HEADLINES

Month: January 2023

Tua Tagovailoa To Miss Wild-Card Game

January 13th, 2023 at 11:06am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 13: McDaniel confirmed it will again be Thompson at the controls. The seventh-round pick will make his third start of the season. Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol, with McDaniel indicating (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe, on Twitter) he has not advanced to the on-field activity stage of the protocol. The Dolphins have not ruled out Bridgewater as a backup option for Sunday’s Bills matchup.

JANUARY 11: The Dolphins will not have their starting quarterback in their wild-card matchup with the Bills, Mike McDaniel said Wednesday. Tua Tagovailoa has not been cleared for football activities yet.

This obviously represents a tough blow for the AFC’s No. 7 seed, but it was viewed as an uphill battle for Tagovailoa — who has suffered two confirmed concussions this season — to be cleared for Miami’s first-round game. Tua has not suffered any setbacks, per McDaniel, who said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) “compounding variables” are in play here. This likely refers to the third-year QB’s prior injuries this season. This will be the third straight game in which the Dolphins will not have their starter available, and it will be Tagovailoa’s fifth absence this season.

As of Wednesday, the Dolphins are preparing to give third-stringer Skylar Thompson another start. But McDaniel said (via Jackson, on Twitter) Teddy Bridgewater is working toward a return. A seventh-round rookie, Thompson has struggled — as could be expected — when called upon this season. Bridgewater, who suffered a dislocated pinkie in Week 17, has not finished either of the two games he started during his first Dolphins slate. It is unlikely Bridgewater will be able to practice much this week, McDaniel said.

The Dolphins qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That team’s ensuing playoff game — a loss to the Steelers — involved a backup quarterback (Matt Moore). This will bring some familiar territory for Miami, which has not won a playoff game since the 2000 season. McDaniel’s Wednesday announcement, however, likely will allow Tua extensive time to recover before his fourth NFL campaign. His third presented his highest heights as a pro but also brought concerning injury developments.

Restoring some confidence after two uneven years to start his career, Tagovailoa finished the regular season third in QBR and led the Dolphins to eight of their nine wins. He also fared well in the Dolphins’ narrow loss to the Bills in Buffalo. But head injuries interrupted the Alabama product, who had aimed to return in time for a wild-card outing.

Tagovailoa displayed concussion-like symptoms in Week 3 against the Bills, and while the young southpaw returned to action shortly after that sequence, an NFLPA investigation into the Dolphins’ handling of that situation led to an overhaul of the NFL’s concussion protocol. Tagovailoa entered the protocol four days later, after being stretchered off the field in Cincinnati, and was again placed in the revised protocol a day after sustaining an unspotted concussion against Green Bay on Christmas Day.

Bridgewater, 30, would be the Dolphins’ best bet against the heavily favored Bills, but the veteran almost certainly will not be at 100% even if he does see action Sunday. Thompson completed 20 of 31 passes against the Jets’ tough pass defense, averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt. The Kansas State product has completed 57% of his throws this season.

Sean Payton Prefers Broncos Job To Other HC Vacancies?

January 13th, 2023 at 10:23am CST by Sam Robinson

Russell Wilson‘s first Broncos season sounded alarm bells about his future, calling into question the team’s decision to trade for the nine-time Pro Bowler and hand him a five-year extension before the season began. Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett never seemed a match, but even as the 34-year-old quarterback fared better upon the latter’s dismissal, the veteran passer’s presence certainly affects the Broncos’ coaching search.

But Sean Payton may still view Wilson as an asset. The high-profile coaching free agent would sign off on working with Wilson, according to the Washington Post’s Mark Maske (on Twitter). The Broncos are believed to be the early frontrunners for Payton, Maske adds.

The Saints have granted permission for the Broncos, Cardinals and Texans to speak with Payton. But Payton’s view of this year’s available jobs remains unclear. He is set to meet with the Broncos on Tuesday in Los Angeles; no other known meetings have been scheduled. Payton, 58, is believed to be intrigued by the Broncos’ new ownership group, Maske adds. Fronted by Rob Walton and new CEO Greg Penner, this contingent is running the Broncos’ latest HC search — with help from GM George Paton — and has a clear advantage when it comes to dollars.

Wilson finished this season 27th in QBR, plunging off a cliff from even an injury-marred 2021 season (10th). One of the NFL’s top quarterbacks from this era has either seen his prime come to a screeching halt much earlier than expected, or the Hackett union and the offense he designed for Wilson (with input from Wilson) caused considerable damage. Wilson put the Saints on his radar during the 2021 offseason, listing New Orleans (along with the Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas) as an acceptable trade destination. The Seahawks did not trade Wilson in 2021, pulling the trigger in 2022 for a compensation package fronted by two first-round picks. Considering how poorly Wilson’s 2022 season went, Payton selecting the Broncos would be a bit of a gamble. For Wilson, however, the longtime Saints HC’s arrival could be tremendously beneficial.

Payton viewing Wilson as an asset comes shortly after a report surfaced indicating the quarterback might deter the former Super Bowl-winning HC from picking the Broncos. Some around the league are skeptical Payton would sign up to fix Wilson, but the Broncos are likely to offer their next coach the chance to have final say on personnel matters. Denver’s next HC will report to Penner and not Paton, a change from the team’s 2021 and ’22 setup. While such an arrangement can lead to incongruity, it should appeal to HC candidates.

The Broncos are believed to have Payton as their 1-A candidate, with Jim Harbaugh at 1-B. Michigan, however, is — as should be expected, given Harbaugh’s track record — trying to retain its longtime HC. Michigan president Santa Ono confirmed (via Twitter) conversations with Harbaugh are ongoing. Harbaugh then offered some words of support for Ono’s overtures, opening the door to a scenario where the NFL interest — including a Monday Broncos interview — leads to another new Harbaugh contract with Michigan.

Payton could also opt to pass on this year’s collection of jobs and wait for 2024. The Chargers and Cowboys’ wild-card games figure to be of interest as well. Both were on Payton’s early list of possible destinations — well before the Wilson-Hackett partnership created the Denver opening. This Broncos job could have similar appeal at this point, with Maske adding (via Twitter) Payton may still hold the Denver gig in high regard even if the Dallas position opened up.

Browns Request DC Interviews With Brian Flores, Jim Schwartz, Jerod Mayo, Sean Desai

January 13th, 2023 at 10:15am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 13: Mayo will pass on an interview with the Browns, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston tweets. This comes after the Panthers requested a head coaching interview with the young assistant and the Patriots making the rare move to announce they are negotiating an extension. The Pats clearly view Mayo as a key part of their future. As such, he is standing down regarding the Browns’ interest.

JANUARY 10: Albert Breer of TheMMQB tweeted out the upcoming schedule for Browns DC interviews. Jim Schwartz is set to interview with the organization on Wednesday, while Brian Flores will be in the building on Thursday. The team is still working out interview times with Jerod Mayo and Sean Desai.

JANUARY 9: The Browns are starting early on their defensive coordinator search. Hours after firing three-year defensive play-caller Joe Woods, the team is eyeing three assistants and former HC Jim Schwartz for the position.

Cleveland sent out an interview request for Schwartz, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, and the parties are scheduling a meeting. Schwartz spent this season out of football. Among other staffers to receive requests, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport add that Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores, Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Seahawks associate HC Sean Desai have each received interview summons (all Twitter links).

Surprisingly fired by the Dolphins after leading a turnaround during the team’s aggressive rebuild effort, Flores interviewed for four HC jobs last year. Amid a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and several teams, Flores was not hired and ended up in Pittsburgh as a Mike Tomlin lieutenant on defense. Even with Flores’ lawsuit still proceeding, it is unsurprising he has received early attention. It will be interesting if Flores, 41, ends up on the HC interview circuit; that will impede an early Browns commitment. Prior to his Dolphins tenure, Flores vaulted onto the HC radar after being Bill Belichick‘s de facto DC — a season that ended with the Patriots becoming the second team in Super Bowl history to hold an opponent (the Rams) without a touchdown.

Mayo, 36, has also met with teams about their HC vacancies in the recent past; the Broncos and Raiders interviewed him last year. Mayo reaffirmed recently a desire to become a head coach. While that is not exactly surprising, the Browns are interested to see if he move up a rung on the ladder in order to eventually move to the top of it. A former Patriots linebacker, Mayo has been on Belichick’s staff since 2019.

Desai, 39, spent a season (2021) as the Bears’ DC, but with Matt Nagy‘s staff being canned after last season, the Vic Fangio disciple ended up in Seattle under fellow ex-Fangio staffer Clint Hurtt. Desai spent nine seasons in Chicago, serving as a position coach under Marc Trestman and John Fox before working under Nagy.

Schwartz already showing interest in the Browns mark the beginnings of a potential homecoming for the veteran defensive leader. Schwartz started his NFL career on Belichick’s Browns staff in the early 1990s. The Ravens kept him on after firing Belichick in 1996, and Schwartz has since been a defensive coordinator for three teams — the Titans, Bills and Eagles — and spent the past two seasons as a Titans assistant. The former Lions HC, now 56, has 19 years of NFL HC or DC experience and collected a Super Bowl ring as Philly’s DC in 2017. Schwartz’s time in Philly overlapped with Browns GM Andrew Berry‘s stay with the NFC East team.

Commanders Contact Jim Caldwell About OC Job; QBs Coach Ken Zampese On Radar

January 13th, 2023 at 9:48am CST by Sam Robinson

To begin their search to replace Scott Turner as offensive coordinator, the Commanders reached out to former Colts and Lions HC Jim Caldwell. While Caldwell has a history as an OC, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com and Ian Rapoport note (via Twitter) the veteran coach is uninterested in the position.

Caldwell, who has interviewed for the Broncos and Panthers’ HC jobs recently, informed the NFC East team he is only interested in pursuing HC roles at this point. Caldwell, 67, has been out of the league since a 2019 one-off as the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach.

The Commanders are also believed to be interested in one of their own. After an ESPN report listed Ken Zampese as a possible candidate to replace Turner, the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala confirmed the team’s QBs coach is on the radar for the job (Twitter link). Zampese has been with the team throughout Ron Rivera‘s tenure, serving as Turner’s QBs coach for three seasons.

Zampese, 55, has OC experience as well, having served in that role under Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati from 2016-17. The second-generation NFL assistant also coached the Bengals’ QBs in Lewis’ first 13 years at the help, bringing considerable experience to Washington after a long run coaching Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton. The Commanders are believed to remain in favor of their offensive scheme, but issues with Turner’s play-calling and philosophy led to the separation.

Most of Caldwell’s NFL experience has come as either a head coach or quarterbacks coach. He was Peyton Manning‘s position coach from 2002-08 and became Tony Dungy‘s successor in 2009, helming the Colts — during Manning’s fourth MVP season — to Super Bowl XLIV. Manning’s 2011 injury absence led to a 2-14 Colts season and Caldwell’s dismissal, but he picked up a Super Bowl ring with the 2012 Ravens, who promoted him to OC late that season. The Lions employed Caldwell for four years as their coach, and he is the only Detroit HC to post a winning record during his time with the team in 50 years. Caldwell went 36-28 with the Lions.

Caldwell has remained on the HC radar but has never been considered a frontrunner for a role since the Detroit ouster. The Packers, Browns, Jets, Cardinals, Texans, Bears and Jaguars have interviewed Caldwell from 2018-22. Despite hurdles continually appearing in Caldwell’s path to a third HC opportunity, OC gigs do not appear to interest him at this point in his career.

Cardinals Request HC Interview With Steelers’ Brian Flores

January 13th, 2023 at 8:06am CST by Sam Robinson

After interviewing for the Browns’ defensive coordinator job, Brian Flores received his first head coaching interview request in this year’s cycle. The Cardinals want to interview the former Dolphins HC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Although the Cards are aiming to hire their general manager first, coaching candidates are beginning to emerge in Arizona. Flores joins Sean Payton and Vance Joseph in the mix for this job.

Just more than a year ago, Flores appeared in the clear to prepare for a fourth season as Miami’s HC. But the Dolphins fired the longtime Bill Belichick lieutenant, just after he had defeated the then-playoff-bound Patriots to close a season with a winning record. That set off a seminal chain of events, which changed Flores’ reputation and the Dolphins’ plans.

The racial discrimination lawsuit Flores filed against the NFL and some of its teams is ongoing, and while several teams (the Bears, Giants, Saints and Texans) still proceeded with HC interviews during last year’s busier HC carousel, Flores ended up taking a gig as Pittsburgh’s linebackers coach. Flores’ lawsuit also was believed to scuttle the Dolphins’ plans at bringing in Payton and Tom Brady, and Ross drew a tampering suspension. While the NFL did not punish Ross as a result of Flores’ tanking allegations, his Miami exit created quite the controversy and stripped the team of first- and third-round draft picks.

Handed one of the worst rosters in recent NFL history, Flores went 5-11 with the 2019 Dolphins and led them to winning seasons in 2020 and ’21. While Flores continued to make changes at offensive coordinator and ruffled some feathers among the organization, his Miami record (24-25) stands out among Belichick assistants. Flores took the Miami job after being Belichick’s de facto DC in 2018, a season that finished with the Patriots becoming the second team in Super Bowl history to hold an opponent (the Rams) without a touchdown. During Flores’ time in New England, he coached Cardinals GM candidate Adrian Wilson. An Achilles injury prevented Wilson from playing for the Pats in 2013, but veteran Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki notes the former safety was impressed with the then-safeties coach (Twitter link).

Considering the Dolphins’ pursuit of Payton, it is interesting both he and Flores are on the radar for the Cardinals position. Flores, 41, never figured to stay long as a Steelers position coach. While no other teams during this year’s cycle have requested a head coaching interview with him this year, more DC interest probably figures to come his way soon.

Woody Johnson Prepared To Pay Up For QB Addition, Addresses HC-GM Setup

January 12th, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Everything about the second half of this Jets season pointed to the team entering the 2023 quarterback market. Their owner all but confirmed it Thursday.

Woody Johnson said the Jets will be prepared to spend for a veteran quarterback. The team has not gone in this direction in a while, but its past two top-five draft choices — Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson — have not panned out. Wilson’s struggles ended up holding back a vastly improved defense, something Johnson obviously does not want to recur.

“Absolutely,” Johnson said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) when asked he was willing to spend for a veteran. “We’ve got a cap, so there’s an amount you can spend. But, yeah, yeah. That’s kind of the missing piece.”

Robert Saleh added the Jets will be “aggressive as heck” regarding the quarterback position. A veteran pursuit will mark a change of pace for the organization.

Not only have the Jets devoted their QB investments to rookies over the past five years, they had low- or midlevel QB contracts — Josh McCown, Ryan Fitzpatrick — on the payroll in the years before Darnold’s arrival. The organization which tried Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith throughout the first half of the 2010s last made a major veteran investment back in 2008, when it traded for Brett Favre. As such, the Jets appearing serious about trying to pair their reloaded defense with a readier QB would qualify as a significant development.

Wilson’s disastrous start to his career led to a second-season benching — almost unheard of for a modern top-five QB pick — and Johnson said the team likely erred by not bringing in a veteran last year to ease the BYU prospect’s transition. Since-departed OC Mike LaFleur said the same recently.

“Zach had a tough year. There’s no denying that,” Johnson said. “I still have confidence that I’ve seen some kernels of real talent there. …[His] confidence level, whatever it was, went down, so that was certainly frustrating for him. And then we had that rotation, which is very hard to do in the NFL — changing quarterbacks.”

The Jets attempting to fix their Wilson mistake with a veteran move has seemed likely for weeks, since the team demoted the former No. 2 overall selection to the third-string level. LaFleur’s exit clouds a potential Jimmy Garoppolo signing. Previously, a LaFleur-Garoppolo reunion made some sense; the ex-49ers duo reuniting would have allowed for a smooth transition. But other QBs will be available.

New York has the option of trading for Derek Carr in February; Las Vegas is prepared to shop him. Otherwise, Smith has been connected to staying with the Seahawks. The Giants now want to re-sign Daniel Jones. Gang Green’s weaponry and defense could conceivably attract Tom Brady, though it is not yet certain if he will play an age-46 season, and Aaron Rodgers‘ Green Bay future is once again murky. The Raiders, who are also connected to Garoppolo, are seemingly set to be a Brady suitor — if the all-time great wishes to play in 2023. The Ravens will not let Lamar Jackson hit the market. The former MVP hitting the trade block after two offseasons of failed negotiations would certainly test Johnson’s pledge to pay up for a QB.

Johnson was serving as ambassador to the United Kingdom when the Jets hired Saleh and GM Joe Douglas. Despite inheriting the two, Johnson said Thursday he would not require a 2023 playoff berth for Saleh and Douglas to stay. However, he also did not confirm the duo would be safe with another postseason absence. The Jets’ 12-season playoff drought is by far the NFL’s longest active streak.

“No, I don’t do mandates,” Johnson said. “We’ve had a long wait. Fifty-four years from the last Super Bowl is too long, way too long. I’d like to change that fast, but mandates don’t work.”

Saleh said LaFleur had other options, but it is interesting the Jets will allow their two-year OC to explore them rather than ensure he came back. This certainly points to a firing. Johnson said (via the New York Post’s Brian Costello, on Twitter) he was not part of the decision that led LaFleur out, though he also noted he had private conversations with Douglas, Saleh and LaFleur and offered input. The team is now shopping for a new OC.

Lions Interested In Re-Signing WR DJ Chark, DL John Cominsky

January 12th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Ben Levine

The Lions have interest in retaining free agents on both sides of the ball. When asked about the impending free agencies of wide receiver DJ Chark and defensive lineman John Cominsky, Lions GM Brad Holmes made it clear that he’d like to re-sign the two players.

“Those guys had good years and, look, as long as their fits for our culture and what we’re trying to build and where we’re going, yeah, absolutely [we’d like to re-sign them],” Holmes said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

After starting his career with the Jaguars, Chark inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Lions last offseason. The wideout ended up starting 10 of his 11 games, hauling in 30 receptions for 502 yards and three touchdowns. Chark suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 that kept him off the field until the middle of November.

Following three forgettable seasons in Atlanta to start his career, Cominsky was claimed by the Lions in May. He ended up starting eight of his 14 games in 2022, ranking second on the team in QB pressures and hits. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked Cominsky 47th among 119 qualifying edge defenders, including one of the best grades at the position for coverage. The defensive end seems to share his GM’s sentiment, telling Kyle Meinke of MLive that he’d like to stick around Detroit.

“I do want to be here,” Cominksy said. “I’ve told all the coaches. I’ve told players. I want to be here. I want to be with these guys. We have a young room (and) I would love to be that veteran in that room. (Josh) Paschal, Demetrius Taylor, Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston. I love all those guys. To be here and to be a leader and mentor for them, I would love that.”

Texans WR John Metchie III Making Strides In Recovery

January 12th, 2023 at 9:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Rookie second-round pick John Metchie III knew he faced a long road to his NFL debut after tearing his ACL in last year’s SEC title game. Little did he know he would be faced with a much larger challenge as he prepared for his big return. Metchie’s diagnosis of Acute Promyelocytic Luekemia would hold him out of training camp, the preseason, and his entire rookie season. Fortunately, the long road appears to be winding down as Texans general manager Nick Caserio announced that Metchie has made “amazing” progress, according to Texans TV Host Drew Dougherty.

Caserio hinted that Metchie’s return could come as soon as April. “I’d say there’s a chance that he’ll be ready for the start of the offseason program,” Caserio told Seth Payne and Sean Pendergast on SportRadio 610 this week. Since the Texans, who fired Lovie Smith this week, will have a new head coach in 2023, they will get to begin their offseason conditioning program two weeks before teams with returning head coaches. That means Metchie could be back working out with the team as soon as April 3.

“I think there are still some things that he has to complete or go through,” Caserio continued. “Quite frankly, it’s amazing what he’s done to this point…He actually looks better now than he did when we drafted him in the spring. He’s improved his strength. He’s improved his lower body strength. His attitude has been great, even though he’s been dealing with a lot of things medically.”

While Metchie had originally described his APL as the most curable form of the disease in the statement announcing his diagnosis, it’s still great news to hear that he’s coming back on the other side of it stronger than he started. After a long, hard road, Metchie’s NFL debut is back on track.

Colts Interview Eric Bieniemy For HC Job

January 12th, 2023 at 8:49pm CST by Ben Levine

A big name has been added to the list of Colts head coaching candidates. Owner Jim Irsay announced on Twitter that the Colts have completed an interview with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

This is a sudden development in the organization’s head coaching search, but not a particularly surprising one. Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets that the Colts have been “digging” on Bieniemy over the past few days.

A fixture on head-coaching carousels in recent years, Bieniemy has been unable to land a top job. The coordinator was connected to all seven head coaching vacancies during the 2021 campaign, but he only interviewed for two gigs (Saints, Broncos) in 2022. Now, after years of interviewing for a head coach job, Bieniemy has secured only his first interview of the year.

A Chiefs assistant throughout Andy Reid‘s nine-year tenure, Bieniemy has been the team’s OC throughout Patrick Mahomes‘ QB1 run. A report indicated that the 2021 season was somewhat trying for Bieniemy mentally, and the prospect of sitting out 2022 or returning to the college ranks emerged. He ultimately decided to stick in Kansas City, and despite the loss of wideout Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs offense still managed to lead the NFL in points and yards.

Bieniemy would be a logical fit in Indianapolis, where the Colts are looking for a head coach to replace Frank Reich and (potentially) interim HC Jeff Saturday. As ESPN’s Stephen Holder tweets, the coach has “strong ties” to Colts general manager Chris Ballard dating back to their time in Kansas City.

As our 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, the growing list of known and potential Colts head coaching candidates includes:

Cardinals Request GM Interview With Ravens’ Joe Hortiz

January 12th, 2023 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Joe Hortiz is back on the GM radar. The Cardinals have requested permission to interview the Ravens’ director of player personnel, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

Hortiz has been a fixture in Baltimore’s front office for more than 25 years. After spending part of his tenure as the director of college scouting, the executive was promoted to director of player personnel when Eric DeCosta took over as Baltimore’s GM in 2019.

Over the years, Hortiz has been credited with the selections of many home-grown Ravens players, and the organization’s continued success has made him a popular name on the GM circuit. The executive interviewed for both the Giants and Steelers general manager vacancies last offseason, an indication that he was willing to consider a promotion with a new organization.

The Cardinals are currently seeking a new general manager and a new head coach. At the moment, Hortiz joins a growing list of GM candidates that includes:

49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters declined an interview with the Cardinals.

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