Cardinals Promote James Bettcher To DC
WEDNESDAY, 2:11pm: The Cardinals have officially named Bettcher the team’s new defensive coordinator, per a team release. The team also confirmed Sanders’ hiring as a linebackers coach, and promoted Mike Chiurco to a defensive assistant/assistant DBs coach role.
SUNDAY, 1:58pm: The Cardinals are set to promote outside linebackers coach James Bettcher to defensive coordinator, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). Bettcher will replace Todd Bowles, who was hired as the Jets’ head coach. Per Jurecki, the club will officially announce the Bettcher’s hiring tomorrow, and will also hire Bob Sanders as a linebackers coach.
We heard last week that Arizona would likely promote a new DC from within following the Super Bowl, meaning that Cardinals coaches Brentson Buckner, Kevin Ross, Nick Rapone, and Tom Pratt were viewed as candidates alongside Bettcher. Head coach Bruce Arians & Co. ultimately settled on the 36-year-old Bettcher, who’s been on the Cards’ coaching staff since 2013. A longtime college coach, Bettcher served as the special teams coordinator at New Hampshire in 2011 before acting as a special assistant to Chuck Pagano, Arians, and the Colts in 2012. Last year, Bettcher contributed to an Arizona defense that played extremely well (7th in DVOA) despite numerous injuries; as OLB coach, Bettcher coaxed impressive performances out of veterans like John Abraham and little-known players such as Sam Acho.
Bettcher will oversee a Cardinals defensive unit that could see significant change in 2015. Antonio Cromartie, Dan Williams, Tommy Kelly, and Acho are all free agents, and Arizona might not have the cap space needed to retain them. Veteran linebackers Abraham and Larry Foote are also impending FAs, and both could strongly consider retirement. Given the club’s financial restraints, it will likely have to rely on under-the-radar veteran signings, as well as developing draft picks, to maintain its success next season.
In addition to internal candidates, the Cardinals also had flirtations with two veteran defensive coaches before settling on Bettcher. The club had discussions with ex-Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau, and nearly hired him as either a LB coach or a senior defensive assistant, but those negotiations ultimately fell through. Arizona also reportedly had interest in former Falcons DC Mike Nolan, but he instead took a position on the Chargers’ staff.
Per Jurecki, Sanders will be hired “as one of the LB coaches,” so it’s possible he’ll be brought in to directly replace Bettcher. The 61-year-old Sanders, not to be confused with the former Colts safety of the same name, served in the college ranks from 1978-2001. He acted as the Packers’ DC from 2006-08, and most recently was the Raiders’ LBs coach from 2013-14.
West Notes: Parker, Chiefs, Wilson
Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker, who had a breakout season in which he contributed at both safety and cornerback, looks poised to hit the open market, and is expected to be seeking a four- or five-year deal worth $6MM annually, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Though he only had one interception, Parker kept receivers from burning the Chiefs deep. All in all, KC went from the 25th ranked pass defense in 2013 to the second best in 2014. More from the AFC and NFC West..
- Meanwhile, Paylor (on Twitter) says that he can’t see Rodney Hudson getting less than $5MM per year. The Chiefs center, ranked third at his position last year by Pro Football Focus (subscription required), could be headed for upwards of $7MM per year.
- So much for playing hard-to-get. On Tuesday, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson reiterated his desire to stay in Seattle for the remainder of his career, as Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. “To be honest with you, I haven’t really thought anything about it. You know, I obviously want to play in Seattle forever. That’s my goal, and I want to be with this organization. I love this organization. I love this city. I love these fans, and I love winning here,” Wilson said. Wilson was also asked about the idea of being the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, but he doesn’t “worry” about having that mantle.
- Dick LeBeau turned down an offer to become the associate head coach of the Cardinals because it was too far from his home in Cincinnati, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). The Titans, meanwhile, are only a four-hour car ride away in Nashville.
Coaching Notes: Seahawks, Cardinals, Washington, Falcons
Following the Falcons hiring of former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, a former league executive wondered what could have been. Former Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik said that he twice tried to hire Quinn to become Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator, according to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com (via Twitter). Instead, Dominik settled for Bill Sheridan and Raheem Morris.
Let’s check out some more coaching notes from around the league…
- The Seahawks plan is to promote defensive backs coach Kris Richard to fill their defensive coordinator vacancy, but they may conduct a wider search first, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- The Falcons will hire Seahawks assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan as their new offensive line coach, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Morgan, of course, is following friend Dan Quinn to Atlanta.
- The Cardinals are scheduled to hire Bob Sanders as one of their linebacker coaches, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 AM (on Twitter). Sanders 61, served as the defensive coordinator of the Packers from 2006-08. He spent last year on the Raiders‘ staff.
- Washington (on Twitter) announced the hiring of Robb Akey as their defensive line coach. Akey, who has 26 years of coaching experience, served as the assistant defensive line coach for the Vikings in 2014.
- Furthermore, Washington is likely finished adding defensive assistants, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Fitzgerald, Revis, Jets
A look around the league, as the Seahawks look to protect their lead in the fourth quarter..
- After winning the inaugural Art Rooney Award at the NFL Honors, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was asked if he would be playing in Super Bowl 50 next season with the Cardinals should they make it. “In terms of next year, I have no idea what’s going to happen,” Fitzgerald said, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “That’s still to come. But I love Arizona, I love playing for the Cardinals and I love working for the Bidwill family.” Fitzgerald is scheduled to earn $16.25MM next season, with $8MM coming as a roster bonus in early March. Fitzgerald’s cap number in 2015 will be $23.6MM, currently 16% of the Cardinals’ cap for next season.
- A lot has changed in two years and Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes the Jets are serious about bringing Darrelle Revis back. Owner Woody Johnson recently said that he’d love to bring the star cornerback back to New York and it was reported that they’re expected to pursue him if he hits the open market. Johnson, Cimini writes, has likely realized that fans are fed up with cautious offseasons and therefore is feeling pressure to make a splash.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has more details on the investigation into the Patriots‘ deflated footballs. Some of Rapoport’s information seems to vindicate Bill Belichick and Tom Brady of wrongdoing.
Bruce Arians Wins Coach Of The Year
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians was announced as the 2014 Coach of the Year at NFL Honors on Saturday, as Chris Wesseling of NFL.com writes. Arians is now a two-time honoree, having won the award two years ago with the Colts.
Despite being in one of the league’s toughest divisions and a rash of injuries that claimed multiple quarterbacks, key defenders, and starting tailback Andre Ellington, Arians guided the Cardinals to the best record in all of football for the first half of the 2014 season. The Cardinals finished with a 11-5 mark, good for second in the division behind the Seahawks, the eventual NFC champions.
Arians won the award without much competition, though the voting wasn’t unanimous. Bill O’Brien (Texans) and Jason Garrett (Cowboys) each received three votes while Pete Carroll (Seahawks), Jim Caldwell (Lions), and Bill Belichick (Patriots) also registered votes.
Cardinals Eye Larry Foote For Coaching Staff
Cardinals linebacker Larry Foote is a free agent this offseason, and his future is uncertain.
Foote was signed by the Cardinals this past offseason, after being cut by the Steelers to provide Pittsburgh with additional cap space. After being released by the Steelers last March, Foote was adamant that he was not considering retirement.
As a free agent, the 35-year old linebacker will face a similar decision. There is a chance the Cardinals will want him back on another short term deal, or he could explore other options across the league.
If he does decide to retire, the Cardinals could elect to keep him in Arizona on the coaching staff, reports Kent Somers of AZCentral.com (via Twitter).
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has long familiarity with Foote going back to their time together in Pittsburgh. Arians had coached offense for his entire career in Pittsburgh, joining the Steelers’ staff following the 2003 season. Foote was already becoming established in Pittsburgh after being selected as a fourth-round pick in 2002.
Foote was released by the Steelers after the 2008 season, spending a year with the Lions before returning to Pittsburgh before the 2010 season. Arians coordinated the Steelers’ offense until accepting the same position with the Colts before the 2012 season.
NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Fitzgerald, Martz
The Cardinals will hope to have suspended linebacker Daryl Washington in action for 2015 but they’ll plan for the worst, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. “He’ll be facing the issue with the domestic violence and there has been no determination of what happens there,” president Michael Bidwill said. “He was only suspended for the drug issue, so we want to make sure we understand what that (other punishment) is. Last year, we learned about his suspension after free agency. This year we are going to plan to make sure we address all the issues not knowing whether Daryl will be back for part of next season or all of next season. ‘Next man up’ is real but we have to make sure we’ve gone into free agency and addressed that situation.” More from the NFC West..
- Bidwill went on to express confidence that Larry Fitzgerald will be back with the team in 2015. “Larry and I have met about it, just he and I talking about it, and I know he’s interested in getting something resolved,” Bidwill said, according to Urban. “After the playoff game, he got away, left the country. He’s back now, it’s a busy week this week and we’ll start working on this next week. I think we’ll get this all worked out. He’s such a great person and a great player, he’s got many years left and I want to see him retire as an Arizona Cardinal. I want to see us move past getting this contract resolved and move forward.“
- Fitzgerald says he wants to retire a member of the Cardinals, but today he told Kim Covington of 12 News he could envision himself playing for another team next year. Fitzgerald told Kim he has met with Bidwell, but he understands football is a business and that may mean his time with the Cardinals may be over.
- The Rams are having some trouble finding an offensive coordinator and Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests a familiar name: former head coach Mike Martz. Martz, of course, was one of the most creative, innovative, daring, forward-thinking offensive minds in the modern era. Since Martz left the building in 2005 with a serious health issue, the Rams have averaged 17.8 points per game, which ranks 30th among 32 teams.
- Even if the Seahawks prevail Sunday in Super Bowl 49, there may be hope for their NFC West division rivals, Miklasz writes. Quarterback Russell Wilson is about to get paid, and Seattle will lose a major competitive advantage when they lose his dirt cheap contract. Wilson make just $817K in 2014, less than backup Tarvaris Jackson.
- The Cardinals had interest in Mike Smith as a senior defensive assistant but things didn’t work out, sources tell Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The former Falcons head coach has been linked to other coaching opportunities around the NFL, including the Raiders’ defensive coordinator vacancy.
NFC West Notes: Dwyer, Seahawks, 49ers
After pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been sentenced to 18 months of probation and community service, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Dwyer had been charged back in September after an alleged domestic violence incident, prompting the Cards to place him on their reserve/non-football illness list, citing concerns about his mental health. Although his legal case has concluded, Dwyer’s NFL future remains murky, as he could face a suspension, and isn’t under contract for the 2015 season.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- Former NFL player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes an in-depth look at what a new contract for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would look like, concluding from his data that an extension averaging around $24MM per year with about $65MM in guarantees would make sense. Corry’s whole piece is definitely worth reading for a thorough explanation of how he arrived at those figures.
- Seahawks GM John Schneider indicated earlier this week that he hopes to retain cornerback Byron Maxwell for 2015 and beyond, but Maxwell said today that he intends to “look at every option for me and my family,” per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter). One potential suitor for Maxwell could be the Saints — Mike Triplett of ESPN.com identifies the cornerback as a player worth watching for New Orleans.
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers players he has spoken to aren’t impressed with the team’s hiring of Geep Chryst as offensive coordinator, viewing the move as a byproduct of management’s desire to pinch pennies.
- Speaking of 49ers management, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to general manager Trent Baalke about the team’s “three-year plan” when it comes to managing the roster and the salary cap.
- David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an update on the next step in the city of St. Louis’ efforts to build a new downtown NFL stadium for the Rams.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Cromartie, Jets, Pats
ESPN’s Bill Polian, formerly a general manager for the Bills, Panthers, and Colts, turned down the opportunity to return to Buffalo in a senior advisory role earlier this offseason, but that didn’t end the Bills‘ search for a new addition to their front office, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. Carucci reports that the Bills are still “very much in the market” to hire someone as an advisor for football decisions, and are targeting an exec with the experience necessary to provide guidance for GM Doug Whaley when it comes to evaluating talent.
According to Carucci, one potential target on Buffalo’s radar is Browns senior player-personnel associate Ron Hill. Hill comes highly recommended by the league, which has been providing counsel to new Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, and Cleveland likely wouldn’t stand in his way since the job in Buffalo would be a promotion.
Here are a few more Thursday morning notes from around the AFC East:
- Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie will be eligible for free agency once again this offseason, and the veteran appears very willing to entertain the idea of a return to New York after leaving the Jets a year ago, as Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. “My door is always open to returning,” Cromartie said. “Everybody knows I didn’t want to leave. I’m going to keep my door open and see what happens.”
- Appearing on ESPN Radio in New York on Wednesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson told Mike Lupica that he would “never tell the general manager not to spend money,” shifting the blame for the team’s lack of spending to former GM John Idzik. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com points out, those comments don’t quite line up with what Johnson said earlier in the 2014 season, but they do suggest he’s ready to get back to being aggressive in free agency.
- As the Patriots prepare to play in their sixth Super Bowl this century, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines how the franchise goes about building a roster that can sustain success over an extended period of time.
West Notes: Rams, Schofield, Broncos
A glance at the AFC and NFC West..
- Keeping the Rams in St. Louis would require a “spectacular effort,” Andrew Leonard, chairman of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission said, according to David Hunn of The Post-Dispatch. “There’s no question about it, they’d rather be in Los Angeles, in my mind,” Leonard said. The Rams notified the commission earlier this week that they will shift to a year-to-year lease agreement for their use of the Edward Jones Dome.
- Seattle linebacker O’Brien Schofield insists that he’s no longer dwelling on the way things ended with the Cardinals, as Kent Somers and Zach Buchanan of The Arizona Republic write. “That used to drive me crazy thinking about it,” Schofield said, “because I felt I had done enough for the organization that I would have got more decency of how they let me go. But it’s whatever. I’m a Super Bowl champ. They had to see me twice here. They didn’t want to speak to me the first year and I was fine with that.”
- The Broncos have hired Joe Woods as their new defensive backs coach, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post (on Twitter). Woods previously served as the defensive backs coach of the Raiders, Vikings, and Buccaneers.
- The Raiders are expected to hire Stetson offensive line coach Tim Holt as their assistant offensive line coach, a source told Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Holt worked with Oakland offensive line coach Mike Tice previously.