Uncategorized - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Garoppolo

March 1st, 2016 at 9:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Some assorted notes from around the league on this Tuesday evening…

The Jaguars have hired former Falcons executive DeJuan Polk as their new assistant director of pro personnel, the team announced today (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com). Polk has spent the majority of the last decade working as the pro personnel coordinator in Atlanta.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell goes in-depth to explain why it might make more sense for the Titans to trade down in the draft rather than using the No. 1 overall pick on offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky wonders if the Titans would gamble on Jalen Ramsey with the top pick. A defensive back has never been chosen with the first overall pick, but Titans general manager Jon Robinson didn’t necessarily rule out the idea. “I would say with the first overall pick, we’re looking to add an impact player,” he said. “There’s a handful of players that fit into that. A handful could be a couple or it could be 10 according to how big your hands are. But we want to come away with somebody that is going to impact our football team.”
The Lions expect 2015 draftee Quandre Diggs to be a regular contributor in nickel and dime defenses next season, but the team will still need to address the cornerback position in free agency or the draft, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Tom Brady‘s new contract extension has observers reassessing Jimmy Garoppolo‘s role with the Patriots. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com doesn’t think New England’s backup QB will become a potential trade chip until at least 2017, unless another team blows away the Pats with an offer.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Cruz, RGIII, Cards

February 24th, 2016 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

With Tony Romo turning 36 this April, the Cowboys may not get a better chance to draft his eventual successor, but their No. 4 overall pick could also be used to address a more immediate need elsewhere on the roster. Speaking to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones acknowledges that the idea of selecting a quarterback is one the team must seriously consider.

“I mean you have to look at it,” Jones said. “You’re not naive to it but if you have the opportunity in this league, in our situation, to get a potential franchise quarterback, then you have to make the investment. You have to have the patience. You sacrifice maybe that opportunity that maybe is impactful right now.”

Let’s round up several more items from across the NFC….

Speaking to Nina Mandell of of USA Today’s For The Win, wide receiver Victor Cruz speculated that there’s an 80 percent chance he’ll return to the Giants for the 2016 season. While that’s an optimistic estimate, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com tweets that it doesn’t sound like Cruz has been told anything definitive yet by the team.
In the wake of Washington president Bruce Allen suggesting Robert Griffin III won’t be back with the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) identifies the Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Broncos, and Cowboys as possible suitors for RGIII.
Speaking today to reporters at the combine in Indianapolis, Cardinals GM Steve Keim said that he loves Andre Ellington‘s skills, but the running back must show he can consistently stay healthy before Arizona seriously considers locking him up long-term (Twitter link via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic). As a 2013 draftee, Ellington is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason.
Former CFL pass rusher Tristan Okpalaugo, who signed with the Cardinals this week, got a $30K signing bonus on his one-year, minimum-salary deal, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

Follow Pro Football Rumors On Instagram

February 15th, 2016 at 5:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Pro Football Rumors has just launched an official Instagram account (@ProFootballRumors)! Each day, we’ll be sharing conversation-inspiring images about the hottest topics in football. From there, we invite you to give us a like, weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section, and even share the link with a friend.

Recently, we gave readers a sneak peek at what Matt Forte might look like in a Dolphins uniform. Forte, one of the league’s top running backs for the last few years, has been informed that he will not be re-signed by the Bears this spring. One club worth considering as a potential fit is in Miami, where former Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase is the new Dolphins’ head coach, and Lamar Miller is also facing free agency.

Do you think Matt Forte will take his talents to South Beach? Or do you see him signing somewhere else instead? Follow us on Instagram today and reply back in the comments section with your thoughts.

PFR Originals: 1/24/16 – 1/31/16

January 31st, 2016 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

In our latest Community Tailgate post, we asked: Who’s going to win Super Bowl 50? The discussion seems to be pretty evenly divided between the Broncos and Panthers so far, so jump in and give your opinion! And be sure to look out for future Community Tailgates, where we’ll post a topic for discussion and ask for your thoughts in the comments section.
Luke Adams took a look at the longest-tenured NFL coaches, and Bill Belichick still leads the way, having been in charge of the Patriots since 2000. Marvin Lewis, Mike McCarthy, Sean Payton, and Mike Tomlin round out the top five.
Luke also went over the latest news in the league’s ongoing offensive and defensive coordinator searches.
Zach Links rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.

NFC West Notes: Rams, Boldin, Cardinals

January 27th, 2016 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Before he threw a single regular-season pass for the Rams, Nick Foles signed a two-year extension that ensured he wouldn’t be eligible for free agency this winter. Although Foles is sticking around, he won’t be handed the starting quarterback job in 2016, according to Rams general manager Les Snead.

Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio from the Senior Bowl, Snead told Mark Dominik and Alex Marvez that he expects Foles, Case Keenum, Sean Mannion, and any other offseason QB additions to battle for the No. 1 job this summer (link via Marvez at FOX Sports). “If I learned one thing last year, we should have let the quarterbacks have a competition from the start and the best man win instead of just passing the torch to Nick,” Snead said.

The Rams are paying Foles like the starter, as the former Eagles will count for $8.75MM against the cap in ’16. By comparison, Mannion will have a cap hit under $1MM, while Keenum – a restricted free agent – likely won’t make more than $2-3MM. Still, it sounds like Foles’ higher price tag won’t guarantee him anything.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC West…

49ers wideout Anquan Boldin, who is eligible for free agency this winter, spoke briefly to Chip Kelly after the new head coach joined the team, but said today that he has yet to engage in negotiations with anyone from the Niners’ front office about a new contract. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has the details, along with Boldin’s quotes.
Former Missouri edge defender Michael Sam plans to take “one more shot” at making an NFL roster this year, he tweeted on Tuesday. Sam became the first openly gay player to be drafted when he was selected by the Rams in 2014.
After bringing him in for a workout last month, the Cardinals have tried out defensive back Joel Wilkinson again, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Earlier today, veteran Cardinals long snapper Mike Leach announced his retirement. Our full story can be found right here.

NFL Combine To Remain In Indy Through 2020

January 23rd, 2016 at 8:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL Scouting Combine will remain in Indianapolis through the 2020 season, reports Mike Chappell of CBS4. The new deal between the league and the city runs through 2017, followed by three one-year extension options, confirmed Chris Gahl, vice president of Visit Indy.

“We basically had been working on a year-to-year contract,” said Gahl. “The combine and the NFL were seeking a longer-term agreement because of the logistics involved and putting on an event the size of the combine. This allows everyone involved to know the dates are secure and the venue is secure. It allows for longer-term planning.”

More than 2,000 NFL coaches, executives, and other employees (plus about 300 draft-eligible prospects) migrate to Indianapolis each year in advance of the draft. The event, which has become so popular that it’s now aired on the NFL Network, has been hosted in Indianapolis since 1987. Rumors had swirled that the combine could move to Los Angeles as part of the league’s recent relocation efforts, but it appears that won’t happen any time soon.

This year’s combine will take place February 23-29.

South Notes: Tillman, Titans, Hasselbeck

January 12th, 2016 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Panthers cornerback Charles Tillman will have ACL surgery on Wednesday, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Tillman is, of course, sidelined for the playoffs and, at this time, he has not decided about his football future. Tillman, who turns 35 in February, had a nice bounce-back season in Carolina this year after playing in just 10 total games for the Bears in 2013 and 2014.

Let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFL’s South divisions….

Multiple Titans GM candidates, if they were hired, would choose against retaining Mike Mularkey as head coach, a source with knowledge of the team’s interview process told Jason Wolf of The Tennessean.
Matt Hasselbeck will wait a few weeks before making a final decision on whether or not to retire, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Hasselbeck’s contract with the Colts is set to expire, so he’ll have to sign a new deal with Indianapolis or another team if he intends to continue his playing career.
On the heels of a five-turnover performance by Brian Hoyer in the game that eliminated the Texans from the postseason, GM Rick Smith and head coach Bill O’Brien recognize that finding a “big-time quarterback like many of the other playoff teams” is the top priority for the franchise, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has exerted greater control of the New Orleans Pelicans recently, but that’s only temporary, with Tom Benson‘s NBA team expected to bring in Joe Dumars to run the front office. Check out our sister site, Hoops Rumors, for the latest on Loomis’ involvement with the Pelicans.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Coach Rumors: Gase, Eagles, Pederson, Jets

January 7th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have not yet scheduled a second interview with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their head coaching position, a league source familiar with the club’s thinking tells Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. While Frank suggests that this contradicts a previous report on Gase, that Wednesday report didn’t actually say a second interview had been formally set up by the Eagles — just that the team wanted to bring him back for a second meeting.

Although it hasn’t been scheduled yet, a second interview between Gase and the Eagles could still happen. However, Frank suggests that the club may not finish its first round of interviews and regroup until next week sometime.

In other coaching news out of Philadelphia, Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson will interview with the Eagles on Sunday for their head coaching job, regardless of how Kansas City does in its playoff game, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Here are several more coaching-related updates from around the NFL:

The Jets have parted ways with special teams coach Bobby April, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Special teams assistant Steve Hagen and assistant offensive line coach Ron Heller have also been let go by the club.
If he doesn’t get a head coaching job somewhere, look for ex-Falcons head coach Mike Smith to be a candidate for the Buccaneers‘ defensive coordinator job, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Leslie Frazier is on his way out in Tampa Bay.
Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says he has talked to several teams looking for a head coach about defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. At the moment, only the Browns have formally asked for an interview, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. McDermott has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Eagles and Giants as well.
Per Mike Wells of ESPN.com, the Colts have officially confirmed several previously-reported changes to their coaching staff, including the dismissal of defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. The club also announced it has parted ways with strength and conditioning coach Roger Marandino and running backs coach Charlie Williams.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Coach Notes: Dolphins, Gase, Raiders, 49ers

January 6th, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins announced on Tuesday evening that they have completed head coaching interviews with former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.

The Dolphins have several more candidates lined up this week, including Bills assistant head coach Anthony Lynn, former Bills head coach Doug Marrone, and their own interim head coach Dan Campbell. However, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears that, at the start of the search, team owner Stephen Ross‘s favorite candidate is Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who is scheduled to meet with Miami on Thursday.

Having seen multiple coaches with previous head coaching experience fail in Miami over the last decade or so, Salguero is unconvinced that Gase is the right man for the job, suggesting that the Dolphins need a more seasoned NFL coach for the role. As we wait to see if the team agrees with that assessment and passes on Gase in favor of someone with more experience, let’s round up a few more Wednesday morning coaching notes…

Speaking of Gase, the Eagles confirmed that they interviewed the Bears offensive coordinator for their head coaching position on Tuesday. Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Tuesday’s marathon meeting lasted for about eight hours.
A year after Jack Del Rio took over as the team’s head coach, the Raiders don’t plan to make any changes to his coaching staff, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
There’s a good chance that the 49ers‘ new head coach will be a quarterback-friendly, offensive-minded candidate, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. A few of the candidates already linked to the Niners, including Sean Payton, Hue Jackson, and Mike Shanahan, definitely fit that bill.
After firing defensive coordinator Greg Manusky on Tuesday, the Colts also parted ways with tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts and secondary coaches Mike Gillhamer and Roy Anderson, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Earlier today, we recapped the latest updates on the Giants‘ head coaching search.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Eagles Rumors: HC Search, Peters, Bradford

January 4th, 2016 at 8:24am CST by Luke Adams

Two current NFL head coaches, Sean Payton of the Saints and John Harbaugh of the Ravens, are atop Jeffrey Lurie‘s wish list to replace Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, writes Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.

While the team may have a shot at Payton, there’s essentially no chance of landing Harbaugh, a former Eagles assistant. Harbaugh still has two years left on his contract, and Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk writes that, despite the Ravens’ disappointing 2015 campaign, the team has no plans to move on from its head coach.

As the Eagles consider head coaching options, here are a few more notes of interest out of Philadelphia:

Mike Shanhan, who is interviewing for the Dolphins’ head coaching job and has interest in the 49ers’ vacancy, has also expressed interest in the Eagles’ head coaching opening, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It’s not clear yet whether that interest is mutual, or whether the Eagles will schedule an interview with Shanahan.
Pat Shurmur‘s head coaching interview with the Eagles is taking place today, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer confirms (via Twitter). Shurmur will be the second in-house candidate to interview for the job, with running backs coach Duce Staley having also met with the team.
In a piece for the Inquirer, McLane examines what kind of coach the Eagles should be targeting, with veteran left tackle Jason Peters suggesting “a strong guy, somebody like Andy Reid.”
Of course, it’s not a lock that Peters will be back with the team, but he wants to return to Philadelphia, and expressed confidence that he’s the best option at left tackle for the Eagles, as Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News details. “I can still play tackle,” Peters said. “I’m the best we’ve got. Who they going to put there? Who’s better than me in this locker room? Nobody. Who can they draft, better than me? Nobody. Who can they pick up, better than me? Nobody.”
Sam Bradford is eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, so he may have played his last game with the Eagles, but the quarterback’s performance on Sunday showed why the team should strongly consider bringing him back, writes Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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