HEADLINES

Urban Meyer

Extra Points: Packers, Meyer, Draft

December 5th, 2015 at 12:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL (and several from the NCAA)…

  • Besides the previously-reported trio of players, the Packers also worked out three receivers yesterday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter): Jamel Johnson, Deon Long and Kevin Vereen.
  • Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said through a school spokesman that he doesn’t have interest in any job besides his current position (via Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch on Twitter). The NFL Network’s Albert Breer believes this to be sincere, tweeting that he’s heard Meyer isn’t “considering the NFL right now.”
  • A lot has been made of Jared Goff out of Cal declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft as the potential top quarterback available, but one of his favorite targets Kenny Lawler could also declare, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • Pauline also notes that Toledo running back Kareem Hunt has been meeting with agents, signifying a likeliness to declare for the NFL Draft (via Twitter).
  • South Carolina’s standout receiver Pharoah Cooper will unsurprisingly enter the NFL Draft, as Neil Stratton of Inside The League writes that multiple sources have indicated his intentions (via Twitter). Cooper will be represented by CAA.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Coach Notes: Meyer, Browns, Fangio, Raiders

January 13th, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

Wins over Alabama and Oregon in the NCAA’s first College Football Playoff created plenty of buzz for Urban Meyer, but the Buckeyes head coach quickly dismissed any speculation that his success at Ohio State would result in a jump to the NFL this offseason. “Not right now. I have a commitment to Ohio State and these players,” Meyer said when asked about the possibility of an NFL job, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Let’s check in on several coaching situations from around the league, as a handful of teams look to hire new head coaches and/or coordinators….

  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links) provide an update on the Browns‘ hunt for an offensive coordinator, with Rapoport noting that Marc Trestman interviews tomorrow and Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo meets with the team on Friday. Per Schefter, the Browns have also requested permission to talk to Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn about the position.
  • Raheem Morris‘ meeting with Washington about the team’s defensive coordinator vacancy is expected to be the last of the club’s interviews, tweets Rapoport, who believes either Morris or Joe Barry will land the job.
  • Michael Silver of NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that the word in coaching circles is that 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio may want to leave the team unless he (or Mike Shanahan) is hired as the head coach. In that case, writes Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the Raiders should kick the tires on Fangio as a potential head coaching candidate.
  • Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who is working on a new deal of his own, says defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has told him he wants to stay with the team, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Per Archer, talks on new contracts for the team’s coaches are ongoing.
  • In a tweet, Kawakami also suggests keeping an eye on Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, who has multiple options, and would likely be Jim Tomsula‘s top choice for defensive coordinator if he lands the 49ers‘ head coaching job.
  • If Todd Bowles is hired as a head coach, he’d like to take Cardinals linebackers coach Mike Caldwell with him as a defensive coordinator, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910.
  • The Giants are interested in talking to former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen about their defensive coordinator position, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, adding that it’s not clear whether an interview has been scheduled yet.