Norv Turner

Extra Points: Staley, Turner, Chiefs, Bengals

November 2nd, 2016 at 9:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Staley‘s name was among the centerpieces of the 2016 trade deadline, one that ended with just one major deal. The 10th-year 49ers left tackle did not expect to be traded, reports of his availability notwithstanding.

“I’m an old man. My name is going to come up every year,” Staley said, via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “I know no other place than this place. I didn’t even worry about it. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

The 32-year-old Staley added he did not check with Trent Baalke or another 49ers personnel executive after a Pro Football Talk report put his name on the trade block, with San Francisco hoping for a first-rounder in return, per Inman.

Here’s more from around the league, which is taking a backseat tonight to baseball’s 2016 finale.

Norv Turner‘s surprising resignation from his post as Vikings OC caught Mike Zimmer off-guard, but the veteran play-caller said he thinks this could spark a bottom-tier Minnesota offense. “I got the utmost respect for Mike. I think he’s as good a coach as I’ve been around. But it just got to the point where I didn’t think it was going to work with me. So I removed myself,” Turner said, via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “I truly think this move may end up being a positive thing for the Vikings. I just think they got a chance to get on the same page now. I don’t know how to describe that, but I think it could be the case.” A veteran of 42 years in the NFL, the 64-year-old Turner did not say he was retiring from coaching, telling Craig he will return to San Diego and weigh his options.
With Alex Smith banged up, Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced that Nick Foles will get the start on Sunday. The fourth-year Chiefs starter is symptom-free, according to Reid, who maintains the 32-year-old passer did not suffer a concussion. Foles has started 35 games in his five-year career, with the first six of those coming for the Reid-coached Eagles in 2012. The then-rookie went 1-5 in those starts. Against the Colts Sunday, Foles ignited Kansas City’s deep passing game, completing 3-of-4 passes of at least 21 yards. Smith’s 5-for-17 by that measure this season.
Some contributors who were afterthoughts upon catching on with their current teams in 2016 are poised to sign life-changing contracts in the coming offseason, with CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry identifying Terrelle Pryor and Zach Brown as two players who have transformed their stocks at midseason. Joining a Corry-constructed contract-year list that includes Kenny Britt, Dont’a Hightower and Kawann Short, Pryor and Brown are making less than $3MM between them this season. Corry tabs the Browns wideout as being able to set Allen Hurns‘ $10MM-AAV deal as his benchmark, with the Bills’ — and the NFL’s — leading tackler looking in Corry’s view like he’ll be able to score a Danny Trevathan-esque deal (four years, $28MM). Brown signed a one-year, $1.25MM deal with the Bills and just turned 27.
A group of kickers including Zach Hocker, Kai Forbath, and Randy Bullock worked out for the Bengals this week, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com tweets. That’s a noteworthy audition given Mike Nugent‘s struggles. For now, it seems that Cincinnati is just updating its lists should Nugent’s issues continue.
The Jaguars worked out punter Cody Webster today, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Webster worked out for the Bears earlier this season. The former Purdue punter last kicked in a game for the 2013 Boilermakers.

Zach Links contributed to this report

Norv Turner Resigns As Vikings OC

November 2nd, 2016 at 9:51am CST by Zachary Links

Surprising news out of Minnesota as Norv Turner has resigned as the Vikings’ offensive coordinator. The team announced that Pat Shurmur is taking over as interim offensive coordinator. The exact circumstances of Turner’s departure are not immediately clear. Turner has released the following statement:

“I have tremendous respect for [head coach] Mike Zimmer, our coaching staff, and our players and at this time I think it is in the best interest of the team to step down. I thank the Wilf family for my time here in Minnesota and want to see our players and coaches achieve success.”

The Vikings got off to a hot 5-0 start this year which was extra impressive considering the team’s unusual situation at quarterback. Since then, however, the Vikes have dropped their last two games. While Minnesota sits atop the NFC North, they have gotten there thanks in large part to their defense. Offensively, the team has left much to be desired in its seven games this season. Currently, the Vikings have the fifth-worst passing yards per game average in the league (221.4). Meanwhile, their running game (mostly without Adrian Peterson) has amassed just 71.9 yards per game, the second-worst average in the NFL.

Turner was in his third season as Minnesota’s OC. Over the years, Turner has built up quite the resume including head coaching stints with the Redskins, Raiders, and Chargers. While Turner has taken criticism from Vikings fans for his play calling, one has to wonder how different things might be if the team was at full strength. After all, this a club that has lost its top quarterback, top running back, and two starting tackles. Before those injuries, the team also saw veteran lineman Phil Loadholt retire.

Before today’s sudden promotion, Shurmur was serving as the Vikings’ tight ends coach. Shurmur served as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator from 2013-2015, so he has a history with quarterback Sam Bradford.

Mort & Schefter: Trades, Romo, Turner, Lacy

October 20th, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Teams have started to make “exploratory phone calls” in advance of the NFL’s November 1 trade deadline, according to Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While the scribe duo notes that the NFL never seems the amount of trade activity that does the NBA or MLB, a few more deals could be made this season due to the influx of young general managers around the league. For a complete record of all the deals already consummated this year, check out PFR’s 2016 NFL Trade Tracker.

Here’s more from Mort and Schefter:

The Cowboys aren’t sure if they’ll bench rookie quarterback Dak Prescott once Tony Romo returns from injury, but Dallas has no interest in trading Romo at this time. Romo is unlikely to be healthy before the trading deadline, meaning no other club would feel safe dealing for the veteran, and the financial ramifications of such a move are untenable from the Cowboys’ perspective. Trading Romo right now would force nearly $32MM to immediately accelerate onto Dallas’ salary cap.
As many as two collegiate teams are eyeing Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner for a head coaching position, per Mortensen and Schefter, but it’s unclear if Turner would reciprocate such interest. Turner has never been a head coach in the NCAA, and was last involved in the collegiate ranks in 1984 as USC’s OC. He’s posted a career record of 114-122-1 as a head coach in the NFL.
Packers running back Eddie Lacy had ballooned back up to 255 to 265 pounds before being placed on injured reserve today, report the ESPN scribes. Lacy worked all offseason to get his weight down, but apparently the pounds had come back. Lacy will undergo ankle surgery and is likely out for the year, although he could conceivably return late in the season.

NFC Notes: Vikes, Turner, Redskins, Giants

July 8th, 2016 at 10:30am CST by Connor J. Byrne

With former Rams and Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur now on the Vikings’ staff as the tight ends coach, O-coordinator Norv Turner‘s job could be in jeopardy if Minnesota’s attack doesn’t improve this season, writes Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune. The Vikings’ Turner-led offense ranked just 27th and 29th over the previous two seasons, and the latter finish came despite excellent production from running back Adrian Peterson. One way Turner could help his cause is to involve receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in the game plan, Souhan offers. Patterson – a first-round pick in 2013 – racked up just two targets and two carries under Turner last season. He was at his most productive as a rookie in Bill Musgrave‘s 13th-ranked offense, with 45 catches on 78 targets, 469 yards and seven total touchdowns (four receiving, three rushing).

Minor Notes: Tomsula, Rivera, Ravens

February 8th, 2015 at 8:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

New 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula will bring Adam Henry back to the Bay Area after he mentored two of the NFL’s most explosive rookies while at LSU the past three seasons, reports Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. Henry will coach the 49ers’ wide receivers alongside Ronald Curry after coaching Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in 2012 and 2013 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Beckham earned offensive rookie of the year honors last season, and Landry came on strong late last season in Miami. Prior to re-entering the college ranks — Henry coached at Division I-FCS McNeese State for 10 years — Henry worked as a Raiders assistant from 2007-11, the last three as the tight ends coach. Curry, who the 49ers recently denied permission to follow former offensive coordinator Greg Roman to the Buffalo Bills, served as an offensive assistant the past two years under Jim Harbaugh. A former Raiders wide receiver, Curry’s final two years as an active player overlapped with Henry’s initial two seasons on the Raiders’ staff.

In other NFC coaching news…

The Panthers made a legacy choice as their latest assistant-coaching hire, bringing in Cam Turner as assistant wide receivers coach, the Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person notes. The nephew of Norv Turner, Cam Turner spent the past two seasons coaching at Florida International under his father, Ron Turner. Cam Turner will assist Ricky Proehl on Ron Rivera‘s staff.
The Ravens have formed an extensive pipeline into the small-school ranks and may continue to do so, writes Bo Smolka of CSN Baltimore. In addition to selecting Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco out of Division I-FCS Delaware in 2008, the Ravens drafted four small-school prospects in the 2013 draft — including defensive tackle Brandon Williams (Division II Missouri Southern, Round 3) and fullback Kyle Juszczyk (Harvard, Round 4). Last year, they nabbed backup running back Lorenzo Taliaferro in the fourth round from Delaware. Both Williams and Juszczyk played extensively in 2014.
“We’ve tried to find value by more closely looking at small-school players,” assistant general manager Eric DeCosta said to Smolka.

Vikings Notes: Ponder, Turner, Greenway

August 20th, 2014 at 5:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

While Christian Ponder is reportedly open to a trade, he has not asked the Vikings’ management or coaching staff for one, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter).

Ponder was in the running to be the team’s starter earlier this offseason, sharing first-team reps, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. More recently, he has been relegated to the third string as Matt Cassel and first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater continue to compete for the starting spot.

While he would like a chance to start, he is saying the right things as he has accepted his current role with the team, according to Tomasson.

“I’m learning so much right now. I do feel like it’s beneficial for me to be right here right now,” said Ponder. “As a competitor, though, you want to be the guy that’s out there playing. But I do feel like in the situation I’m in right now, I am getting better though I’m not playing.”

Here are some other notes from around Vikings organization:

Ponder may no longer be in contention in Minnesota, but the team has yet to announce an official depth chart at quarterback. However, offensive coordinator Norv Turner may have revealed a bit about his selection process, writes Jim Souhan of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Cassel will start the season opener, and will remain the start if he is healthy and performing well. Bridgewater will be inserted into the lineup only when he is ready. “I know Teddy’s getting himself ready to play,” said Turner. “And he’s got to be ready to play, because this league is tough on quarterbacks. You can be in there real fast.’’
New head coach Mike Zimmer is enjoying his new chess pieces on defense, trying to balance his versatile players while installing his fundamental system, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. “It’s a little bit of, ‘What can the guy do and still be effective?'” Zimmer said. “Once I feel like we have the fundamentals down and the techniques down, then you can worry about tricking somebody else or disguising. You don’t always have guys like Everson Griffen, Anthony Barr, Brian Robison that can do a number of different things. Those three guys can stand up and drop, play outside linebacker and rush.”
Linebacker Chad Greenway missed practice with a wrist injury, allowing second-year player Michael Mauti to get some extra reps, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Mauti is still on the bubble, but a strong performance in Greenway’s absence could go a long way to help him make the team.
While Mauti fights to make the team, and Zimmer tries to find ways to use his other defensive players, the Vikings are still looking for a third linebacker to step up and take the middle linebacker spot, writes Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN.com. Jasper Brinkley and Audie Cole are fighting to earn that spot. “Jasper seems to be a little bit more communicative and Audie seems to have a little more range. As far as the running game they’re very close and the passing game they’re similar,” Zimmer said. “You have to look at all the different things: how it affects the rest of the guys on the team; you have to look at their blitz ability; their communication on different formations that you get. There’s so many variables with that position that goes into it that you just kind of overall look at it.”
Griffen is not letting any of the scheme and roster uncertainty get in the way of the basics, writes Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. After signing a huge contract to remain with the team, he knows the basic philosophy of the defense will be to get after the football. “We’re going to be in attack mode and we’re going to be able to play,” Griffen said. “Just go out there and have fun. Football’s fun.”

NFC North Notes: Packers, Bears, Vikings

July 19th, 2014 at 10:27am CST by Matt Feminis

The injury-related retirement of Packers running back Jonathan Franklin means there are third-down snaps to be had, writes ESPN Wisconsin’s Jason Wilde in a position preview. If/when Eddie Lacy is off the field, the leading candidates are DuJuan Harris — if he can show improvement in blitz pickup — and “old reliable” fullback John Kuhn.

Here’s a few more NFC North links:

The Packers’ run defense fell off significantly last season, and the team made a concerted effort to get younger and more athletic along the defensive line. In fact, 28-year-old B.J. Raji is now the “old man of the line.” In the spotlight, however, is 2013 first-rounder Datone Jones, whom Press-Gazette’s Pete Dougherty calls a “critical player for meaningful improvement.” Jones sustained a sprained ankle in the preseason opener and didn’t get healthy until the end of the season. The team expects Jones to step up his game this season, as he will have significantly more responsibility than his niche role as an inside, sub-package rusher last year.
The Bears, who were even worse than the Packers against the run last season, also expect to have a better defensive front in 2014. A healthy Jay Ratliff is one of the reasons why. The veteran defensive tackle is 33, but is 100 percent healthy now, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, who shared a text message he received from a Bears employee: “It helps that we signed Rat. He’s a soldier if healthy!” If that’s the case, it will be a coup for the Bears, who scooped up Ratliff in November for a late-season look-see after he was released by the Cowboys. Encouraged by Ratliff’s health, the Bears retained him on a team-friendly, two-year deal, expecting him to provide disruption from the three-technique.
Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times identified the Bears’ 10 most important players, including defensive lineman Lamarr Houston, whom the Bears see as a “star in the making.”
Bears head coach Marc Trestman sat down with the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer for an extensive one-on-one interview in which Trestman touched on a variety of topics, including Jay Cutler, Jared Allen, locker-room culture and leadership, among other things.
Vikings fourth-year tight end Kyle Rudolph, who shed 15 pounds this offseason, believes he’s an improved route runner thanks to new offensive coordinator Norv Turner, writes ESPN’s Ben Goessling.

NFC North Notes: McCown, Tillman, Turner

January 29th, 2014 at 4:20pm CST by Rob DiRe

Without an extension or a new contract from the Bears, Charles Tillman will be the most accomplished of all the free agent cornerbacks this offseason. Despite that, his age might take him out of the running for a large contract, according to Joel Corry of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Corry sees that Tampa Bay would be a logical fit, where Tillman could reunite with Lovie Smith. Here are some other notes from the NFC North:

Josh McCown has been a prominent name after filling in for Jay Cutler for five games this season, and there was thought to be an opportunity to compete for a starting job next season, but Scott Krinch of CSNChicago.com believes that McCown is sincere in saying he wants to return. “It’s going to have to look really good for me to go someplace else,” McCown stated. “Because my heart is in Chicago and that is where I want to be.”
Norv Turner will join Mike Zimmer’s staff in Minnesota to be the Vikings offensive coordinator, reports Derek Wetmore of ESPN (via Twitter). Turner was the offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2013.
The Lions have been looking for a second receiver to supplement Calvin Johnson‘s production for years, but Hall of Fame receiver and ESPN analyst Cris Carter does not believe that should be the team’s top priority, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. While Carter states that the team already passes for 5,000 yards as it is, he believes that a healthy Nate Burleson will be enough of an upgrade as to allow the organization to focus on its other shortcomings. Birkett does note that the Lions had the highest drop percentage in the NFL last year, and that general manager Martin Mayhew has taken a receiver in every draft he has been in that position.