HEADLINES

Tom Gamble

Extra Points: Broncos, Titans, 49ers, Bears

January 22nd, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans have released defensive line coach Bill Kollar from his contract in order for him to join ex-Houston coach Gary Kubiak and the Broncos, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link). Kollar had been the Texans’ DL coach since 2009. He has family in the Denver area, and he credited Bill O’Brien for being gracious enough to let him leave. Per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Kollar is “considered an elite coach by his peers.” Here’s more from around the league…

  • Linebacker Derrick Morgan told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Titans want to re-sign him, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. The impending free agent has never lived up to his first-round billing, having posted just 23.5 sacks in five seasons as a pro.
  • The Eagles let executive Tom Gamble go earlier this year as part of a reported power struggle, but it appears that he’ll land on his feet. Per John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link), Gamble has discussed taking a role with the 49ers, and is expected to accept it. Gamble previously worked in San Francisco’s front office from 2005-13.
  • The Bears have found a new tight ends coach, hiring former Saints offensive assistant Frank Smith, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Former Saints executive Ryan Pace, now the general manager in Chicago, may have had some familiarity with Smith.
  • New Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has hired a new front office member, bringing in Rams scout Brian Heimerdinger to serve in a front office role, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Heimerdinger could be installed as the new college scouting director or be given a new title, but he won’t be replacing anyone already on staff, per Cimini.
  • The hiring of Adam Gase as offensive coordinator could be good news for Jay Cutler‘s future with the Bears, according to Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report (Twitter links). Per Pompei, Gase’s system has similarities to that of Chargers head coach Mike McCoy, who is known to get the most out of his quarterbacks.

West Notes: 49ers, Chargers, Broncos

January 20th, 2015 at 8:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Broncos GM John Elway has high expectations for new head coach Gary Kubiak, but that’s alright with him, as Mike Klis of The Denver Post writes. “He is the boss,” Kubiak said. “Believe me, he’s the boss. That’s all right. I want to coach. He’s the boss.” More out of the AFC and NFC West..

  • Former 49ers personnel executive Tom Gamble, who was recently let go by the Eagles, had a “long talk” with Niners GM Trent Baalke today, tweets Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. While that doesn’t necessarily mean a return to San Francisco for Gamble is imminent, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News notes (via Twitter) that the club’s director of player personnel position is open at the moment.
  • Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego spoke with The Mighty 1090 Sports Radio (audio link) about the Chargers replacing Joe Barry and their biggest priorities in free agency.
  • Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego graded the Raiders‘ hire of new head coach Jack Del Rio.
  • Former Bears special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis has been hired by the Broncos, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
  • The Raiders announced that they have hired Brad Seely (formerly with the 49ers) to be their special teams coordinator.
  • Jets special teams coach Thomas McGaughey will likely take Seely’s old job with the 49ers, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Packers, Jets, Bears, Greenberry

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Packers announced that they have promoted Eliot Wolf to director of player personnel. Wolf, who served as Green Bay’s pro personnel director for the past three years, has been mentioned quite a bit as a GM candidate this offseason, but the promotion might take him off the table for GM openings around the league and could signal that he’ll be the heir apparent to GM Ted Thompson.

Meanwhile, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets that Alonzo Highsmith‘s name has come up for director of player personnel jobs for other teams, pending GM hires. Highsmith is currently employed as a senior personnel executive in Green Bay’s front office.

Let’s round up a few more Friday odds and ends from around the NFL….

  • The Jets have requested permission to interview Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard and Dolphins director of college scouting Chris Grier for their general manager vacancy, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link), if Ballard were to land the GM job in either New York or Chicago, Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich would be high on his short list of candidates.
  • In the view of Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com, recently-dismissed Eagles executive Tom Gamble would make an ideal candidate for the Bears‘ general manager opening.
  • A report earlier in the week indicated that Houston wide receiver Deontay Greenberry had chosen an agent and would enter the 2015 NFL draft, but Greenberry said on Friday that he has yet to make a decision on his status for the coming year, writes Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Nick Powell of the Star-Ledger wonders if the Giants should use the franchise tag on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. By using the tag, the Giants can wait on deciding to make a sizable long-term commitment to JPP and ensure that he’ll be motivated for 2015. On the flip side, of course, it would cost the Giants a great deal of money for the upcoming season.
  • In his latest ESPN.com mailbag, John Keim fields a handful of questions on Washington‘s 2015 outlook, including inquiries into potential roster and coaching turnover.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Front Office Notes: Eagles, Raiders, Bills

December 31st, 2014 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve passed along a couple rounds of coaching-related rumors already today, but with teams looking ahead to the 2015 season, some front-office shakeups could occur as well. Let’s check in on the latest updates on front offices around the NFL…

  • In a surprising move, the Eagles announced today that they’ve mutually agreed to parted ways with vice president of player personnel Tom Gamble (Twitter link). Reporting on the move before it was officially confirmed by the team, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link) called it a firing, predicting that the Eagles may refer to it as parting ways, but “it is what it is.” Gamble was identified by Adam Caplan of ESPN.com a couple weeks ago as one of the league’s top candidates to land a GM job this offseason.
  • Reacting to Gamble’s departure, Eagles writers like Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link) and Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com suggest that it sounds like a win for GM Howie Roseman, who has the backing of owner Jeffrey Lurie. As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote earlier this week, head coach Chip Kelly was a fan of Gamble, calling him a “heck of a football guy” while referring to Roseman as more of a cap manager.
  • According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Mike Holmgren, Kevin Warren of the Vikings, and Russ Brandon of the Bills are drawing some interest from the Raiders as a potential team president. Following up on that report, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News tweets that Brandon may have headed to Oakland if Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula hadn’t taken over as the owners in Buffalo, but he’s staying with the organization now.
  • With a midnight opt-out deadline looming for Bills head coach Doug Marrone, La Canfora tweets that he continues to hear about friction between Marrone and general manager Doug Whaley. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that Marrone is still expected to remain in Buffalo, so it will be interesting to see if Whaley returns for the 2015 season as well.
  • Earlier this afternoon, we learned that Vikings assistant GM George Paton turned down opportunities to interview for the Bears‘ and Jets‘ general manager openings, and will stick with Minnesota.

La Canfora’s Latest: Texans, Browns, Harbaugh

December 28th, 2014 at 9:23am CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s check out the latest from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:

  • The Texans are expected to make a change at general manager during the offseason, with current GM Rick Smith shifting into a new role that doesn’t involve football operations. Head coach Bill O’Brien will have significant input on who is hired to fill the position, and sources tell La Canfora that the club already has several candidates in mind. Patriots executive Nick Caserio would likely be O’Brien’s top choice, as the two worked together in New England. Other external options include the Eagles’ Tom Gamble and the Pats’ Jon Robinson, while internal candidates could include scouting director Mike Maccagnan and director of pro personnel Brian Gaine. Texans vice chariman Cal McNair has denied La Canfora’s report, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Meanwhile, changes could also be coming in Buffalo and Tennessee, writes La Canfora. Bills GM Doug Whaley doesn’t have a great relationship with head coach Doug Marrone, and given that the current Buffalo front office was responsible for the selection of E.J. Manuel, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the club completely overhaul its management team. Meanwhile, the Titans could opt to fire general manager Ruston Webster, and replace him with executive Lake Dawson.
  • The Browns are growing increasingly frustrated with both Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel, sources tell La Canfora. Gordon, who was suspended for today’s game after missing a walkthrough on Saturday, will file a grievance against the team in order to maintain his free agent status after 2015. But Cleveland officials say Gordon “has to go,” although La Canfora says it’s unclear whether owner Jimmy Haslam is willing to trade the talented wideout. For his part, Manziel was also absent yesterday, and team security was forced to go to his house to retrieve him. The rookie quarterback reportedly threw a team party Friday night (which led to several Browns being late on Saturday), the latest questionable decision by a player who recently vowed to take the game more seriously.
  • Five clubs — the Raiders, Jets, 49ers, Falcons, and Bears — are expected to make coaching changes in the coming days. The Raiders still have their eye on Jim Harbaugh, but if he takes the Michigan job as expected, the club could bring in Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. And while the 49ers are expected to look at some of the younger offensive coaches during their search, the Jets, Falcons, and Bears are looking to hire an established head coach, per La Canfora. Rex Ryan is an option in Atlanta, though if the Falcons lose today and miss the playoffs, general manger Thomas Dimitroff could be axed there. In Chicago, the club could look to reunite Mike Shanahan with Jay Cutler.
  • The Raiders will indeed attempt to make their pitch to Harbaugh, and would even engage in trade talks with the 49ers if possible. La Canfora notes (via Twitter) that NFL executives won’t believe Harbaugh has a deal with Michigan until it’s officially signed.
  • Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is a name to watch regarding head-coaching vacancies. La Canfora says sources have compared Autin’s rise to that of Mike Tomlin, who went from an unknown position coach to leading the Steelers in rapid time. Austin is expected to garner several interviews, including one with the Falcons.

Sunday Roundup: Suh, Tannehill, Manning

December 14th, 2014 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

With Ndamukong Suh‘s free agency rapidly approaching, there is a general belief that he could be playing his last games in a Lions uniform. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, though, believes that Detroit would be foolish to let Suh leave. Birkett writes that although J.J. Watt is clearly the best defensive player in the game, Suh is not far behind him, and the Lions should pay him accordingly.

Birkett goes on to note that the Lions want to pay Suh like a dominant defensive tackle, whereas Suh’s camp believes Suh’s talent transcends positional descriptions and is therefore worthy of its own spot on the pay scale. The Lions chose to table extension discussions earlier this year, and although there was a wide gap between what Suh was demanding and what Detroit was offering at that time, Birkett believes it is not a gap that cannot be bridged (which is especially true given what Suh means to this talented Lions defense). If the Lions have to pony up a deal resembling Watt’s six-year, $100MM extension, Birkett believes the Lions should pull the trigger. Even if Detroit has to slap a $26.9MM franchise tag on Suh to preserve its exclusive negotiating rights until July 2015, he believes the team should not hesitate to do so.

With a salary cap that many project to increase by leaps and bounds in the near future, Birkett tweets that there will be room for mega-deals for both Suh and Calvin Johnson, and he adds (via Twitter) that the Lions not only should re-sign Suh, but that they will re-sign him. For what it’s worth, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that he is not convinced Suh will leave in free agency. He adds that the Lions are “very much in the mix.”

Now let’s look at a few more notes from around the league:

  • Citing an AFC source, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that the Dolphins have no choice but to pick up Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth-year option for about $15MM. Former NFL agent Joel Corry adds (via Twitter) that there is very little risk in exercising that option, as it does not become fully guaranteed until the first day of the 2016 league year.
  • Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (subscription required) provides a list of the top 10 front office executives most likely to be promoted to general manager, and current Eagles VP of Player Personnel Tom Gamble is at the top of the list.
  • Citing ESPN’s draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr., Adam Teicher of ESPN.com writes that the Chiefs should draft at least three wide receivers in the 2015 draft. Given that the team has several receivers near or at the end of their careers and a few unproven younger players on the roster, it is difficult to argue with Kiper’s assessment, though Teicher himself believes Kansas City should have addressed that void this year.
  • In a mailbag piece, Teicher writes that the Chiefs also need to address the offensive line, but unlike the wide receiver position, Kansas City has some internal options to improve the O-line.
  • We learned earlier today that the Broncos, even after the recent extension handed out to Chris Harris, will have enough cap room to retain both Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas.
  • Darren Wolfson of KSTP.com tweets that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is expected to file a federal lawsuit against the NFL tomorrow.

Kawakami On Jim Harbaugh

August 25th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Matt Feminis

Despite the fact Jim Harbaugh’s contract runs through 2015, there’s a strong chance this season will be the head coach’s last coaching the 49ers, according to the San Jose Mercury-News’ Tim Kawakami. Citing NFL sources, Kawakami engages in some educated speculation:

  • In terms of Harbaugh staying in San Francisco beyond 2014, Kawakami says, “most knowledgeable folks believe it’s a coin flip” and “Harbaugh and [owner] Jed York might agree with those odds, too — privately — and both are OK with it.”
  • General sentiment around the league is Harbaugh and management have set up this season “precisely to decide the future of the relationship.” Either the 49ers will have a successful season, and York will be more than willing to oblige with the “largest coaching contract in football history, something close to $10MM a year) or the 49ers will have a disappointing season, and “things will get muddled.”
  • Kawakami states GM Trent Baalke “is decidedly part of the York team” vis-à-vis team brass’s not-so-private power struggle.
  • It is unlikely either side will be content with a “lame duck” situation in 2015. Accordingly, a trade is a realistic scenario.
  • Speculating about potential landing spots in 2015, Kawakami identifies three prerequisites to accommodate Harbaugh: money, personality fit and a “trusted executive to help him organize and re-configure the roster to his liking.”
  • Kawakami says there is one man linked to Harbaugh: Eagles VP of Personnel Tom Gamble, formerly Baalke’s director of player personnel . Harbaugh “knows and likes” Gamble, who has connections to the Raiders and Dolphins, two teams “most likely to be on the Harbaugh Short-List if he should come available next off-season.”
  • The Raiders (Al Davis) gave Harbaugh his first coaching job, and tried to lure him to Oakland before he took the 49ers job. Secondly, Gamble was an Al Davis confidante. Thirdly, the Raiders could very well have another poor season under Dennis Allen, who has posted an 8-24 record over two seasons. If the team seeks a “huge name to give the franchise momentum for a new stadium,” Harbaugh loves the Bay Area.
  • The Dolphins reportedly offered Harbaugh more money than the 49ers did when Harbaugh was hired in 2011. In fact, Kawakami says, 49ers executives believed Harbaugh was on the verge of going to Miami. Then last January, Gamble was a legitimate candidate for the Dolphins GM job before he decided to remain in Philadelphia, “so it’s not a stretch to think they could be envisioned as a power tandem in 2015.”