Todd Bowles

AFC East Notes: Fins, Whaley, Bowles

November 15th, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins are in the midst of a disappointing season, and although there is still time for the 3-5 club to reverse its fortunes and claw back into the wildcard race, there are some who are already looking ahead to next season. As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins can easily create a great deal of cap space in 2016 to address their weaknesses and restock their roster. For instance, Miami will almost assuredly release Greg Jennings, thereby saving $4MM, and it could also cut Jordan Cameron, who has not found his place in the offense and who will count a whopping $9.5MM against the cap next year.

Meanwhile, Ndamukong Suh and Ryan Tannehill have a combined $40.2MM cap hit in 2016, but Jackson notes that the Dolphins could reduce that number to as low as $15.1MM with several relatively simple restructures. Needless to say, such restructurings could hamstring the team in future seasons, but even if the Dolphins choose not to go that route, there are still plenty of opportunities for them to create cap room. Parting ways with Koa Misi and Earl Mitchell, for example, would free up over $6MM of space. The real question, then, is not whether the Dolphins will have the financial wherewithal to improve their fortunes, but whether they can find the right players to do so. Recent history, of course, is against them.

Now let’s take a quick swing around the other clubs in the AFC East:

We heard several days ago that even if the Bills fall out of the playoff race in 2015, head coach Rex Ryan would still return for 2016, though GM Doug Whaley‘s future in Buffalo would be much more uncertain. But as Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News writes, the club’s 2015 draft class has been crucial to the team’s relative good fortunes this season, and although Skurski does not explicitly say so, it may be that the rookies’ cumulative success could save Whaley’s job.
Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News believes Todd Bowles was the right hire at the right time for the Jets, but a series of questionable in-game decisions, particularly decisions related to clock management, have cast a black cloud over Bowles’ otherwise promising first season as a head coach. Bowles’ job will not be in jeopardy any time soon, but his ability to learn from his early blunders will ultimately define how successful his tenure with Gang Green will be, and how long it will last.
When a player signs an extension prior to exploring free agency, he is often said to have left money on the table. However, as Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes, the recent case of Patriots RB Dion Lewis runs counter to that narrative. Lewis signed a two-year deal in October that led many writers to praise New England for once again securing a major contributor with a team-friendly contract. But as Reiss says, Lewis’ season-ending ACL tear shows just how fragile one’s career can be, and just how important it is for many players–particularly players who entered the league as late draft choices or undrafted free agents–to get paid as soon as possible.

AFC Notes: Steelers, Browns, Jets, Pats

October 24th, 2015 at 7:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Some news and notes from around the AFC:

While Ben Roethlisberger might be healthy enough to play Sunday, he’s set to be inactive and the Steelers will start Landry Jones at quarterback. The decision to keep Roethlisberger off the field for another week was influenced by both a desire to steer him clear of the Chiefs’ pass rush (specifically Justin Houston and Tamba Hali) and Pittsburgh’s need to have him as healthy as possible for a Week 8 showdown with AFC North-leading Cincinnati, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder (via Twitter).
The Browns’ defense has been a colossal disappointment this season (31st in yards per game, 24th in points), but there is disagreement from within as to why, Bud Shaw of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. Some members of the defense have questioned the scheme, while coordinator Jim O’Neil has pointed to a lack of execution on the field. Whatever the problem is, things could get worse Sunday against Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley – who is averaging a stellar 5.7 yards per carry and looks primed to bludgeon Cleveland’s last-ranked ground defense.
Former Jets head coach Rex Ryan was known for hyping up games against AFC East rival New England during his time in New York. His successor, Todd Bowles, has a calmer outlook as his 4-1 club looks to seize first place in the division from the 5-0 Pats on Sunday. “We’re going to take the same approach we’ve been taking,” Bowles said, according to Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “You don’t get up or down for one game because it means you haven’t been playing hard in the first place.”
The Patriots’ cornerback stable has spent a great deal of time in flux going back to the offseason: Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington – all of whom played key roles last year – are gone, two replacements were cut during the summer, and another (Tarell Brown) landed on season-ending injured reserve earlier this month. Luckily for the Pats, the emergence of Logan Ryan in a starting role opposite No. 1 corner Malcolm Butler has helped their secondary avoid any serious turmoil, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.
The Jets were so hard up for a replacement for injured punter Ryan Quigley that they didn’t even work out Steve Weatherford before signing him Saturday, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).

AFC Notes: Raiders, Pryor, Jets, Texans, Jags

August 29th, 2015 at 4:03pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders brought in running backs Trent Richardson and Roy Helu Jr. to backup Latavius Murray, but Josh Dubow of the Associated Press says it’s been undrafted free agent Michael Dyer who’s been making the biggest case to be the No. 2 back. The Auburn/Louisville product gained 45 yards on 12 carries in last week’s preseason game.

“I feel like I got my confidence up because I was able to get into a rhythm and up to game speed,” Dyer said. “Going from the first game to second game you try to build confidence and get the offense down. By the third game you should be able to have control of the game and play hard and fast.”

Meanwhile, despite the fact that he’s a former first-round pick, Richardson is no guarantee to make the team.

“He’s got to earn it,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “He’s got to be good enough as a backup. We’ve got to see some of the explosiveness that he had when he was a young man playing for the Crimson Tide there. He’s got to have a role on special teams and he’s got to be able to help us win on Sundays. That’s the challenge for him right now.”

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

Terrelle Pryor‘s quest to switch from quarterback to wideout hasn’t necessarily gone as planned, as the former Ohio State standout has remained sidelined with a sore hamstring. However, Browns coach Mike Pettine told Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com that the injury doesn’t doom Pryor’s chance to make the team. “We know he’s a project. We understand that,” Pettine said. “We’re not expecting him to go out there and light it up and catch 10 balls for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Just continue to get better.”
Todd Bowles may have some tough decisions to make as he looks to trim his roster, but the Jets coach is confident in what he has. “I have a pretty good idea of what we have with the exception of about three or four guys,” Bowles told Brian Costello of the New York Post. “I have a good idea about everybody else. I understand what we can be, and I know what kind of work we have ahead of us, but I have a good idea of what we have.”
Bill O’Brien needs to cut the Texans roster from 90 players to 53 players in the next ten days, and the head coach is lamenting the inevitably tough decisions. “It’s a very difficult thing,” he told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “As a head coach, it’s one of the hardest parts of your job because you’ve got guys here that have really, really worked extremely hard…You want a competitive roster. You want to have tough decisions, but it’s still not an easy thing to do with guys you really care about, you really enjoy being around.”
Offensive lineman Derek Newton‘s five-year, $26M contract signed with the Texans this past offseason may prove to be a bargain, writes Wilson. “Well, we got him back here for a reason,” said offensive coordinator George Godsey. “He’s been playing some tackle for us. We’ve put him in there at guard with some of the things that we’ve had situationally. We put him over at left tackle and haven’t heard one gripe from him.”
The Jaguars may not have either Andre Branch or Sen’Derrick Marks for their preseason opener, report Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, respectively. Branch suffered a sprained MCL and will be out a “significant” amount of time, per Gus Bradley. The pass-rusher is entering his contract year and already saw a groin injury nullify much of his third campaign. The Jags’ sack leader with 8.5 last year, Marks is still recovering from the torn ACL he sustained in Week 17 of last season. Bradley described his top defensive tackle’s quest to suit up for Week 1 as an uphill battle.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

Extra Points: Cousins, Jets, Hilton, Watkins

August 20th, 2015 at 9:56pm CST by Zachary Links

If Dan Quinn was hired by the Jets instead of Todd Bowles, the team likely would have dumped Geno Smith in favor of Kirk Cousins, Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears. Quinn’s plan for Gang Green included adding offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and his vision didn’t include Smith. Sources say the Washington play-caller wanted to instead trade for Cousins, who showed promise in two years under Shanahan While you ponder that what-if, here’s more from around the NFL..

After the Colts signed T.Y. Hilton to a $65MM deal, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star wonders if the team will still have enough room to get deals done with its other young stars. The Colts will have to cut a massive check to Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck, who will command far more than $20MM annually. Also, the team is negotiating with left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who is essential as one of Luck’s protectors. By the time the Colts get to the likes of tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, it’s fair to wonder if they’ll have enough cash to get deals done.
Jets guard Oday Aboushi has been suspended without pay for the first game of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. In a statement issued by Aboushi’s reps (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com on Twitter), they explained that the lineman was stopped in his car back in January when cops found a small amount of pot in his car.
With the Bills and Browns facing off on Monday night, Chris Fedor of The Plain Dealer revisited last year’s Sammy Watkins deal. Cornerback Justin Gilbert, who the Browns took with the No. 8 pick, has been off to a rough start and some are question whether he’ll ever meet his rookie year expectations. Cleveland’s side of the deal will also hinge heavily on the future of offensive lineman Cameron Erving, who the Browns selected with the Bills’ pick this year.

Reactions to Sheldon Richardson Arrest

August 1st, 2015 at 11:55am CST by Ben Levine

Todd Bowles displayed a range of emotions when addressing the recent arrest of defensive end Sheldon Richardson, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, the coach’s message was clear: the Jets were more concerned about the person than the player.

“Right now I’m just worried about getting him help,” Bowles said. “I’m not even worried about the football player. Like I said, we can win without him. It will probably be more fun with him, but we’re prepared to win without him. The biggest thing is working on him as a person. When things like that happen, it’s not when he’s getting back on the field, it’s: Can he get his life together?

“There’s a problem there and we’ve got to try to help him.”

Let’s take a look at some more reactions to the former first-rounder’s arrest…

Following Richardson’s arrest, Muhammad Wilkerson should gain some leverage in his quest for a new contract, writes George Willis of the New York Post.
Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post tweets a bit of irony: Richardson had previously been pushing the Jets to give Wilkerson an extension, and “his issues might force [the] team to do so.”
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes Richardson deserves another chance and should be given an opportunity to regain the organization’s trust.
Several of Richardson’s teammates came out and defended the embattled defensive end. “That’s my brother and I have his back. I can’t turn my back on him right now. This is when he needs us the most,” Damon Harrison told Howie Kussoy of the New York Post. “Anytime your brother tells you something, you want to believe him. We’re here. We have no choice but to believe him. He may have to build some trust back with some people on an individual basis, but that comes with time. That’s nothing that’s going to happen overnight.”
“We just want the best for Sheldon,” added teammate Willie Colon. “It’s not about how we feel. It’s his career, it’s his lifestyle and we just want him to be a better person off the field and he knows that. We’re all rooting for him.”

Extra Points: Jets, Long, Randle, Bears

July 31st, 2015 at 8:19pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Jets head coach Todd Bowles expressed concern Friday over the well-being of defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who was charged Thursday with resisting arrest and traffic violations after a July 14 incident in Missouri. “Clearly, he needs some help,” said Bowles, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

Richardson, who was clocked going 143 mph, tried to avoid police apprehension. It was discovered that he had a gun and a 12-year-old in the vehicle, and there was a “very strong odor of marijuana” in the car.

“I let (the organization) down, simple as that,” Richardson said. “I’m not afraid to say that. … This is a wake-up call.”

This “wake-up call” comes less than a month after the NFL suspended Richardson for marijuana use. He’ll face further discipline for this incident.

More on the Jets and the rest of the league:

Jets rookie wide receiver Devin Smith, a second-round pick, suffered broken ribs in practice Friday and will miss the majority of training camp, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports (via Twitter). He’ll stay at a local hospital overnight as a precaution. Cimini tweeted that Smith was getting a lot of first-team reps prior to the injury.
There’s concern from some people around the NFL that Jake Long’s career may be over, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Long, who visited the Falcons, Giants and Broncos this week, is coming off his second torn ACL, and it doesn’t sound like he’s back to 100%.
Browns free safety Tashaun Gipson said contract negotiations are ongoing and he plans to be with the franchise long term, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron-Beacon Journal (Twitter link). Gipson is entering the final season of his rookie deal after piling up a career-best six interceptions last season, giving him 12 for his three-year career.
The Cowboys view their starting running back job as Joseph Randle‘s to lose, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The team loves his vision and explosiveness, Rapoport tweeted. Randle, a fifth-round pick in 2013, is coming off a season that saw him average a prolific 6.7 yards per carry on just 51 attempts while backing up now-Eagle DeMarco Murray. Randle finished 2014 with with 343 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His main competition for the No. 1 job is oft-injured veteran Darren McFadden, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list with a pulled hamstring.
Bears cornerback Tim Jennings, who was arrested in January on charges of speeding, DUI, and reckless driving, pleaded guilty to reckless driving and speeding today. His DUI charge was dismissed, the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer tweeted.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Pats, Dolphins, Geno, Jets

January 22nd, 2015 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

As we head towards the Super Bowl, Deflategate is picking up more and more steam. Today, Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the media and, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, he appeared to subtly point the finger at quarterback Tom Brady for the deflated footballs used in the AFC Championship game against the Colts. “I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs,” Belichick said. “They know a lot more than I do. They’re a lot more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that there’s never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Zero. Tom’s personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.” Brady himself will face the media today at 3pm CT after having his availability moved up from Friday afternoon. More out of the AFC East..

Ron Borges of the Boston Herald wonders how much more Patriots owner Robert Kraft can take when it comes to Belichick’s controversies.
The Dolphins will face some difficult decisions thanks to their salary cap situation, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. There are nearly a dozen players among the 58 under contract that may be either cut or have their salaries renegotiated to give the team an ability to conduct business in free agency and the draft. The Dolphins are slated to be about $3.3MM over the expected cap of $140MM, which roughly the same situation the Patriots are in. The Pats, of course, have gotten better returns on their (over)investment than Miami has.
New Jets coach Todd Bowles won’t commit to Geno Smith as his starting quarterback for 2015. “I think it’s an open slate right now,” Bowles told ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “It won’t be fair to say he is or isn’t the quarterback. Geno obviously is a heck of a football player, but there’s things we’ve got to evaluate and judge as a whole team. It’s not just Geno, it’s everybody. He’s the focus because he’s the quarterback, but everybody is going to be judged the same way. It’s an open slate on everybody coming in.”

AFC Links: Bills, Jets, Titans, Chung

January 14th, 2015 at 8:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Rex Ryan was introduced earlier today as the Bills head coach, and the 52-year-old addressed some of the leftover whispers surrounding his signing. Ryan disputed claims that the Bills were his “third choice” behind the Falcons and 49ers (via John Kryk of the Toronto Sun)…

“No, that’s definitely false. Did I interview with the Falcons? Did I interview with the 49ers? Absolutely. There were plenty of opportunities.”

The coach also discussed the team’s search for a quarterback, including former Jets play-caller Mark Sanchez…

“Certainly, he’ll be a guy under consideration. We’ll explore every avenue. If we think there’s a free agent like Mark or somebody else out there that we think can help us, then we’ll absolutely explore it.”

Finally, the coach acknowledged that his opportunity in Buffalo may be his last shot as an NFL head coach…

“I (have) one more shot to be a head coach and I have to get it done. And I understand I won’t have another opportunity, and don’t want another opportunity. This is the shot I want.”

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

Like it or not, Steve Serby of the New York Post says Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will forever be connected to Jets head coach Todd Bowles. The writer opines that one day, the organization may regret rushing to sign Bowles instead of waiting for Quinn to finish his playoff run.
The Titans have a big quarterback decision on their hands as they’ll have to choose between Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and incumbent Zach Mettenberger, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Wyatt runs down the pros and cons of each.
After inking a three-year extension with the Patriots, Patrick Chung is determined to show New England that he’s worth the money, writes Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. “I’m happy,” he said. “I’m happy. But it’s over now, and I can’t keep talking about it. I’m happy I’m back. I just gotta hopefully show them why they kept me.“

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jets Hire Todd Bowles

January 14th, 2015 at 5:05pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 5:05pm: The Jets (on Twitter) have made it official: Bowles is their new head coach.

TUESDAY, 10:36pm: Dolphins defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers is very likely to be Bowles’ defensive coordinator, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). It’s possible that Caldwell will also join the staff, but maybe in a different role.

10:20pm: Bowles’ choice for defensive coordinator might be linebackers coach Mike Caldwell, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

10:09pm: It’s a four-year deal worth at least $16MM, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). Gailey, he hears, will be hired as Bowles’ offensive coordinator.

9:23pm: The Jets have reached agreement with Todd Bowles to become their next head coach, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a four-year deal, Schefter adds (link).

Gang Green’s contingent of new GM Mike Maccagnan, owner Woody Johnson, and team consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf met with Bowles earlier tonight in the New York area. The Cardinals defensive coordinator was slated to visit with the Falcons on Wednesday, but those plans have ostensibly been 86’d. The Jets were likely concerned about Atlanta beating them too the punch and made their offer quickly.

The new position marks a homecoming in more than one way for Bowles. The 51-year-old is a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, a short drive from the Jets’ Meadowlands home. Bowles also has previous experience with the Jets, having served as their defensive backs coach in the 2000 season. The defensive-minded coach is a disciple of the legendary Bill Parcells, who served as the Jets’ coach from 1997-1999 as as their GM in 2000.

The Jets were impressed with, among other things, the staff ideas Bowles had, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Former Bills coach Chan Gailey, who has been out of the game for some time, is a strong possibility to be the team’s next offensive coordinator.

Casserly’s fingerprints appear to be all over the Jets’ new hires. Maccagnan worked under Casserly as a scout while Bowles is one of his former players. The Jets coveted Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but the uncertainty over whether they could land him combined with Bowles’ strong interviews led them to this hire, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Quinn can’t accept a job elsewhere until the conclusion of the Seahawks’ season, which might not be until February.

As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes, Bowles is now the Jets’ sixth straight head coach with a defensive background. Rex Ryan, Eric Mangini, Herm Edwards, Al Groh, and Parcells were all defense-first coaches.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Links: Gase, Broncos, Jags, Browns, Jets

January 14th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

With one team (the Bills) having introduced their new head coach today, and two more clubs (Jets, Raiders) closing in on their targets, there are four head coaching jobs still available, and it appeared coming into today that the 49ers were moving toward locking up Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase. However, nothing’s done between Gase and the Niners yet, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who tweets that the Broncos OC met with John Elway to discuss Denver’s head coaching vacancy today. Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links), it wasn’t a formal interview, but if there’s mutual interest between the two sides, that formal interview could still happen.

As we wait to see whether or not Gase sticks with the Broncos, let’s round up a few other notes from around the AFC….

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter links) have updates on a pair of offensive coordinator searches. Per Rapoport, Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson will interview for the same role with the Jaguars, while Cabot reports that the Browns will speak to their tight ends coach Brian Angelichio about their offensive coordinator opening.
Steve Smith had a nice bounceback season in his first year in Baltimore in 2014, and remains under team control for 2015, but the Ravens want him to take a little time to decide whether or not he wants to continue his playing career, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. John Harbaugh said yesterday that the team would like Smith, who turns 36 this year, to take three weeks to see how he feels.
Texans GM Rick Smith praised new Jets GM Mike Maccagnan, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. “He has been a valued and trusted confidant over the years and is an outstanding talent evaluator,” the GM said. Maccagnan previously served as Houston’s college scouting director.
Maccagnan and the team’s new head coach (now known to be Todd Bowles) will each report directly to owner Woody Johnson, tweets Mehta. Maccagnan, meanwhile, will have final say over the 53-man roster. The setup in Buffalo will be similar, according to Mehta (Twitter links) — new head coach Rex Ryan will report directly to owner Terry Pegula, but GM Doug Whaley has final say on the 53-man roster.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com gave his thoughts on Maccagnan yesterday, prior to the Jets‘ hiring of Bowles as its head coach. While there are question marks about Maccagnan, Cimini is glad to see that the team didn’t hire a bean counter like predecessor John Idzik. Maccagnan is a football man with roots in player evaluation, rather than a cap guru.
In his second offseason as the Browns‘ general manager, Ray Farmer will have plenty of notable free agent situations to address, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, who identifies six unrestricted FAs and three restricted FAs that will be priorities in Cleveland.

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