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Panthers Hire Harold Goodwin, Three Other Assistants

January 30th, 2024 at 9:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already committed to bringing Buccaneers wide receivers coach Brad Idzik with him to Carolina, Dave Canales is adding another veteran Bucs staffer.

The new Panthers HC will bring Harold Goodwin with him to work as the team’s run-game coordinator. The Cardinals’ offensive coordinator under Bruce Arians from 2013-17, Goodwin will bring some experience to an offensive staff that lacks it — in the top positions, at least. Goodwin, 50, spent the past five seasons as the Bucs’ run-game coordinator.

This is an interesting pickup for Canales, as Goodwin was an Arians assistant for much of the past 20 years. Following Arians from Pittsburgh to Indianapolis to Tampa, Goodwin will make his first non-Arians-driven move since he began his NFL career on Lovie Smith‘s Bears staffs in the mid-2000s.

Todd Bowles is in the process of finding a new offensive coordinator; he will need to replace two key offensive assistants as well. This includes O-line coach Joe Gilbert, who is following Canales and Goodwin to Charlotte.

The Panthers sent out an interview request to Raiders assistant offensive line coach Cameron Clemmons about their O-line coach position, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The Raiders already lost their O-line coach from last season, Carmen Bricillo, to the Giants. It is unclear if Clemmons remains in the Antonio Pierce-run team’s plans. But Canales will bring another Bucs assistant with him.

Gilbert joined Goodwin, 59, as an Arians hire back in 2019, and the veteran assistant spent the past five seasons as the Bucs’ O-line coach. This will be Gilbert’s third run as an NFL O-line coach; he initially held that position for the Colts under Chuck Pagano. While Canales and Idzik will run the Panthers’ offense, Goodwin and Gilbert will provide considerable experience. Gilbert replaces James Campen, a Matt Rhule hire who was not retained.

Additionally, the Panthers are adding Rob Moore as wide receivers coach and Bernie Parmalee as running backs coach. A former Jets and Cardinals standout receiver, Moore spent the past six seasons as the Titans’ wideouts coach. He held the same roles with the Bills and Raiders previously. A former running back, Parmalee spent the past three years as the Jaguars’ RBs coach. He has also coached special teams and tight ends during a 14-year NFL coaching career.

Panthers To Hold Second HC Interviews With Dave Canales, Raheem Morris

January 22nd, 2024 at 4:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Carolina’s search for a new head coach continues, and the list of finalists is growing. In addition to an incumbent option in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, numerous outside candidates are now on the team’s radar.

Carolina is set to interview Buccaneers OC Dave Canales for a second time, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Likewise, the team remains interested in Raheem Morris. The Rams DC is lining up several second interviews, including one with the Panthers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.

Canales’ only interview to date has come with the Panthers, a team in need of a coach capable of developing quarterback Bryce Young. The 2022 first overall pick struggled as a rookie, though the same was true as a whole for Carolina’s offense. Canales showed an ability to work well with Geno Smith during his time as Seattle’s QBs coach, and that landed him Tampa Bay’s OC position last offseason.

The Buccaneers’ offensive expectations were muted heading into the campaign with Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Indeed, Tampa finished only 20th in scoring and 23rd in total offense in Mayfield’s debut season with the team. However, he performed better down the stretch and delivered signficant statistical showings in both of the team’s playoff games. That could land Canales an extended look for his first career head coaching gig.

The Panthers are believed to prefer a coach with a background on the offensive side of the ball, but that does not apply to Morris. The veteran staffer does, however, have head coaching experience dating back to his time with the Buccaneers and (on an interim basis) Falcons. The 47-year-old has received a number of looks during the 2024 hiring cycle, including an interview with Atlanta.

Morris is believed to have departed the Falcons on good terms, meaning he could be a candidate to watch for Atlanta’s vacancy. He could have other options as well, though, including interest from the division-rival Panthers pending the outcome of their second meeting with one another. Staffers not still in the postseason are allowed to interview in person beginning today, so Carolina is one of many teams which could move toward a hire in the near future.

Here is an updated look at the Panthers’ search:

AFC South Notes: Taylor, Rankins, Colts

January 21st, 2024 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars are retooling their defensive staff after their late-season collapse knocked them out of playoff position, but Jacksonville’s offense submitted a clunky campaign as well. Trevor Lawrence did not take the step forward many expected, battling injuries and producing an inconsistent third season. After finishing 10th in points and yards in 2022, the Jags ranked 13th in both categories (and 18th in DVOA) this season. As Doug Pederson fired most of his defensive assistants, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes some late-season buzz pointed to GM Trent Baalke taking a hard look into the state of the offense.

This effort is believed to have centered around OC Press Taylor, whom Pederson gave play-calling duties before the season. Pederson called plays in 2022. Pederson displayed loyalty to Taylor in Philadelphia, and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was not onboard with the prospect of Press Taylor — the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor — staying on as Eagles QBs coach and pass-game coordinator for a second season back in 2021. (The Eagles did not employ an OC that year, making Taylor Pederson’s top lieutenant on that side of the ball.) Nearly two weeks after the Jags’ season ended, Taylor remains on track to be the Jags’ OC for a third year. The coming season will be pivotal for the Jags, who may want to see a true leap from Lawrence before extending him.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Sheldon Rankins has now played out his one-year Texans contract, though the team has exclusive negotiating rights with the veteran defensive tackle until the legal tampering period begins in March. Rankins, however, said (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) he would prefer to re-sign with the Texans rather than leaving in free agency. Working as a full-time starter, Rankins played well in Houston. The former Saints and Jets D-tackle registered six sacks and returned a fumble for a touchdown this season. The Texans have part of their DT equation solved, having given Maliek Collins another contract (two years, $23MM) last summer.
  • Kenny Moore‘s Colts contract became an issue back in 2022. With the NFL still not placing considerable value on slot cornerbacks financially — at least, not compared to high-end boundary cover men — Moore expressed frustration about the four-year, $33.3MM deal he signed back in 2019. Moore has now played out his deal and is on track to be a first-time free agent. One of the NFL’s better slot corners over the course of his career, Moore became vital to a Colts team that did not feature consistent perimeter coverage this season. While the prospect of testing the market would seem appealing, Moore said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson) he wants to stay in Indianapolis. After an injury-plagued 2022, Moore returned to form this season. With Moore intercepting three passes and returning two for TDs, Pro Football Focus ranked the 28-year-old defender 17th at the position.
  • Ryan Kelly attempted to set the record straight recently, indicating (via Fox 59’s Mike Chappell) he is not considering retirement. The eight-year Colts center finished up his age-30 season, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 overall center, and is under contract for 2024. The Colts shopped Kelly this past offseason. The final year of the Pro Bowler’s contract includes a nonguaranteed $11.4MM base salary.

Saints Request OC Interview With Seahawks’ Shane Waldron

January 17th, 2024 at 3:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

A third candidate has emerged for the Saints’ OC vacancy. New Orleans has sent an interview request for Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.

The Saints are in the market for an OC for the first time since 2009 after Pete Carmichael was fired yesterday. The team (which has competition for the top candidates) has moved quickly in looking for replacements. Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher as well as Rams assistant Zac Robinson received interview slips earlier today.

That pair will now be joined by Waldron, who has also drawn interest from the Bears. Chicago is looking for a Luke Getsy replacement, though that team’s offseason outlook will be driven in large part by the decision to retain or replace quarterback Justin Fields. New Orleans, by contrast, has a more stable situation under center in the form of Derek Carr. The longtime Raider did not enjoy the debut Saints campaign he or the team envisioned, though most of his statistics fell roughly in line with his career averages.

Taking a step forward on offense – and finding more consistency in the run game in particular – will be a key priority for the new Saints OC. Whomever the team hires in that capacity (which, unlike most of Carmichael’s tenure, will include play-calling duties) may very well have ties to Rams head coach Sean McVay. Just like Pitcher and Robinson, Waldron has a history with McVay dating back to his time in Washington and Los Angeles. Waldron spent four years with the Rams before taking Seattle’s offensive coordinator position in 2021.

The 44-year-old has delivered middling results in terms of total and scoring offense during his time in the Emerald City, but he has now drawn interview requests for a pair of lateral moves. Much is yet to be determined in Seattle with respect to the team’s coaching staff with Pete Carroll having been moved to an advisory role. His replacement is not in place, leaving assistants like Waldron free to at least explore other options. In addition to the Bears gig, that process will now include an interview regarding the Saints vacancy.

NFC Notes: Gannon, Allen, Campbell, Saints

December 29th, 2023 at 5:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonathan Gannon‘s Eagles exit brought a tampering penalty against the Cardinals, who made impermissible contact with their new head coach during the offseason. New Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort reached out to Gannon shortly after the NFC championship game, after the two-year Eagles DC expressed a desire to stay in Philadelphia. Gannon did not tell the Eagles about Ossenfort’s pre-Super Bowl call or his intention to interview with the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. This affected Philly’s timing regarding Vic Fangio, who was perhaps this offseason’s most coveted coordinator.

A consultant with the Eagles last season, Fangio was well-liked and became the team’s choice to succeed Gannon as DC. Fangio all but confirmed the timing involving Gannon led him out of town. Before Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles had expected to retain Gannon, McManus adds. When Ossenfort was in Tennessee, he put Gannon’s name on a short list of possible HCs — in the event he landed a GM job. A Jan. 29 report indicated Fangio would accept the Dolphins’ DC offer; he was officially hired Feb. 2. The Cardinals’ Gannon interview request did not emerge until Feb. 12. By that point, the Eagles were aiming to retain Gannon after Fangio had bolted. With the Eagles having demoted their new DC — Sean Desai — and given Matt Patricia play-calling duties, Gannon’s Philly return this week will be interesting.

Here is the latest from the NFC:

  • Listing Jonathan Allen as a player he expects to be traded during the 2024 offseason, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Commanders defensive tackle is not eager to go through another rebuild. Allen made his views on that matter fairly well known recently, after the team traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young. A losing streak commenced soon after, and Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew are expected to be fired. Teams asked about Allen at the deadline, and while the Commanders resisted, new owner Josh Harris‘ involvement in the Sweat and Young deals showed an openness to stockpiling draft capital. Allen’s four-year, $72MM extension runs through 2025. It would cost Washington $18MM in dead money to trade Allen before June 1, so it would stand to take a nice offer to pry the seventh-year veteran from D.C.
  • The Giants have phased Parris Campbell out of their receiver rotation, going as far as to make him a healthy scratch in each of the past three games. Campbell signed a one-year, $4.7MM deal in free agency, with The Athletic’s Dan Duggan noting he is losing out on $100K per-game roster bonuses with these scratches. As the Giants emphasize bigger roles for younger wideouts Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, Campbell is preparing to leave in free agency come March. “When I came here, did I think things would be different? Of course,” Campbell said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “… During free agency, the market was kind of slow for receivers, but the Giants gave me an opportunity — and that’s all I want. This coming offseason, whoever is interested in me and wants to give me an opportunity, I’ll take it.” After three injury-plagued seasons, Campbell has stayed mostly healthy over his past two. The ex-Colts second-rounder, however, has 20 receptions for just 104 yards this year.
  • It is unlikely Marshon Lattimore and Michael Thomas return this season, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Lattimore suffered a significant ankle injury and has missed the past five Saints games. Thomas stayed healthier this year than he has since the 2010s, but the former All-Pro wideout has also missed New Orleans’ past five contests. Thomas, who may well be in his final weeks as a Saint, is down with a knee injury.
  • Six teams put in waiver claims on linebacker Christian Elliss, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. The Patriots won out. Had Elliss not garnered any claims, the Eagles wanted to bring him back on their practice squad. A 2021 Eagles UDFA, Elliss had led the team in special teams snaps at the time of his exit earlier this month.

Staff Rumors: Licht, Bowles, Bills, Patriots

December 14th, 2023 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Licht built a Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers roster, doing so after luring Tom Brady to Tampa and completing an all-in effort that kept the Bucs as an elite team in 2021 as well. The 10th-year GM did not oversee a playoff team until Brady’s arrival, and the team regressed after the all-time great unretired last year. But the Bucs are back atop the NFC South, in another bad year for the division, with Baker Mayfield at the helm. This status aside, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes Licht and second-year HC Todd Bowles may be on the hot seat. Pointing to ownership’s interest in starting over to begin a rebuild, La Canfora indicates each of the Bucs’ top two decision-makers could be in trouble.

In his sixth season as a head coach, Bowles is overseeing a No. 13-ranked defense (DVOA places the unit 17th). The former Jets HC has taken heat for his clock management, and the Bucs have certainly dipped as a whole compared to the two Brady-Bruce Arians years. Bowles one-and-done rumors emerged late last season, and the Bucs dropped from 3-1 to 4-7 this year. With a clear chance to either qualify for the playoffs as the NFC South champ or as a wild card, the Bucs do not profile as a clear-cut candidate to dismantle their setup. But this does look to be a consideration.

Here is the latest from the coaching and front office ranks:

  • Weathering a storm of his own making last week, Sean McDermott has the Bills at 7-6. While that is a disappointing record given the team’s plus-104 point differential, Buffalo looms as a dangerous team in the AFC wild-card race. Prior to the report about McDermott using the 9/11 hijackers as an example of teamwork back in 2019, the seventh-year HC was viewed as close to a lock to return in 2024. The Bills HC, however, may not be completely in the clear, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes. The Bills still have matchups against the Cowboys and Dolphins. While McDermott has led a recovery effort that has featured five playoff appearances in six years, not advancing to this year’s bracket — in a conference littered with backup QBs — would be a major disappointment. Would that fate be enough for the Bills to cut bait?
  • On the subject of the Bills’ staff, the team hired another assistant following Ken Dorsey‘s firing. Former Buffalo University OC DJ Mangas is now on McDermott’s staff as an offensive assistant, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. Mangas also was on the 2019 LSU staff alongside current Bills OC Joe Brady. Mangas, 34, spent this season as the MAC program’s OC; he was LSU’s pass-game coordinator in 2021. The Bills added Mangas to their staff during their Week 13 bye, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets. This is Mangas’ first NFL gig.
  • Syracuse firing longtime HC Dino Babers will have ramifications for the Patriots. The ACC program will poach Ross Douglas from New England, per ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel, who notes the three-year Pats assistant will work as the wide receivers coach under new Orange coach Fran Brown. Douglas, 29, climbed to the role of Patriots wideouts coach this year. While the Patriots are expected to move on from their legendary HC after the season, it is not known if Jerod Mayo would replace Bill Belichick and retain a number of assistants. An outside staffer coming in would point to the Pats’ staff being mostly sacked.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Leonard, Cowboys, Giants, Commanders, Del Rio

December 6th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shaquille Leonard‘s free agency decision brought additional intrigue due to its NFC East-only nature, and Jerry Jones said during an interview with 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Athletic’s Jon Machota) the chase did not come down to money. The Colts still owe Leonard $6.1MM guaranteed for the rest of this year. The sixth-year linebacker will collect $416K in prorated base salary from the Eagles, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That checks in above the veteran minimum, and Yates adds the Eagles included a $100K incentive and $17K per game in roster bonuses.

Leonard played 2 1/2 seasons on a five-year, $98.5MM accord — one that topped the ILB market until the Ravens’ Roquan Smith deal earlier this year — but saw two 2022 back surgeries impact his career. Visiting both the Cowboys and Eagles (ahead of the NFC East powers’ rematch Sunday), Leonard said (via AllPhly.com’s Zach Berman) his bond with Nick Sirianni played a key role in the Eagles choice. Sirianni was the Colts’ OC from 2018-20, Leonard’s first three NFL seasons (all of which resulted in All-Pro honors). He will attempt to recapture that form ahead of another free agency run in 2024.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Jaylon Johnson Wants To Stay With Bears Beyond 2023; Team Sought Big Return

November 1st, 2023 at 4:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Easily Jaylon Johnson‘s most eventful day on this website, Tuesday brought a spree of news pertaining to the contract-year Bears cornerback. The Bears gave Johnson permission to seek a trade, deviating from their previous stance, and discussed him with multiple teams. Ultimately, Johnson is still in Chicago. But Tuesday brought some important status updates.

Most notably, GM Ryan Poles said (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) it would have taken an offer including a first- or second-round pick to pry Johnson from the Bears. This is in line with a report from Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson, who notes the Bears were seeking a second-rounder in a deal Tuesday. Chicago wanted at least a Day 2 pick for the fourth-year starter, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds.

The Bears appeared ready to move Johnson, to the point the ascending cover man expected to be traded, per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley. Even with the stream of trade rumors and potential destinations — from Buffalo to San Francisco — swirling, Johnson still wants to be with the Bears beyond this season, Finley adds. Poles also wants Johnson to be with the team beyond 2023; that will require a hefty contract extension. Johnson also said in June he wanted to sign his second contract with the Bears, though negotiations have not gone smoothly.

Johnson, 24, has shown some well-timed growth. His coverage numbers, via Pro Football Focus or Pro-Football-Reference, are among the best in the league. The 2020 second-round pick ranks third among corners, per PFF, and his completion percentage yielded (50.0), yards per target (5.3) and passer rating as the closest defender (48.1) are considerably better than what he showed in the past. PFF had never previously rated Johnson higher than 50th in a season at his position. Johnson added a two-interception game, including a pick-six, against the Raiders in Week 7.

This profile may lead to some teams being leery of a big payment, and Johnson himself said he is not trying to reset the cornerback market or establish a new positional record. More consistent corners are candidates to do that, but Josh Norman once used a monster contract year to break the CB salary record — back in 2016, when the Panthers rescinding his franchise tag sent him to the market. Even if a Norman path is not viable, Johnson has made himself some money to start his contract year.

The Johnson camp’s ask prompted the Bears to let him look elsewhere, with a midday rumor circulating the team only did this to see what other clubs were willing to pay him. Poles said (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns) the Bears and Johnson have not engaged in extensive negotiations, pointing to the team’s final offer having not yet emerged. Teams’ apparent unwillingness to include a second-rounder in trades also stands to shape the next round of Johnson talks with the Bears.

Montez Sweat now being in the extension picture, as the key variable in that equation, complicates matters for the Bears and Johnson. Sweat looks to have jumped the line for franchise tag priority. Considering the Bears drafted two second-round corners (Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson) in Poles’ first two years, it would certainly seem Sweat is the priority. If the recently initiated Sweat extension talks produce a deal, a tag would be open for Johnson. The corner tag is projected to come in north of $19MM, however. No team has tagged a corner since the Rams cuffed Trumaine Johnson twice (2016-17).

QB Notes: Watson, Pickett, Herbert, Cards

October 2nd, 2023 at 4:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a Week 3 bounce-back effort, Deshaun Watson sat out Week 4 due to a shoulder injury. The Browns endured a 28-3 loss. While Kevin Stefanski said the team is on the same page with its high-priced quarterback medically, the fourth-year HC added (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) Watson was cleared to play against the Ravens.

“He knows is body, he’s played through serious pain before, very, very serious injuries,” Stefanski said. “It wasn’t a matter of pain tolerance. He just did not feel like he had his full faculties.”

The 2022 trade acquisition had missed one game due to injury since the ACL tear that ended his 2017 rookie season, being sidelined for a 2019 contest. The Browns, who saw Watson predecessor Baker Mayfield struggle when playing through a shoulder injury in 2021, traded away their Watson backup — Josh Dobbs — just before the regular season, leading to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking the keys.

Here is the latest from the QB landscape:

  • After limping off the field in Houston, Kenny Pickett received good news upon going through an MRI. The second-year Steelers QB did not sustain serious damage to his knee, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Pickett sustained a bone bruise and a muscle strain, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, but he has a chance to play this week. With the Steelers’ bye in Week 6, it would make sense for the team to hold its starter out. Mitchell Trubisky, who signed an offseason extension, remains in place as Pickett’s backup. After being usurped by the 2022 first-rounder, Trubisky was needed after Pickett sustained two concussions as a rookie.
  • The Chargers also received fairly good news on their starter. Justin Herbert is not expected to miss time after suffering a finger injury in Week 4. That said, Rapoport notes Herbert did suffer a finger break on his nonthrowing hand. Herbert playing through early-season injuries is, of course, nothing new. The star passer battled rib trouble after a Week 2 injury last year. The Bolts’ franchise centerpiece has never missed a game due to injury.
  • With Kyler Murray not particularly close to returning, Dobbs’ unexpected starter run will continue. The Cardinals pursued Dobbs in free agency, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes the team made him an offer to rejoin OC Drew Petzing. While Dobbs preferred a Cleveland return, he ended up back with Petzing — the Browns’ QBs coach last season — in Arizona via the “out of the blue” Cards trade offer. Dobbs became Arizona’s surprise starter due partially to the new staff’s concerns about Colt McCoy‘s lack of mobility, per Urban. McCoy, 37, did not impress as the starter during training camp. Murray’s two-year backup, who had signed a two-year deal worth $6MM in 2022, remains a free agent.
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