HEADLINES

Matt Burke

Dolphins Eyeing Matt Burke As Potential DC

January 10th, 2017 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is in the mix for five different head coaching gigs and the Dolphins have a funny feeling that he might leave the nest. With that in mind, the Dolphins are likely to promote linebackers coach Matt Burke to DC, sources tell Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Matt Burke (vertical)

[RELATED: Dolphins Release DE Jason Jones]

Joseph is scheduled to interview with the Broncos on Tuesday and the 49ers on Thursday. The Rams, Bills, and Chargers also have been granted permission to interview Joseph. Reportedly, he is the frontrunner for the Denver gig and he already has guys in mind to serve on his staff.

The Fins hired Burke away from the Bengals roughly one year ago today for this exact reason, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Miami won’t be left scrambling if Joseph goes and that’s a good thing, because seems more and more likely every day that he will be someone’s else head coach in 2017.

Coaching Notes: Joseph, Bills, Rams

January 2nd, 2017 at 8:54pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s been a busy day around the NFL, especially when it comes to coaching rumors. We’re keeping track of all of those interviews, and you can find our tracker here.

In the meantime, let’s take a look at some more coaching whispers from around the NFL…

  • The Rams, Bills, and Chargers are requesting permission to speak with Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). We learned earlier today that the 49ers have also expressed interest in Joseph.
  • If Joseph indeed gets a head coaching gig, linebackers coach Matt Burke is likely to replace him as the Dolphins defensive coordinator, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com tweets. Burke joined the Dolphins last offseason after having previously served as the linebackers coach with the Bengals and Lions.
  • The Bills are expected to interview Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich for their head coaching opening, sources tell Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (via Twitter). Prior to his time in Philly, Reich was the offensive coordinator for the Chargers.
  • The Bills have done some homework on Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports tweets. Richard just completed his second season in that role.
  • All Rams assistants have been told they are free to seek other employment, freelance NFL reporter Michael Silver tweets. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise since the next coach in L.A. will probably want to bring in a lot of his own guys. Even if the next head coach wants to keep some of the current assistants, it wouldn’t be fair to hamstring them while the search continues.
  • The Rams, Jaguars, Broncos, and 49ers will all interview Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan between Friday and Saturday, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • The Rams are planning on interviewing Panthers secondary coach and assistant head coach Steve Wilks for their head coaching gig, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). The 47-year-old has been in the NFL since 2008, and he’s also coached for the Bears and Chargers.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Dolphins Hire Vance Joseph As DC

January 13th, 2016 at 8:29am CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 8:29am: The Dolphins have officially announced the hiring of Joseph, and have named four other assistant coaches to Gase’s staff as well. They are as follows:

  • Matt Burke, linebackers coach
  • Shane Day, tight ends coach
  • Chris Foerster, offensive line coach
  • Shawn Jefferson, wide receivers coach

TUESDAY, 4:28pm: The Dolphins have hired former Bengals assistant Vance Joseph as their new defensive coordinator, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Alex Marvez of FOX Sports first reported that the two sides were on the verge of a pact. Vance Joseph (featured)

[RELATED: Dolphins Hire Adam Gase As Head Coach]

Joseph has extensive seasoning as a secondary coach, presiding over the 49ers and Texans defensive backs from 2006-10 (in San Francisco) and 2011-13 (in Houston). The Broncos attempted to interview the 43-year-old Joseph for their defensive coordinator position last season, but the Bengals didn’t permit the meeting, leading Denver to go with Wade Phillips.

Marvez also reported that Joseph was set to bring Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke, Bears defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, and Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson with him to Miami. However, Henderson has also interviewed for more notable positions elsewhere, so it’s possible that he could hold off on taking another job as an assistant. He’s reportedly leaning toward staying in Dallas anyway.

Joseph will serve under new head coach Adam Gase. Gase, now the youngest head coach in the league, also interviewed with the Eagles, Browns, and Giants before agreeing to come to Miami. Gase was said to be a “unanimous decision” among Dolphins decision makers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bengals’ Vance Joseph To Miami: ‘Done Deal’

January 9th, 2016 at 2:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Gase‘s new staff in Miami is already taking shape, with Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph set to come aboard as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator, Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com tweets.

Marvez notes the second-year Bengals DBs coach will become the Dolphins’ new DC once the Bengals are eliminated from postseason play.

Marvez’s report comes on the heels of NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweeting Joseph will have options after the Bengals’ season is over, but the Dolphins would definitely be targeting him. Joseph is in the final year of his contract, although other outlets say he’ll wait to see where Bengals OC Hue Jackson lands before deciding on his own future.

Joseph has extensive seasoning as a secondary coach, presiding over the 49ers and Texans DBs from 2006-10 (in San Francisco) and 2011-13 (in Houston).

The Broncos attempted to interview the 43-year-old Joseph for their defensive coordinator position last season, but the Bengals didn’t permit the meeting, leading Denver to go with Wade Phillips.

Marvez also reports (on Twitter) Joseph’s staff in Miami’s forming swiftly, with Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke, Bears defensive line coach Clint Hurtt and Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson set to come to Miami in those same positions under Gase and Joseph.

Henderson already interviewed for the Browns’ head-coaching job, so a report linking him to another position coach job may be premature. He’s been the Cowboys’ secondary coach since 2012.

Burke finished his seventh season as a linebackers coach. He taught the Lions’ backers for five seasons before coming to Cincinnati.

Hurtt doesn’t have as much NFL experience, with 2015 representing his first season as a position coach. He was the Bears’ assistant defensive line coach in 2014.

Although Reggie Nelson‘s eight interceptions finished the 2015 season tied for the league lead, the Bengals enter their wild-card game with the 20th-ranked pass defense.

The Dolphins fired their defensive coordinator, Kevin Coyle, in October.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Chargers, Lynch, Lions

January 9th, 2016 at 12:52pm CST by Ben Levine

When reports came out earlier today regarding Adam Gase being hired as the Dolphins head coach, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweeted that Bengals defensive back’s coach Vance Joseph was expected to join the staff as Miami’s new defensive coordinator. However, Rapoport later clarified (via Twitter) that Joseph will be a target, but no deal has been finalized. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets that Joseph has had zero discussions with the Dolphins regarding the position.

If Joseph does end up joining Gase’s staff, he’s expected to hire several notable names. Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez tweets that Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke, Bears defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, and Cowboys defensive back’s coach Jerome Henderson would presumably join Joseph’s staff.

Meanwhile, Albert Breer tweets that Hue Jackson is scheduled to have his interviews with the 49ers and Browns tomorrow. If he secures any of those head coaching jobs, Breer believes Joseph will be a target to become defensive coordinator (with Mike Solari an option at offensive coordinator).

Let’s take a look at some more assorted notes from around the league…

  • The Chargers request to interview Buccaneers defensive line coach Joe Cullen was denied, tweets Fox Sports’ Mike Garafalo.
  • Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times gives a list of reasons why it’d be in the Seahawks best interest to move on from Marshawn Lynch (via Twitter): they’d save $6.5MM against the cap, he’s 30-years-old, and he only appeared in seven games this season.
  • The Jets, Browns, Texans and Rams are among the teams scouting North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz at today’s FCS title game, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • Count Gil Brandt among those who are big fans of new Lions general manager Bob Quinn. “He’s not one of these guys that’s known because he doesn’t seek out jobs,” Brandt told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But he knows the personnel part of it, he knows the cap part of it. He knows how to make people better at the job they do. You’ll like this guy because … he’s a hustler, and he’s very low-key.”