Todd Bowles

AFC East Notes: Jets, Harbaugh, Drake, Dolphins, Patriots, Hogan

December 24th, 2018 at 7:12pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There’s been a lot of talk about Jim Harbaugh returning to the NFL lately, with his name recently being linked to the Jets’ job. While Harbaugh has said he wants to stay at Michigan and Jets CEO Christopher Johnson denied the reports today, it still seems like a definite possibility. It’s the type of high profile job that could lure Harbaugh away, and it’s a relatively attractive landing spot with Sam Darnold entrenched as the quarterback of the future. While Harbaugh is generally very highly regarded as a coach, the Jets should be very wary of bringing him in, opines Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.

Vacchiano writes that Harbaugh is the “biggest risk” of any of this year’s head coaching candidates, and that his tenure in San Francisco was “tumultuous.” He notes that those around the 49ers organization considered Harbaugh “toxic and unbearable”, and Vacchiano is skeptical Harbaugh could get along with the Jets’ front office. With Todd Bowles a near lock to be fired next Monday, we should know a lot more about New York’s intentions soon.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Kenyan Drake has grown a bit disgruntled with his role for the Dolphins, and wouldn’t say whether he wants to be back in Miami next year, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Drake is a very talented running back and leads the Dolphins in yards from scrimmage this year, but the coaching staff has never used him consistently. Even with the injury to Frank Gore, his role has still decreased recently, and he got only six carries in the team’s loss to the Jaguars this past Sunday. With Ryan Tannehill and Adam Gase’s futures both increasingly uncertain, it’s looking like an offseason of change is coming for the Dolphins. The team is likely to look completely different in 2019, and Drake might not be a part of things even though he has one year left on his rookie contract.
Speaking of players frustrated with their playing time, Patriots receiver Chris Hogan downplayed any internal strife and said he isn’t upset about his lack of involvement in the offense, according to Doug Kyed of NESN.com. Hogan played the vast majority of snaps in the team’s win over the Bills in Week 16, but he wasn’t targeted in the game and was reportedly seen slamming his helmet in frustration during the game. He also sat away from his fellow receivers and over on the defensive side of the bench, but insisted that everybody is on the same page. Hogan’s production has varied as he’s been featured heavily one week and absent the next, but he was expected to take on a more prominent role with Josh Gordon‘s departure, although that didn’t materialize against Buffalo.
While Bowles is almost certain to be fired on Black Monday following the Week 17 games, the embattled head coach is insisting he isn’t worried about his job security, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Bowles said he had no reaction to the rumors about Harbaugh, and wouldn’t address questions about his job. After four years of leading the Jets, a new era is right around the corner in New York.

Teams View Todd Bowles As HC Candidate?

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Todd Bowles‘ Jets tenure is about to conclude. He enters Week 16 with a 24-38 record with the Jets, having failed to build on a 10-6 debut season in 2015.

The coaching carousel is also trending toward offensive-minded leaders. However, Bowles may have another chance sooner than expected. Teams are interested in Bowles as a second-chance head coach as early as 2019, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (video link).

Bowles was a scout in Green Bay and coached in both Cleveland and Arizona, with his Cardinals tenure producing top-10 scoring defenses in each of his two years as their defensive coordinator. While it would be somewhat surprising to see the Cards make Steve Wilks a one-and-done to hire another defensively oriented coach, Garafolo adds the organization thinks highly of Bowles. The Cardinals have not had a one-and-done coach during their time in Arizona and St. Louis, but Wilks is believed to be in his final days as their head coach.

Bowles, 55, staved off being fired after his third season, signing a Jets extension instead. But Gang Green remains in a rebuilding phase. While it’s arguable Bowles has not had much to work with during his Jets HC tenure, and GM Mike Maccagnan is nevertheless expected to outlast him in New York, Bowles bouncing back so fast would be a bit surprising.

Although, if HC interest is coming his way, a quick rebound as a 2019 defensive coordinator is certainly not difficult to imagine.

Todd Bowles Could Be Fired Before End Of Year

December 9th, 2018 at 9:16am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets are in the midst of another lost season, and it has been an open secret for some time that head coach Todd Bowles is on his way out. However, all indications to this point had been that Bowles would at least make it through the end of 2018 before getting the ax, but Albert Breer of TheMMQB believes it could happen sooner.

As of right now, there are only four games left on the schedule (including today’s game against the Bills), so identifying an interim head coach would not be a particularly big challenge. Plus, as Breer writes, the situation in New York has gone sideways. Earlier this week, we heard rumors of a rift between Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan, and while Bowles quickly did his best to quash those rumors, it does not seems as if it would do either Bowles or the team much good to postpone the inevitable any longer.

It is unclear if Breer is referring to more than the reported tension between head coach and GM when he says that increasing internal turmoil has been made him rethink his stance that Bowles would survive the season, but it seems as if Bowles could soon become the third head coach to lose his job before Week 17.

Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv has reaffirmed his belief that recently-fired Packers head coach Mike McCarthy should be at the top of the Jets’ short list when it comes time to replace Bowles, though McCarthy may want to take the 2019 season off, and he may be turned off by the fact that Maccagnan is still likely to be around. Vacchiano also names John DeFilippo, John Harbaugh, and Lincoln Riley as potential fits.

Whoever the next head coach is may walk into the No. 1 overall pick. As Rich Cimini of ESPN.com details, the Jets have an 18% chance to secure that pick, which would allow them to select the draft’s top talent, Nick Bosa, or acquire a bounty of picks by trading that selection to a QB-needy franchise.

Jets HC Todd Bowles Disputes Reports Of Tension

December 8th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Ben Levine

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported earlier this week that there was a serious division between Jets head coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan. Predictably, Bowles was quick to dismiss the rumors in an interview with SNY, and he attributed the rumors to one unknown individual in the organization.

“There’s never been any tension with me or anybody else in this building,” Bowles said (via Mehta). “It’s a professional place. There’s a lot of good people in here and we treat people the same way. It’s unfortunate someone has their own agenda in mind. I guess that’s between him and Manish (Mehta), whoever that person is. But usually the person that throws the first stone is usually the culprit. So, they’re probably trying to protect or hide something. But most of the organization is not like that. It’s unfortunate that we had that said.”

The initial report indicated that the two men have been professional towards each other throughout their tenure in New York, although Mehta says the underlying tension “has created an unproductive working environment.” The team is reportedly set on retaining Maccagnan and firing Bowles, although the Jets will have to show improvements on the field if the general manager hopes to keep his job beyond 2019.

As our own Zach Links pointed out, Maccagnan will have to showcase the scouting skills that got him his gig in the first place (64% of players drafted by the Jets from 2015-2018 are still on an active NFL roster, versus the league average of 76%). The general manager also has to wisely use the team’s $100MM+ in cap space, although he shouldn’t necessarily be blamed for previously costly contracts.

Latest On Ex-Packers HC Mike McCarthy

December 6th, 2018 at 8:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although reports earlier this week indicated former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy intends to coach in 2019, that may not be the case. McCarthy is still deciding whether to take head coaching interviews or instead remain in the Green Bay area for another year, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

McCarthy didn’t say he won’t coach next season, but did indicate he plans to “lay low and try to finish this professional chapter on the high road.” He has five children, four of whom are still school-aged, so leaving Green Bay may not be an easy decision. Over 13 seasons with the Packers, McCarthy posted a 125-77-2 record during the regular season and a 10-8 mark (including a Super Bowl victory) in the playoffs.

Now that’s no longer tied to Green Bay, McCarthy can freely speak to other teams about their vacancies. In addition, he can reach out to contacts around the league in an effort to formulate a potential staff. Both of those factors could give him an edge over other head coaching candidates who are still employed.

A clearer picture of where McCarthy could end up in 2019 won’t fully develop until more head coaching openings are created, but there is already conjecture on his destination. The Jets have been mentioned as possible suitor if Todd Bowles is fired, while the Browns also make sense as a landing spot given the presence of former Packers executives — John Dorsey, Eliot Wolf, Alonzo Highsmith — in Cleveland’s front office.

Major Rift Between Jets’ Bowles, Maccagnan

December 6th, 2018 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

It has not been a happy marriage for Jets head coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan, as Manish Mehta of the Daily News details. While the two have been professional in their interactions with each other, Mehta hears that there has been a serious division between the two and a whole lot of mistrust.

There have been numerous disagreements between the two men, including a dispute over Alvin Kamara in the 2017 draft. Jets coaches begged the GM to trade up for the University of Tennessee running back, but Maccagnan refused to pay a premium for him. Maccagnan attempted to satisfy then-offensive coordinator John Morton by selecting Alabama wide receiver ArDarius Stewart that year, but he quickly washed out and so did Morton.

Morton was the second of three OCs to serve under Bowles, and the lack of continuity has undoubtedly hurt the Jets and their efforts to build a potent offense. That’s probably part of the rationale in the team’s reported plans to keep the GM and fire Bowles this offseason.

If Maccagnan hopes to stay with the Jets beyond 2019, he’ll have to display the scouting acumen that got him hired in the first place. Only 64% of players drafted by the Jets from 2015-2018 are still on an active NFL roster, versus the league average of 76%. While he’s hit on his first round picks and found some keepers in the late rounds of the draft, Maccagnan’s track record in rounds 2-5 leave much to be desired.

Maccagnan must also use the Jets $100MM+ in cap room wisely. The Jets had tons of cash to spent last spring, but they whiffed on quarterback Kirk Cousins and settled for a monster deal with cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The former Rams standout has struggled all season and his five-year, $72.5MM deal may prove to be a costly error.

West Notes: Cardinals, Wilks, Taylor, Gordon

December 2nd, 2018 at 10:31am CST by Rory Parks

We learned at the end of November that Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks is very much on the hot seat less than one year after being one of the hottest head coaching candidates on the market. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirms as much today, reporting that Arizona will reassess its entire football operations and coaching staff at the end of the 2018 campaign (video link). Rapoport says all options are on the table, including dismissing both Wilks and GM Steve Keim, keeping both, or keeping one and not the other. Wilks’ fate will depend in large part on whether the 2-9 Cards continue to play hard for him down the stretch.

Now for more from the league’s west divisions:

If Wilks does get the boot, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that current Jets head coach Todd Bowles could return to the Cardinals as their HC. Bowles served as Arizona’s defensive coordinator from 2013-14 before accepting the head coaching job with Gang Green, and he remains a beloved figure in the desert. He enjoyed his time with the Cardinals, has strong ties with many prominent figures in the organization, and has a good relationship with some of the existing assistant coaches, so the Cardinals could turn to Bowles if they want to replace Wilks but avoid a complete overhaul. Bowles is expected to be fired by the Jets at the end of the 2018 season.
The Rams‘ success under head coach Sean McVay is having a trickle-down effect on his coaching staff. La Canfora writes that Los Angeles’ quarterbacks coach, Zac Taylor, is drawing plenty of buzz as a head coaching candidate and is expected to receive significant interest from clubs looking for a new HC this year. Taylor served as Miami’s offensive coordinator during the second half of the 2015 season and earned rave reviews for his work, and teams would love to bring the 35-yard-old aboard as a coordinator. But the relatively shallow pool of top HC candidates expected to be available in 2019 suggests that Taylor could make a McVay-like leap to the head coaching ranks next year.
Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, who is currently sidelined with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, could be back as soon as next week, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Gordon will miss tonight’s game against Pittsburgh but has a chance to return for the team’s December 9 matchup with the Bengals or the December 13 game in Arrowhead.
Chiefs safety Eric Berry, who returned to practice this week, is not expected to play today, per Rapoport (Twitter link). However, Berry has not suffered any setbacks, so he could be ready to go when Kansas City hosts the Ravens next week.
More troubling news has emerged regarding former Chiefs star Kareem Hunt, which we detailed this morning.

Jets Notes: Maccagnan, Bowles, Anderson, Darnold

November 25th, 2018 at 1:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

If the Jets’ season continues to go the way it has gone so far, it’s very likely that head coach Todd Bowles will be fired after the season. GM Mike Maccagnan is apparently in far better shape with ownership, and “all indications” are that “Maccagnan will survive this mess of a season and get a chance to finish his rebuilding project”, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. While Maccagnan seems like a heavy favorite to survive, Cimini writes that it’s unclear exactly how much power he’ll have.

Cimini writes that it’s an open question whether or not Maccagnan will get to be the one who hires New York’s next head coach, and notes that the pairing of Bowles and Maccagnan was an “arranged marriage” from ownership. For what it’s worth, Cimini thinks the Jets will “add a couple of years to Maccagnan’s deal” if they keep him, so it doesn’t send the impression that the GM has less job security than the new coach. While Maccagnan will hang on by the skin of his teeth, the way everyone is talking now it seems like a foregone conclusion that Bowles’ days are numbered.

Here’s more from New York:

Robby Anderson is a very talented young receiver, but has dealt with multiple off-field incidents as well as injuries this season, so Cimini thinks he might not be long for the team. Anderson will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and while Cimini expects the Jets to tender him, he thinks they might look to trade him next offseason. He mentions the Eagles as a possible trade destination, and notes that the Eagles “tried to pry him away” from the Jets at the trade deadline. He also thinks the team might just let him walk if a team signs him to a huge offer sheet this spring. It was reported earlier this week that the Jets are trying to get an extension done with fellow receiver Quincy Enunwa, and it seems like the team definitely values Enunwa more than Anderson moving forward.
Sam Darnold isn’t playing today against the Patriots, and it looks like he might not play next week either. While Darnold could still possibly return in Week 13, “the following week is more likely”, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Rapoport writes that the Jets want to take it easy on Darnold and make sure he’s 100 percent healthy before returning. The team isn’t going to rush him back, so it’ll likely be Josh McCown again next week against the Titans.

Todd Bowles Likely To Be Fired At End Of Season

November 18th, 2018 at 9:29am CST by Rory Parks

This will not come as much of a surprise, but Jets head coach Todd Bowles is facing an “uphill battle” to keep his job at the end of the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport echoes earlier reports that Bowles is not expected to be fired until the 2018 campaign is over, but in an interview with Rich Eisen of the NFL Network, RapSheet adds that the team does plan to give Bowles the pink slip at season’s end, barring an unforeseen change in circumstances (video link).

The Jets are coming off a horrific 41-10 loss to the lowly Bills, and while Rapoport indicates that there is no dysfunction in the team’s locker room, a number of players, including high-profile veterans, did not appear to be playing particularly hard during the Buffalo game. That obviously reflects poorly on the head coach, and while Bowles has been saddled with mostly uninspiring rosters during his time in New York, he has also not done much to suggest that he will be able to right the ship moving forward.

Of course, the same can be said for GM Mike Maccagnan — the architect of those mediocre rosters — though Rapoport also confirms a report from earlier this week that Maccagnan is likely to be given at least another year in his post. That means that he will also have a significant voice in determining who the next head coach will be, so the Jets are putting a lot of faith in a man who has done little to deserve it to date. But, with a promising young quarterback in tow and a ton of cash to spend, Gang Green is hoping Maccagnan can assemble a playoff-caliber squad in 2019.

Bowles has compiled a 23-35 record during his three-plus years as the Jets’ head coach, but he will not be hurting for opportunities even if he does get fired. Rapoport suggests that Bowles — who turns 55 today — is nonetheless expected to receive interest for head coaching positions around the league.

Jets Unlikely To Fire GM Mike Maccagnan

November 13th, 2018 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are unlikely to fire GM Mike Maccagnan, several sources familiar with the Jets’ thinking tell Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. Head coach Todd Bowles, however, is on the hot seat.

Vacchiano hears that Maccagnan’s long-stated plan has been to compete for a playoff berth in 2019 and therefore his roster has not fallen short of expectations in the eyes of ownership. The Jets will enter the offseason with upwards of $100MM in cap space and they have a promising young quarterback in Sam Darnold, so they could conceivably put themselves in the postseason mix next year.

Still, Maccagnan’s lack of success in the draft has been alarming. Only 12 of the 22 players picked in his first three drafts (2015-2017) remain on the team and the wisdom of some of his hits can be questioned. For example, second-year safety Jamal Adams has promise, but the Jets passed on the opportunity to take Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson when they took him at No. 6 overall in 2017.

It’s also worth noting that Maccagnan had a boatload of cash to work with this past offseason, but failed to fix the team’s porous offensive line or improve the team’s stable of receivers. The club’s biggest expenditure was free agent Trumaine Johnson, a $72.5MM cornerback who has struggled to stay healthy and has done little to impress in his five games on the field.

Despite all of that, the Jets appear willing to exercise patience and stay the course with Maccagnan. Unfortunately for Bowles, that patience will probably not extend to the head coach.

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