HEADLINES

Rex Ryan

Extra Points: Payton, Ryan, Harbaugh, Panthers

November 30th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Rob DiRe

Saints‘ head coach Sean Payton disputed reports that the team was considering signing Ray Rice, reports Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). “I think I would know if I were interested in signing any player,” said Payton.

  • While Payton was dismissing rumors, he also shot down any idea that there was a rift between himself and Saints‘ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, reports Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com.
  • Jets‘ head coach Rex Ryan may be on his way out as coach of the team, but he will likely have his pick of jobs if he decides to leave coaching in 2015, writes Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated. “He pretty much has everything TV networks would look for. He has personality, he’s not shy about his opinions, and he’s a colorful character,” said ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman, the executive in charge of hiring ESPN’s NFL studio talent. “I think he would be successful whether it is studio or doing games. When I close my eyes and listen to him I hear a little bit of John Madden in him. There is going to be a lot of interest in Rex if that is what he wants to do.”
  • 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh may also be looking for a new job in 2015, but the general thought is that he would like to continue coaching, either in the NFL or in a high-level college job. One NFL team that could consider him a savior would be the crosstown rival Raiders, writes Marcus Thompson II of InsideBayArea.com.
  • Coming off a disappointing 31-13 loss to the Vikings, the Panthers are sitting at 3-8-1 and only a game and a half out of first place in the depressing NFC South. Still, the team should be looking toward the future, not toward the playoffs, writes Joseph Person of Charlotte Observer. The team is weak in key spots, including the secondary and offensive line, with few bright spots elsewhere in the lineup. The roster needs to be fixed before this team can make a true playoff run.

Raiders, Jets To Pursue Jim Harbaugh?

November 30th, 2014 at 11:10am CST by Rory Parks

The Raiders have long been viewed as a likely landing sport for current 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, assuming Harbaugh and San Francisco part ways as expected after the 2014 season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter, citing an NFL source, lent some credence to that theory this morning, tweeting that the Raiders are the favorites to trade for Harbaugh.

In that same tweet, however, Schefter notes that the Jets are expected to keep a “close eye” on the Harbaugh situation. Although that report seems to be more speculation than anything else at this point, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that it is the first tacit acknowledgement that the Jets are prepared to fire Rex Ryan.

Interestingly enough, Schefter’s tweet comes on the heels of Cimini’s full-length piece published this morning that details the increasingly bizarre quarterback controversy in New York. Cimini writes that Ryan has insisted that his arm was not twisted by GM John Idzik to revert to Geno Smith as the team’s starting quarterback for tomorrow night’s game against Miami, but “not everyone is buying what he’s selling,” and “[t]here remains a level of skepticism within the organization as to whether Ryan actually made the decision.” That is especially true since Idzik’s job would probably only be saved with a strong showing from Smith, his hand-picked quarterback, over the last few games of the season.

Of course, there was little chance that Ryan would retain his job after 2014 even before this latest controversy, and Cimini’s article simply adds fuel to the fire. But Schefter’s report, even if it just means that the Jets are prepared to exercise due diligence on all head coaching candidates after the season, is interesting in that it represents not only the first time the Jets have outwardly expressed their desire to move on from Ryan, but the first time they have been connected with Harbaugh.

However, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes that one sticking point in any possible trade is “Harbaugh’s unwillingness to go to a team that has to give up a draft pick in order to acquire his services.” As Maiocco tweets, “Why would [Harbaugh] let a team weaken itself and help [the] 49ers by giving up draft pick(s)?” He certainly has a point, and in acknowledging Harbaugh’s say in the matter, Maiocco has added a wrinkle to what promises to be one of the more intriguing storylines this offseason.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Patriots, Bills

November 27th, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! While today’s slate of NFL action doesn’t include any AFC teams, there’s still some news coming out of the conference, so let’s check in on the AFC East to start the day….

  • It came as a bit of a surprise that Geno Smith was named the Jets‘ starting quarterback this week over Michael Vick, since the team’s coaching staff was believed to prefer the veteran. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News confirms that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was among several people in the organization, including many players, who wanted to continue playing Vick.
  • Head coach Rex Ryan also would have preferred to stick with Vick, but acquiesced with Jets management to avoid rocking the boat during what will likely be his last few weeks with the organization, according to Mehta. Sources tell the Daily News scribe that Ryan “wants to take the high road” before looking for his next job.
  • Kevin Kernan of the New York Post outlines why, in his view, the Jets had to give Smith a second chance to run the offense.
  • Sunday afternoon’s Packers/Patriots showdown looks like the best game of Week 13 and a potential Super Bowl preview. As Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald writes, the Pats are built for such a matchup with the pass-happy Packers after adding cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner in the offseason.
  • A healthy inactive on Monday against the Jets, Bills wideout Marquise Goodwin now faces more competition from recent waiver pickup Marcus Thigpen, but tells Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News that he’s “just going to prepare and work hard and that’s it.” A third-round pick in 2013, Goodwin’s days in Buffalo may be numbered.

Latest On Jets, Rex Ryan

November 25th, 2014 at 8:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The end of the season is near for the 2-9 Jets and the same could be said for Rex Ryan‘s tenure as head coach.

  • Has Ryan been a marked man all season long? Sources told Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post that, during the offseason, Ryan bumped into scouts and other coaches from around the league who told him Jets General Manager John Idzik had been telling people his plan all along was to replace Ryan after the season and bring in his own head coach. “Did he think that wasn’t going to get back to me?” an angered Ryan told one confidant.
  • Two AFC coaches have told Cannizzaro that they would be happy to see the Jets fire Ryan. That’s not out of disrespect, but because they don’t want to have to face him. “You don’t think [Patriots head coach Bill] Belichick will be glad to see Rex out of the division?” one of the coaches said. “I guarantee you he’d be happy to see Rex out of the AFC East. I know I’d rather not face him — and I like Rex.”
  • Two sources told Cannizzaro that Ryan has been hinting to those around him that he will move to TV when/if the Jets fire him.
  • After getting outcoached on Monday, even Ryan knows he’s a goner, writes Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. Still, the Jets coach sounds confident that he’ll make it until the end of the year. “I’m not worried about it,’’ Ryan insisted. “One thing I know, unless it changes drastically, I will be the head coach here for the next five weeks. That’s what I know and I’m going to go about my job like I always do.’’
  • Internally, the Jets also see Ryan staying on through the end of the season, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter).

Extra Points: Ryan, Hundley, Jags

November 24th, 2014 at 11:10pm CST by Ben Levine

While some may be questioning Rex Ryan‘s job security following the Jets loss to the Bills, the head coach is confident he’ll be sticking around. “One thing I know for a fact, unless it changes drastically, is I will be the head coach here for the next five weeks,” he told reporters after the game (via Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo on Twitter). However, Ryan did clarify that he hasn’t spoken to owner Woody Johnson (via New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta on Twitter).

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes to wrap up this Monday evening…

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Mailbags: Colts, Jags, Bengals, Jets

November 22nd, 2014 at 10:11am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now check out some notes from the AFC…

  • If Mike Wells were a member of the Colts front office, he wouldn’t sign Ray Rice to a contract. The writer notes that the running back must be out of shape, and he also notes the difficulties in learning a new scheme.
  • Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars biggest offseason needs will be a pass-rusher and a linebacker. As a result, the writer targets Nebraska’s Randy Gregory and Missouri’s Shane Ray.
  • Switching to the offense, DiRocco could see the Jaguars drafting a running back late in the draft. Regardless, he doesn’t think the team should part ways with Toby Gerhart, especially since Denard Robinson hasn’t proven he can be a featured back.
  • A.J. McCarron is clearly the Bengals backup plan at quarterback, so he won’t be traded or released any time soon, writes Coley Harvey.
  • If the Jets move on from Rex Ryan, the Jets owe it to their fans to pursue 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, opines Rich Cimini.
  • Meanwhile, Cimini doesn’t believe the Jets will pursue Darrelle Revis this offseason (if the cornerback becomes a free agent). The writer believes a Revis-Rex Ryan reunion is inevitable, but not in New York.

New York Notes: Manning, Coughlin, Jets

November 19th, 2014 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

As Paul Schwartz of the New York Post tweets, Giants quarterback Eli Manning said today that he wants to retire as a Giant, and it sounds as if the team has interest in extending the relationship as well. Giants owner John Mara believes Manning is still in his prime and “has a lot of good years left,” as he told Newsday’s Tom Rock last week. Even though Mara made his comments before Manning’s disastrous five-interception showing on Sunday, that one game is unlikely to significant alter the franchise’s perception of Eli as its quarterback of the future.

Here’s more on the NFL’s two New York teams:

  • Speaking of Manning, he was asked today about his former teammate Tiki Barber, who suggested earlier this week that the Giants should fire head coach Tom Coughlin. “It’s good to hear from old Tiki,” Manning quipped, according to Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record (Twitter links). Asked how it feels to hear a former player call for a coach to be fired, Manning replied, “I think it depends on your opinion of that player,” hinting that the Giants locker room probably isn’t taking Barber too seriously.
  • Much has been made of the potential departures of head coach Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik if the Jets’ season continues to head south, but Seth Walden of the New York Daily News points out that those aren’t the only notable names who could leave the team in the offseason. Walder identifies Percy Harvin, Geno Smith, Michael Vick, and coordinators Dennis Thurman and Marty Mornhinweg as others whose futures in New York are uncertain.
  • While the firing of Ryan at season’s end has seemed inevitable over the last few weeks, Brian Costello of the New York Post outlines a scenario in which it makes sense for the Jets to keep their head coach for at least one more year.

Poll: Best Head Coaching Candidates

November 14th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

Colts‘ offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and Browns‘ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have accomplished plenty on their offenses this season, with each team currently leading its current division through nine games. Those performances could lead to big paydays as head coaches next season.

They are not the only coordinators being rumored for head coaching jobs. Giants‘ offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has been talked about as a possible successor for Tom Coughlin. Broncos‘ offensive coordinator Adam Gase could follow the path of his predecessor, Mike McCoy, who jumped from a record-setting Peyton Manning-led offense to the top job for the Chargers.

The defending champion Seahawks have taken a step back from last season, but the market may not have cooled on both of their coordinators. Both offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn have both been talked about as head coaching candidates, with particular interest coming from the Jets if general manager John Idzik is retained in New York and head coach Rex Ryan is fired.

Todd Bowles has helped put together a great defense in Arizona, as the Cardinals have gone 8-1 despite injuries on the defense. Lions‘ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could be in a similar position, as his team is currently leading it’s division based on the strength of the defense.

Add to the mix the possibility of Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher returning to the sidelines, or even the possibility of a college coach like David Shaw of Stanford jumping to the NFL, and teams will have a number of options should they decide to pursue a new coach in 2015. That list does not include the head coaches that will lose their jobs at the end of the season, a number of them will hit the open market with impressive records of success. That list could include Ryan, Mike Smith, and Jim Harbaugh, among others.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Hoyer, Broncos, Bills

November 12th, 2014 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The margin for error for Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin is “quickly approaching zero,” writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. A loss this week to the Bills would make it extremely difficult for Miami to make the playoffs, and the next seven games could determine the fate of several of the club’s coaches and players.

Pointing out that a half-dozen of the Dolphins’ starters are eligible to hit the open market in March, Beasley suggests the team hasn’t made much of an effort to lock up any of these prospective free agents. One reason for that may be that there’s no guarantee the same front office and coaching staff will be in place by March. As Beasley rhetorically asks: “Why green-light a multiyear deal for Charles Clay if you’re not sure whoever’s coaching the Dolphins in 2015 wants Clay on their team?”

Here’s more on the Dolphins, as well as a few other AFC teams:

  • Within the aforementioned piece, Beasley also writes that Philbin won’t necessarily lose his job if the Dolphins miss out on the playoffs. However, the team would probably have to finish with a winning record and show signs of trending upward.
  • The Browns have an opportunity to get a deal done with quarterback Brian Hoyer in the wake of Carson Palmer‘s season-ending ACL injury, argues Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio suggests that Hoyer, who had a season-ending ACL injury of his own last year, may be more inclined to secure some guaranteed money after seeing what happened to Palmer, and speculates that perhaps something in the neighborhood of two years and $18MM (fully guaranteed) would work for both sides. That sort of contract may look modest, but I doubt Hoyer will get much more fully guaranteed money than that on a longer-term deal.
  • Joel Corry of CBSSports.com touches upon the Browns‘ quarterback situation in his look at several contract predicaments teams will face this offseason. The Broncos‘ franchise tag decision and the Bills‘ defensive line issue are among the other dilemmas he addresses.
  • Jets head coach Rex Ryan expects a strong second half from his team, and knows that without one, he’ll almost certainly be looking for work this winter. “I need every [win] I can get,” Ryan said, according to Danny Knobler of ESPNNewYork.com.

East Notes: Cowboys, Jets, McAdoo

November 9th, 2014 at 10:52am CST by Rory Parks

Less than two weeks ago, the Cowboys were 6-1 and sitting pretty atop the NFC East. Then, late in a Week 8 loss to the Redskins, Tony Romo went down with a back injury that will hinder him for the rest of the season, and Dallas went on to drop last week’s contest to the Cardinals to fall to second place in the division. Although the Cowboys have a good chance to right the ship today against the 1-8 Jaguars, all is apparently not well in Big D.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that 20 Cowboys players missed curfew on Friday night, and that the club’s coaches and veteran players are “frustrated.” Furthermore, Rapoport notes in a series of tweets that Dallas harbors off-the-field concerns with star receiver Dez Bryant, who is due for a massive contract extension. Rapoport notes that DeSoto City Police have been called to Bryant’s home six times in four years, for a variety of reasons, and that explains why the Cowboys were only willing to guarantee $20MM of the 10-year, $114MM extension they offered to Bryant. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe believes, justifiably, that this “news” regarding the frequent police activity at Bryant’s house is simply an attempt for the Cowboys to gain leverage in negotiations with Bryant. As Volin tweets, “the annual ‘smear Dez Bryant’s reputation’ campaign is here.”

In any event, the Cowboys must find some way to quickly subdue their bubbling inner turmoil lest a once-promising season gives way to another winter nightmare.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • The Jets, who also find themselves in disarray, recently employed what Rapoport (via Twitter) termed an “egregious example of heavy-handed coaching.” According to Rapoport, before Geno Smith threw one of three interceptions in the team’s Week 8 loss to Buffalo, the Jets coaching staff told Smith to throw the ball to Percy Harvin. Apparently, this was not a way to get the team’s new wideout more involved in the game, it was a way to try and simplify the game for Smith by dictating his reads. Looking for some way to improve Smith’s performance, an increasingly desperate coaching staff tried to play the game for him, and it predictably backfired.
  • Nonetheless, Manish Metha of the New York Daily News believes a bye week coaching change would make very little sense for the Jets and that Rex Ryan has earned the right to fight with his team to the end of the season.
  • There are rumors that this could be Tom Coughlin‘s last year with the Giants, and Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News writes that New York sees a future head coach in current offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com describes how the Patriots caught a break with Akeem Ayers and Ryan Wendell this season.
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