, but he took his biggest dig today, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “You don’t go from the ability to read defenses one year and not have that ability the next, so I don’t believe that one bit,” Griffin said. “And it’s really just a good thing to have two coaches that believe in you. Sean and Jay have done a great job. They’ve given me a lot on my shoulders in that quarterback room and I cherish that. You want to be asked to do more or just to do the bare minimum.”

Prospect Notes: Manziel, Clowney, Mack, Carr

May 4th, 2014 at 7:53pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns are in need of a quarterback and this year’s draft class gives the team a number of different options. According to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan seems to be particularly infatuated with former Aggies’ passer Johnny Manziel.

“It’s obvious how good of a player he is, how fun he is to watch,” said Shanahan. “I think it does translate to the NFL. If you can make those plays in college, you can do it in the NFL.

“He’s going to be able to make plays in this league. Eventually when they try to contain him, he’s going to have to do everything he didn’t always have to do in college.”

Shanahan and his staff put Manziel through a private workout at Texas A&M in addition to hosting him in Cleveland. The Browns have the fourth-overall pick.

Let’s see what’s going on with some other notable prospects…

  • After speaking with people who know Texans general manager Rick Smith, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport is no longer certain that the team will take Jadeveon Clowney with the first pick (via Twitter). In a subsequent tweet, Rapoport adds that the team would be willing to trade down.
  • Following up on the report by SI’s Peter King, Rapoport confirms (via Twitter) that Khalil Mack is an option for the number-one pick.
  • If the Texans do indeed pass on Clowney, Rapoport points out the “incredible drama” the Rams would be presented with (via Twitter).
  • Derek Carr said that four or five teams told him that they would like to trade into the 20-29 range to select him, reports John Clayton of ESPN.com.
  • In the same post, Clayton adds that the Lions would like to move up a few spots to select receiver Mike Evans.
  • Washington State safety Deone Bucannon and Boise State linebacker Demarcus Lawrence could be surprise first-round picks, tweets Eric Galko of OptimumScouting.com.

 

NFC East Notes: RGIII, Morgan, Cowboys

February 6th, 2014 at 6:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, our own Luke Adams ran down the free agent market for quarterbacks, starting with Michael Vick of the Eagles. Vick had a strong first month to the season but understudy Nick Foles eventually seized his opportunity when he fell to injury. The veteran is unlikely to return to Philadelphia and is confident that he’ll be starting somewhere to open up the 2014 season. The Jaguars, Texans, Browns, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Raiders are among the teams expected to seek a starting QB and he could have the opportunity to show that he still has plenty to give in the fall when he will have turned 34. More from the NFC East:

  • New Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan says the adversity that he experienced with the Redskins and quarterback Robert Griffin III last season will help him improve going forward, writes Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal. The topic of Shanahan’s relationship with RGIII came up in his interview with Cleveland on January 29.
  • Redskins wide receiver Josh Morgan would like to play for his hometown team again in 2014, but he’s not sure if the feeling is mutual, writes CSNWashington.com’s Tarik El-Bashir. Morgan was the Redskins’ leading receiver in 2012, hauling in 48 passes for 510 yards. Last season, however, the 28-year-old fell out of favor with then-coach Mike Shanahan and was deactivated twice. He finished with 20 receptions for 214 yards and zero touchdowns.
  • The Cowboys auditioned quarterback Mike Kafka and former Arena League receivers Braylon Bell and Maurice Williams at a local high school, according to Rowan Kavner of DallasCowboys.com. Kafka, a fourth-round draft pick of the Eagles’ in 2010 out of Northwestern, spent time briefly with the Patriots and Jaguars last season but hasn’t played in a regular season NFL game since 2011.

Browns Hire Kyle Shanahan As OC

February 3rd, 2014 at 6:32pm CST by Zachary Links

MONDAY, 6:32: The Browns have officially announced the deal with Shanahan, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter).

5:25pm: The Browns have finalized a three-year deal with Kyle Shanahan today, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Shanahan will sign tomorrow.

1:37pm: Shanahan is in Cleveland to finalize the details of his agreement with the Browns and sign his contract, a source tells Cabot. Talks are expected to go smoothly and Shanahan’s deal could be completed this afternoon.

SATURDAY, 12:39pm: Shanahan is out of the country on vacation, but the deal will be finalized when he returns, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports (via Twitter).

11:45am: The Browns have decided on Shanahan, according to Fox Sports (via Alex Marvez’s Twitter).

9:31am: Shanahan remains a possibility, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot (via Twitter).

THURSDAY, 5:53pm: A league source told Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal it’s “very likely” that Loggains will become the Browns’ quarterbacks coach, meaning that the OC search is likely to continue.

5:35pm: The Browns have hired former Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to join their coaching staff, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It’s quite possible that Loggains will be Cleveland’s new offensive coordinator but he could also end up serving as quarterbacks coach.

Meanwhile, Rapoport (link) would be surprised if the Browns hired Kyle Shanahan to be their next OC based on what he’s hearing. Earlier today, it was reported that the Browns had their eye on Shanahan, who missed out on the Ravens and Dolphins openings, for the gig. League sources have indicated that reported friction between Shanahan and Redskins star quarterback Robert Griffin III last season may have hurt his stock.

Loggains spent six season with the Titans and worked his way up the ladder during his time there. He served as quarterbacks/passing game coach for two-and-a-half seasons before being promoted to OC on November 26, 2012.

Browns Interviewing OC Candidates

January 30th, 2014 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 3:15pm: In addition to meeting with DeFilippo, the Browns are also interviewing Loggains for the OC job today, reports Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 2:13pm: The Browns will also interview DeFilippo on Thursday for their offensive coordinator opening, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

1:05pm: Shanahan has an interview with the Browns scheduled for Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (via Twitter).

12:12pm: The Browns have finalized the hirings of several coaches within the last week, including a new defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and head coach. The team is still in the market for an offensive coordinator though, and appears to be eyeing a candidate who has missed out on two other OC jobs this winter: Kyle Shanahan. According to John Keim of ESPN.com, the Browns spoke to Shanahan this morning about their offensive coordinator opening.

Shanahan has had success in the past as the offensive coordinator in Houston and, more recently, in Washington. However, “numerous stories” about friction between Shanahan and Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III may have affected his ability to land a new job, league sources tell Keim. Shanahan was in the mix for OC jobs with the Dolphins and Ravens in recent weeks, before both teams decided to go in another direction.

Gary Kubiak, Cam Cameron, Alex Van Pelt, and Dowell Loggains are among the other names to have surfaced within the last few days as potential OC candidates for Cleveland, but Kubiak was hired by the Ravens and Cameron and Van Pelt appear to be staying put at LSU and Green Bay, respectively. NFL Network’s Albert Breer mentioned last night (via Twitter) that Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo could also be in the picture, and adds today (via Twitter) that the Browns also have interest in Bill Callahan. While the Cowboys have said Callahan isn’t available, that may change now that Scott Linehan has joined the Cowboys’ staff, says Breer.

AFC Notes: Chris Johnson, Dolphins, Bills

January 27th, 2014 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Monday updates from around the AFC….

  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (via Twitter) that Titans running back Chris Johnson will undergo a surgical procedure to repair a torn meniscus. Johnson remains under contract for now, but is a strong candidate to be released and hit the open market this offseason, so his health could be a significant factor in the next deal he signs.
  • Despite Joe Philbin‘s 15-17 record to date, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross believes Philbin is the long-term answer as head coach, according to James Walker of ESPN.com, who notes that the organization’s confidence in Philbin was on full display during Miami’s GM search (Twitter links).
  • While the Ravens ultimately passed on Kyle Shanahan and hired Gary Kubiak as their offensive coordinator, it sounds as if Shanahan made a favorable impression in Baltimore, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network.
  • Multiple former Bills coaches are already headed to Cleveland to join the Browns‘ staff, and Buffalo head coach Doug Marrone confirmed today to reporters, including Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links), that Jeff Hafley and Brian Fleury will also be joining the Browns as defensive coaches.
  • Although adding more receiving weapons for Tom Brady should be a priority for the Patriots, the development of the team’s young receivers is equally important, writes Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com.

Browns Notes: O’Neil, Shanahan, McDaniels

January 27th, 2014 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Browns hired Mike Pettine as their head coach last week, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported that the former Bills defensive coordinator would likely be bringing a coach with him from Buffalo. According to Mehta, the Browns were expected to hire Bills linebackers coach Jim O’Neil as their defensive coordinator, assuming Buffalo let him out of his contract. Today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (via Twitter) that the Bills have indeed given O’Neil permission to talk to the Browns, adding that the interview is merely a formality. Here’s more from out of Cleveland, including word of another coach heading from Buffalo to the Browns:

  • Chuck Driesbach, who was fired by the Bills earlier this month, will be joining Pettine’s Cleveland staff in some capacity, reports Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The longtime college coach was working with Buffalo’s linebackers before he was let go.
  • As Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweeted this afternoon, Kyle Shanahan won’t be joining the Ravens’ coaching staff, and Rapoport believes that Shanahan could be a candidate for the offensive coordinator vacancy in Cleveland (Twitter link).
  • In his latest MMQB column, Peter King writes that Pettine seems like the “ultimate compromise candidate” for the Browns, who aggressively pursued Josh McDaniels of the Pats. Referring to McDaniels as the “apple of owner Jimmy Haslam’s eye,” King says the team had multiple conversations with the Pats’ offensive coordinator about the possibility of him re-entering Cleveland’s coaching derby.

Ravens Hire Gary Kubiak As OC

January 27th, 2014 at 1:50pm CST by David Kipke

1:50pm: The Ravens have officially announced the hiring of Kubiak as the team’s offensive coordinator and Dennison as the QB coach.

12:19pm: The Ravens will officially announce their new offensive coordinator later this afternoon, according to the team (Twitter link). Wilson tweets that Dennison is expected to join the staff under Kubiak, though it’s not clear if any other additions will be announced today.

11:07am: While there are still some details to be ironed out, everything points to Kubiak becoming the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator, tweets Zrebiec.

According to Michael Preston of the Baltimore Sun, Kubiak is trying to put together an offensive staff before he officially accepts the job, meaning the team’s old coaches could be in trouble. Preston adds that Kubiak’s hiring has been pushed by Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and owner Steve Bisciotti rather than Harbaugh (Twitter links).

MONDAY, 8:06am: The third candidate in the mix for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator job appears to be Gary Kubiak, who has emerged as the favorite for the position, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, former Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison has also spoken with John Harbaugh over the last few days, though based on Schefter’s report, it sounds as if Dennison may be drawing Baltimore’s interest for another spot on the staff, rather than the OC vacancy.

SUNDAY, 10:53pm: The Ravens have recently interviewed a third candidate in their search to fill the offensive coordinator vacancy previously occupied by Jim Caldwell, according to Jeff Zrebiec and Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. Until now, it was believed that former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and current Ravens wide receivers coach Jim Hostler were the only remaining candidates.

Former Steelers running back coach Kirby Wilson, who appears poised to join the Vikings’ staff, had also been in the mix for the Ravens’ position, but was informed this weekend that Baltimore was going in a different direction.

Coaching Notes: Ravens, Cowboys, Browns

January 26th, 2014 at 1:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens are likely to decide on a new offensive coordinator by Monday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The choice is expected to be either former Redskins offensive Kyle Shanahan or current Ravens receivers coach Jim Hostler. Shanahan, the son of former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, also has play-calling experience with the Texans, while Hostler spent the 2007 season as offensive coordinator with the 49ers. Either candidate would be replacing Jim Caldwell, who left to become the head coach of the Lions.

  • Scott Linehan may be offered the title of Cowboys’ passing game coordinator, according to Ed Werder and Chris Mortensen of ESPN. In such an arrangement, Linehan would be installed as the primary play-caller, a responsibility that currently belongs to offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Linehan, the former head coach of the Rams, was most recently the offensive coordinator of the Lions.
  • If Linehan takes the Cowboys job, the Browns may look at Callahan as an offensive coordinator candidate under new head coach Mike Pettine, notes Albert Breer of NFL Network (via Twitter).
  • Breer also tweets that former Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is a possible choice as quarterbacks coach in Cleveland.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Ravens, Jones

January 24th, 2014 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns finally filled the last head coaching opening in the NFL yesterday, hiring Mike Pettine away from the Bills. Pettine indicated at yesterday’s press conference that if Cleveland’s search had lasted much longer, he would have withdrawn his name, so as not to leave the Bills hanging indefinitely. But now that he’s got the Browns job, Pettine will look to fill out his staff. Here’s the latest on that front, along with a couple other AFC North items:

  • The Browns have interest in former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak for their offensive coordinator position, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets that it’s unlikely Kubiak lands in Cleveland.
  • The Ravens are also in the market for an offensive coordinator, with their search in the final stages. The club interviewed internal candidate Jim Hostler and ex-Redskins coordinator Kyle Shanahan for the second time on Thursday, and will have a second interview with Kirby Wilson of the Steelers today, according to Jeff Zrebiec and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Heading for unrestricted free agency, wide receiver Jacoby Jones says he’d love to return to the Ravens, as Ray Frager of CSNBaltimore.com writes.