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AFC Notes: Whisenunt, Marrone, Watt, Ryan

September 28th, 2014 at 7:57pm CST by Rob DiRe

Titans‘ head coach Ken Whisenhunt was fielding questions during his post-game press conference, and was asked if he had overestimated the team’s ability. His candid answer has upset some fans, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.

“You know, I guess that’s the problem saying those kind of things. You go on a stretch where you have a couple games and you don’t play well and those are the kind of things that, hey, I still believe that, I still believe we have a team that’s good enough, that’s better than what we are playing right now,” said Whisenhunt. “But we have to look at what we are doing, how we are doing it. We have to look at everything. Maybe.”

Looking back to the offseason, Whisenhunt was heavily rumored as an option for the Lions and Browns, along with the Titans after the success he had coordinating Philip Rivers and the Chargers’ offense. He is believed to have preferred the Titans’ position.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • Doug Marrone’s Bills team started off fast with wins over the Bears and Dolphins to begin the season, but has cooled considerably in losing efforts against the Chargers and Texans. Marrone admits that it is tough to find consistency with such a young offense, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter). “You got young receivers, a young quarterback, and some [young] guys on the line,” said Marrone. “They have to grow and they have to grow fast.”
  • Texans‘ defensive end J.J. Watt had an impressive showing against the Bills earlier today, leading to owner Bob McNair to praise him publicly, reports Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com (via Twitter). “He is worth every cent,” said McNair. “I hope he doesn’t come in tomorrow and ask for a raise.”
  • After losing to the Lions to fall to 1-3 on the season, Jets‘ head coach Rex Ryan is on the hotseat, writes Bob Glauber of Newsday. The team has three tough games against the Chargers, Broncos, and Patriots, and if they finish that stretch at 1-6, Glauber writes that general manager would be smart to reconsider his commitment to both Ryan and quarterback Geno Smith.

AFC East Links: Idzik, Mankins, Dolphins

September 27th, 2014 at 6:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets could find themselves in an interesting situation this offseason if they don’t return to their winning ways soon. If general manager John Idzik fires head coach Rex Ryan, one likely candidate he will seek to replace the embattled Jets’ coach could be Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, writes Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Idzik, who came from Seattle’s front office, would look to hire his former colleague Quinn, who is represented by former Jets’ general manager Mike Tannenbaum, whom Idzik took over for two offseasons ago.

Here are some other links from around the AFC East:

  • While we are talking about the possibility of the Jets firing Ryan, Pat Kirwin of CBS Sports would like everyone to know that would be a dumb idea, as he said on Sirius XM Radio (via Twitter).
  • About one month after the Logan Mankins‘ trade, the Patriots‘ have not fallen apart on the offensive line, writes Jen McCaffery of MassLive.com. While the Dolphins were able to disturb Tom Brady, the line has been better since, but faces a tough test against the Chiefs’ pass rushthis week. Tight end Tim Wright, who the team acquired in return for Mankins, has four catches on five targets this season.
  • The Patriots will not only be prepared for the pass rush, but must be ready for everything to come away with a win Monday night according to head coach Bill Belichick, writes Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com. “You know you have to go out and play a good football team against an Andy Reid coached team,” says Belichick. “You can’t expect that they’re going to make a lot of mistakes. You’re going to have to earn everything. I think that’s always the mark of a good team.”
  • The Dolphins‘ are looking to right the ship as they travel to London to face an 0-3 Raiders team, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Multiple starters have been critical of the coaching staff through the first three games, even with the upset victory over the Patriots in week one. With a loss, starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s future with the team could be in jeopardy.
  • Bills‘ offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is trying to keep his receivers happy, despite struggles from quarterback E.J. Manuel, writes Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com. Hackett notes that there are fewer opportunities to go around in the passing game this season, as the Bills have become more run-heavy on offense.

East Notes: Tannehill, Jets, Bryant

September 7th, 2014 at 10:13am CST by Rory Parks

For Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, 2014 may well be the season that determines his future in the league. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins must decide by May 2015 if they want to exercise Tannehill’s fifth-year option for 2016. Since Tannehill was a top-10 pick, that option would pay him the average salary of the 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the league (about $15MM).

However, if Tannehill and the Dolphins offense thrive this season under the leadership of new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, Miami could offer their young-signal caller a long-term extension, which the Bengals gave to Andy Dalton and the 49ers gave to Colin Kaepernick after their third seasons in the league.

Statistically, Tannehill’s second season compares favorably to Matt Ryan‘s, which is certainly encouraging for Miami fans. On the other hand, out of the 18 quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 from 2000-2011, seven saw their quarterback ratings drop in their third season.

Whether Tannehill takes a third-year leap like Ryan or a third-year tumble like Mark Sanchez will of course play a significant role in his own fortunes, but it will also go a long way in determining the fate of the franchise. As Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, “This is going to be one of those defining seasons that either settles the franchise for the near future or points the whole place in a completely different direction.” And so much of that hinges on Tannehill’s right arm.

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

  • In the same piece linked above, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins made an inquiry, but not an offer, to former starting safety Chris Clemons after he was released by the Texans. Reshad Jones is serving a four-game suspension to begin the season, and if the Dolphins do not like what they see from their secondary in today’s opener against New England, they could bring Clemons back into the fold next week and would not have to guarantee his salary for the remainder of the season.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that, given the Jets‘ ample salary cap space, created in large part by GM John Idzik‘s failure to adequately address the team’s cornerback position this offseason–along with the holes stemming from those failures–head coach Rex Ryan should not be worried about his job security at the end of the season.
  • I wrote up the latest piece of news on the Bills‘ ownership saga earlier today.
  • Kevin Patra of NFL.com writes that, since the Cowboys and star wide receiver Dez Bryant were unable to hammer out an extension before today’s season opener, Bryant will be a logical candidate to get the franchise tag.

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/09/06/4332422/armando-salguero-history-says.html#storylink=cpy

AFC East Notes: Decker, Ryan, Marrone

September 6th, 2014 at 9:36am CST by Ben Levine

ESPN personality (and former Broncos offensive lineman) Mark Schlereth was critical of Jets acquisition Eric Decker, who Schlereth described as a “marginal No. 2 [receiver] at best” (via New York Post’s Brian Costello). The wide receiver commented on the remarks to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis…

“Am I surprised? I guess, yeah. I mean, I don’t know how to answer that. We did interviews in Denver a couple times, and it always was good.”

“Like it was a little personal? Really, I’m just going to handle my business. I’ve got more things to worry about as far as getting ready for the Oakland Raiders.

“There was never anything that I could think of that’d give us to have beef. I’m not going to get into a battle of who-said-what or how-he-feels-about-what. He said what he said, and he’s obligated to his opinion. We’ll just move on. … I’m going to let my talking be on the field. That’s really what will in time prove itself.”

Teammate David Nelson also gave his take on the criticism:

“It sounded like jealousy to me. I don’t know why you’d ever come out and bash a guy, especially as a former player, why you’d come out and say something like that about somebody. That’s inaccurate, first of all. It’s unfortunate that someone like that has to come out and say those things.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC East…

  • Considering the Jets’ lack of depth at cornerback, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com thinks Kyle Wilson is primed for a big season. The fifth-year player is entering the final season of his contract, and the writer thinks it’s time for him “to step up and take charge.”
  • In the same article, Cimini opines that if the Jets endure another losing season, it will be tough for Rex Ryan to keep his job. The writer does note that it’s not necessarily “playoffs-or-bust” for Rex and the Jets.
  • Following a reported argument between Bills coach Doug Marrone and members of the team’s front office, CEO Russ Brandon attempted to defuse the situation. “This is the best working relationship I have seen, to be honest, between a coach and a G.M.,” Brandon said (via ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio). “They’re great competitors and communicators.”

AFC Notes: McPhee, Hurns, Amaro, Mack

August 23rd, 2014 at 12:43pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee is a player to watch in tonight’s third preseason game against the Redskins, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun: “Healthy this year after having no surgeries this offseason — unlike previous years when he’s undergone groin and knee procedures — the Ravens’ outside linebacker has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL this preseason with one sack and five quarterback hurries. McPhee appears to have recaptured his rookie form from 2011 when he finished second on the Ravens with six sacks.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jaymison Hensley points out that McPhee is in the final year of his rookie deal, meaning the Ravens should benefit from healthy, motivated player seeking a contract extension.

Here’s a roundup of more links from around the AFC:

  • T.J. Graham is the Bills’ top “bubble” player, says ESPN’s Mike Rodak: “With six receivers already considered locks for the 53-man roster, Graham might need an injury to make the cut. However, he can make a strong push for a job with another team with a good outing Saturday. Graham saw more time with the first-team offense as training camp progressed, and with Sammy Watkins not expected to play Saturday, Graham should have chances to catch passes from starting quarterback EJ Manuel. The Bills will need to make a decision on Graham shortly after Saturday’s game. Would they release him early and allow him time to catch on elsewhere? Or do they hold onto him and try to get him back on their practice squad, now that he is eligible under the NFL’s new rules?”
  • With Donald Stephenson facing a four-game suspension and Joe Mays injured, the competition for replacement snaps at right tackle and inside linebacker is something to watch in the Chiefs’ third preseason game, writes Terez Paylor in the KC Star.
  • The Broncos are in need of a punt returner following the torn ACL suffered by Jordan Norwood. Isaiah Burse will get the first chance to claim the role, according to an AP story.
  • The Jaguars used a pair of second-round picks on receivers, but undrafted free agent Allen Hurns has been the best rookie in camp, writes Hays Carlyon in the Florida Times-Union: “The question now isn’t if Hurns makes the 53-man roster. He’s a virtual lock, a difficult position for an undrafted rookie to work his way to after three games. . . Hurns has put himself in position to perhaps start opposite Cecil Shorts when the Jaguars open the regular season at Philadelphia on Sept. 7.”
  • Jace Amaro is impressing Rex Ryan. Speaking about the rookie tight end, Ryan told the New York Post’s Brian Costello, “I told you guys he reminds me of [Mike] Ditka the more I see him. The kid gets better and better and better. That’s the thing you love about this guy.” Amaro had four catches and a touchdown last night against the Giants.
  • Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack looked worthy of the No. 5 overall selection last night, according to Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury-News.
  • Raiders running back Kory Sheets (Achilles) is out for the season. Sheets broke the news himself via Twitter. As a result, Latavius Murray will begin the season as the team’s primary kick returner.
  • A pair of young veterans — Dontay Moch and Orson Charles — could be candidates for the Bengals’ practice squad, speculates ESPN’s Cole Harvey, who says “coaches have grown tired of the Charles experiment and are all-in on undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Hewitt.”

Friday Night Game Notes: East Edition

August 23rd, 2014 at 9:38am CST by Matt Feminis

Patriots third-year pass rusher Chandler Jones, who is being used as a stand-up rusher this season, had six tackles and two sacks in a win over Carolina last night, earning praise from Bill Belichick: “Chandler’s worked really hard at whatever we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here. Last year, he also played some inside over the guard. He’s played outside over the tackle or the tight end, up, down. He’s a versatile player and he’s very conscientious to try to do whatever we ask him to do and playing in all those different spots. He’s a very athletic player with good length, good playing strength so he has a lot of versatility athletically, he has a lot of versatility mentally.” CSNNE’s Greg Bedard believes Jones is poised to become an elite defender.

Here’s some more news and notes produced after Friday night’s batch of preseason games:

Poll: Which Coach Will Be Fired First?

August 16th, 2014 at 10:00pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cowboys‘ head coach Jason Garrett has been on the hot seat for a while, with a myriad of 8-8 finishes on his coaching résumé. He has finished with eight wins in each of his three full seasons as the team’s coach, after going 5-3 taking over for Wade Phillips in 2010. Garrett’s odds of being the first coach fired are set at 2/1, according to Bovada Sportsbook.

However, Garrett is far from the only coach who should be worried about his job. Raiders‘ coach Dennis Allen (4/1 odds) has been given the organizational mandate to win some football games, despite being saddled with below average talent on the roster. General manager Reggie McKenzie might have to fire Allen in order to buy himself some time to improve the depth chart.

Dolphins‘ coach Joe Philbin (7/1), Bills‘ coach Doug Marrone (8/1), and Jaguars‘ coach Gus Bradley (12/1) have yet to take their teams to the playoffs, and their owners will only accept that for so long.

Jets‘ coach Rex Ryan (10/1), Bengals‘ coach Marvin Lewis (20/1), and Falcon’s coach Mike Smith (20/1) are all in danger of being fired if they miss the playoffs in 2014, following various levels of disappointment over the past few seasons. Panthers‘ coach Ron Rivera (20/1), who is coming off a 12-4 season, but is set to take a step back, is also a possibility if the season goes south early.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Bills, Dolphins

August 12th, 2014 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets look awfully thin at cornerback after three of their top four players at the position went down with injuries, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. In Mehta’s view, that lack of cornerback depth could eventually lead to Rex Ryan‘s ouster in New York if it becomes a significant and ongoing problem during the regular season. Mehta doesn’t think John Idzik should be on the hot seat, but says the GM’s inactivity in addressing the position during the offseason shouldn’t be swept under the rug either.

Here’s more on the Jets’ cornerback woes, along with a couple other items from out of the AFC East:

  • Discussing Ryan’s and Idzik’s comments to the media yesterday, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com describes the duo as in “damage control” mode, “covering their butts” after not doing more in the offseason to strengthen the Jets‘ cornerback depth. As Cimini points out, the club failed to re-sign Antonio Cromartie after indicating he’d be welcome back, didn’t pursue Darrelle Revis despite Revis saying he wanted to return to the Jets, and couldn’t lock up Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in spite of having him in for a visit. The Jets also opted for safety Calvin Pryor over cornerback Darqueze Dennard in the first round of the draft, and have now resorted to playing safety Antonio Allen at corner during practice.
  • Led by Jon Bon Jovi, the Toronto group bidding on the Bills has been approved as a finalist in the sale process for the franchise, reports John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The only surprising thing about that development is how long it took to happen — the group’s initial bid was viewed as uncompetitively low, and the group was also asked to provide greater assurances that it would keep the club in Western New York. The Toronto group, Donald Trump, and any other finalists are still considered underdogs in a process where Sabres owner Terry Pegula appears to be the frontrunner.
  • Despite the fact that the Dolphins have shown interest in other quarterbacks – and signed Brady Quinn yesterday – Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) expects the team to retain Matt Moore as its backup this season. Moore, who has a $4MM base salary and a $5.5MM cap hit, is one of the league’s most highly-paid backups, but he’s also one of the more reliable No. 2 options out there.

AFC East Notes: Ridley, Bills, Vick

July 27th, 2014 at 7:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Patriots running back Stevan Ridley should have plenty of motivation heading into the season. After struggling with fumble issues for much of last year, the former third-rounder was replaced by veteran LeGarrette Blount towards the end of the regular season and playoffs. With Blount gone, Ridley has a great opportunity to reestablish himself as a premier back. The opportunity to regain his starting gig isn’t the 25-year-old’s only motivation, however – Ridley is also entering the final year of his contract.

The fourth-year player addressed the situation and acknowledged that a future contract is certainly on his mind (via Phil Perry of CSNNE.com)…

“I have to be honest about it, it’s there,” Ridley said. “But it’s not my first concern. My first concern is going out there and being the best player for this team. If I go out there and have a productive year and do what I need to do, the contract will take care of itself.

“I’m not really gonna put too much thought into it. As you guys know, if I start thinking about that, it can easily be a distraction. I can’t worry about that. I’m gonna have some good days, have some bad days, I’m just gonna keep working, keep grinding, keep my head in the dirt and keep grinding it out.”

As the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe tweets, the Patriots haven’t had any discussion with Ridley’s camp regarding a new contract. Howe doesn’t expect any type of action until after the season, “if at all.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC East…

  • The Bills lost another tight end to injury as starter Scott Chandler left the field on Sunday with a groin injury, writes Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550. The team was already without Tony Moeaki and Chris Gragg, but coach Doug Marrone indicated that the Bills would rely on their own players to fill the void. The only healthy tight ends on the roster are Lee Smith and Dominique Jones, and Buscaglia suggests that fullback Evan Rodriguez could get some reps.
  • Michael Vick had an impressive weekend at Jets training camp, but the veteran quarterback is aware of his position on the depth chart behind Geno Smith. “It’s a very fine line,” he said (via USA Today Sports’ Jarrett Bell). “I accept this role and I embrace it and I appreciate it. But I know this is not my football team. So that’s why I’m able to deal with it. At the same time, I feel like I’m one of the best quarterbacks in the league. That’s the way I feel.”
  • During the 2013 season, only one Jets starter (Demario Davis) played more than 29 percent of the team’s snaps on special teams. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes, that will certainly change in 2014 as the team looks to improve a lackluster unit. “We’re going to use a bunch of those guys on all of our special teams,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “We think we have to get better on ‘teams.’ We want to be one of the best special teams units in the league. It’s really all hands on deck, especially the punt team. We want to have a great punt team.”

Jets Notes: Amaro, Pryor, Boyd, Saunders

May 17th, 2014 at 7:07pm CST by Peter Sowards

Jace Amaro, the consensus All-American tight end from Texas Tech whom the Jets took with their second-round pick, caught 106 passes in 13 games his junior season. Extrapolate that to 16 games — a full regular season in the NFL — and that’s over 130 receptions.

Now, college football is not pro football, but that doesn’t stop Amaro from setting his goals high, saying he hopes to catch 100 balls on a consistent basis, reports Kimberley A. Martin of newsday.com.

One player Amaro hopes to pattern his game after is Tony Gonzalez. “He’s kind of old-school, but he did some great things, too, and I definitely feel like I’d like to [model] his game,” Amaro said. “That’s someone I’d love to ultimately be. He’s supposedly the greatest tight end ever to play the game and that’s somewhere I want to be, too.”

Amaro and the team agreed to terms on a four-year contract yesterday.

More links below on the goings-on from Gang Green…

  • Coach Rex Ryan is going to love his new safety, Calvin Pryor. Nicknamed “The Louisville Slugger,” Martin writes that Pryor doesn’t wear a mouthpiece so he can better talk trash to opponents, and that he hopes to walk the walk on that talk with big hits and loud play, similar to Seattle’s Kam Chancellor and Tampa Bay’s Dashon Goldson.
  • Pryor joined the New York Post’s Steve Serby for a Sunday Q&A, touching on Pryor’s twitter narratives and his desire to prove the doubters wrong.
  • Working out of the shotgun nearly every snap of his college career, Jets quarterback Tajh Boyd focused on proper footwork in rookie minicamp, Martin notes.
  • With a host of new receiving threats acquired — Eric Decker and David Nelson through free agency, and Jalen Saunders, Shaq Evans and Quincy Enunwa through the draft — Ryan called the group much better from top to bottom than at any point last season, said Martin.
  • On that note, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that the receivers have had a case of the dropsies in rookie camp.
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