NFC Coaching Notes: Vikings, 49ers, Rams, Falcons
The Vikings have already provided new head coach Kevin O’Connell with an experienced defensive coordinator in Ed Donatell. They are moving towards adding another veteran defensive mind, as Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that they are expected to hire Greg Manusky as their new linebackers coach.
[Related: Vikings Hire Ed Donatell As DC]
Manusky, 55, was most recently a defensive quality control assistant at Kentucky, a post he’d held for two seasons. Before that, though, he had spent two decades on NFL sidelines. Two years after his playing days were over, he joined Washington’s staff in the same LBs coach role he is set to take on again. He held that same title in San Diego for five years, which set him up for his first defensive coordinator position.
Manusky took over as the 49ers’ DC in 2007, and remained there until he returned to the Chargers to call their defense for one season. His third DC post came with the Colts, spanning another four years. Not long after he returned to Washington as their OLBs coach, he was promoted to DC in 2017, staying there for three campaigns.
Here are some other coaching notes from the NFC:
- Sticking with Kentucky, the Wildcats are hiring 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello to be their new offensive coordinator (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). That role opened up when Liam Coen took the Rams’ OC job earlier this week. The news continues a significant exodus of coaches from Kyle Shanahan’s staff this offseason, the most notable being former OC Mike McDaniel becoming the new HC of the Dolphins.
- The Rams are keeping a key member of their defensive staff in place. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets that defensive line coach Eric Henderson has been extended. His contract was set to expire at the end of the 2022 season, but he will be staying put in L.A., keeping one of the league’s best at that position group in place.
- Lastly, Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo reports that Shawn Flaherty is joining the Falcons’ staff (Twitter link). The son of Pat Flaherty, he had spent the first three years of his NFL coaching career as an assistant o-line coach in Miami.
Falcons Add Ryan Pace To Front Office
Ryan Pace wasn’t out of work for long. The former general manager of the Bears has been hired by the Falcons under the title of senior personnel executive, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). 
At 37, Pace was the youngest GM in the NFL when he was hired in 2015, taking over for Phil Emery. His first major move was hiring John Fox as the team’s new head coach, beginning a three-year stretch that saw the team finish in the basement of the NFC North each campaign and produced the second-lowest winning percentage (.292) in franchise history. Fox was fired, but Pace received a two-year extension.
The 2018 season was a different story, as new HC Matt Nagy led the team to a 12-4 record and a division title, helped in large part by 2017 draftee quarterback Mitch Trubisky and offseason trade acquisition Khalil Mack. Pace was named Executive of the Year as a result of the team’s success. Things started to go south from that point on, though, as another playoff appearance in 2020 couldn’t outweigh Trubisky’s shortcomings. Speculation steadily increased that he and Nagy were on the hot seat heading into 2021.
As deep into this past season as November, it was believed that Pace’s job in Chicago could be safe. However, Pace was indeed fired, along with Nagy, after the regular season ended with the team going 6-11, albeit with promise in the form of rookie QB Justin Fields. The pair have been supplanted by highly-regarded replacements in GM Ryan Poles and HC Matt Eberflus.
By joining the Falcons, Pace will reunite with GM Terry Fontenot. The two worked together in New Orleans, the only franchise either had worked for prior to their respective GM hires. That familiarity will help them re-shape a roster facing numerous cap troubles and, sometime as early as this offseason, the need for a new QB. Pace could play a significant role in helping Atlanta get back in contention in what could be a wide-open NFC South.
S Ricardo Allen Retires
Not long after his second career Super Bowl appearance, former Falcons and Bengals safety Ricardo Allen is retiring. In an Instagram post, he announced the decision to hang up his cleats. 
“I’ve always wondered how it would feel giving up what most people would consider to be ‘most of me’, and that’s being a professional athlete”, he wrote. “But, the truth is, I’m blessed to be able to say that it’s been good… Dear football career. I’m grateful for you, and I’m thankful for the opportunity you gave me to turn nothing but hard work into the foundation of a growing legacy. You’ve shown me it’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish”.
Allen, 30, spent his first six seasons in Atlanta, having been drafted by the Falcons in the fifth round in 2014. He started 76 of 77 games with the team, including the loss in Super Bowl LI against the Patriots in 2016. That campaign saw him make a career-high 90 tackles, along with two interceptions. He racked up a total of 340 stops, 11 picks and 26 pass breakups in his time with the Falcons.
After being cut, Allen signed with the Bengals last March as part of the team’s attempt to add experience to its secondary. Serving as depth behind Jessie Bates, he made just one start in 14 regular season games in Cincinnati, and played only nine special teams snaps in the team’s Super Bowl loss to the Rams.
Allen seems to be interested in coaching now that his playing days are over. His post also includes, “I am ready to take all of this knowledge and to help guide the next generation of men to achieve their goals”, something that would happen “when you see [him] on the other side with the head set on”.
Rather than trying for a third appearance in the big game, Allen is content to move forward into the next chapter of his football career – something that he could be well suited for, given his effective time as a player.
Rams To Interview Charles London For OC
In their search to replace departed offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, the Rams have set their sights on Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he is set to interview with L.A.
[Related: Vikings Hire Kevin O’Connell]
London, 46, only took on his current post last season. Before that, he had been the running backs coach at Penn State, then with the Texans and Bears. His connection with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith dates back to their time together in Tennessee in 2011.
London’s name came up last week as an OC candidate, when he was named as a candidate for the position in Miami. Ledbetter notes that London is thought to have had “a great interview” with the Dolphins, but was expected to remain with the Falcons before today’s news.
If London does ultimately get the job in L.A., it would be his first time serving as an OC at the college or NFL level. Whether with the Rams or elsewhere, it is expected he will land that position sooner than later, given his role on Smith’s staff but also his attendance at the NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit, which helps put assistants on the path to OC gigs. Just as the case would have been in Miami, London would not call plays with the Rams, though he does have experience in play design.
Falcons Release OLB Dante Fowler
Because of a 2021 restructure, Dante Fowler was set to be a free agent at the start of the new league year in March. The Falcons moved up that timetable, making the veteran edge defender available now.
Atlanta moved Fowler’s contract off its books Wednesday, releasing him a month before the start of the 2022 league year, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Because of the bonus proration, this move still tags the Falcons with more than $4MM in dead money. For Fowler, this separation is a chance for him to catch on with a team before free agency opens.
Fowler did well on the 2020 market, signing a three-year deal worth $48MM. The Falcons did not receive especially good value on the contract. The former Jaguars and Rams pass rusher registered just 7.5 sacks in 28 games with the Falcons, totaling 16 quarterback hits in that span. Fowler finished with 11.5 sacks and 16 QB hits during his Rams contract year in 2019. Fowler redoing his deal last March voided the final year of his contract.
Because of his past two seasons, it should not be expected Fowler will do nearly as well as a free agent this year. However, the former top-five pick is just 27 and has a couple of strong seasons on his resume. He recorded eight sacks with the Jags back in 2017, helping the team to the AFC championship game as a rotational rusher.
Most of the high-end edge rushers on this year’s market are older than Fowler, with the likes of Von Miller, Chandler Jones, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jadeveon Clowney and Mario Addison being among the biggest names set to be available. Fowler will have the advantage of being able to sign earlier, and it will be interesting how teams value him ahead of free agency.
Falcons Lose Two Assistant Coaches
- According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, the Falcons are parting ways with WRs coach Dave Brock (Twitter link). The 54-year-old has an extensive background in the college ranks, but his only NFL experience was in Atlanta starting in 2017. Chandler Henley, who had been an assistant offensive line coach with them, has left to join the Dolphins.
[SOURCE LINK]
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/15/22
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: TE Ryan Becker
Washington Commanders
- Waived: TE Tyrone Swoopes, G Najee Toran
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LVI finished, the final two places in the 2022 Draft have been finalized. The Bengals’ top pick is locked into 31st, while the Rams will not have a selection until the third round. For the rest of the league, the focus has already shifted to free agency and the draft, of course, so now all eyes will be on the offseason maneuvering teams do to reshape their rosters.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Pending trades, here is the final first round order of the 2022 Draft:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
- Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
- Houston Texans: 4-13
- New York Jets: 4-13
- New York Giants: 4-13
- Carolina Panthers: 5-12
- New York Giants(via Bears)
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 7-10
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Washington Football Team: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
- Cleveland Browns: 8-9
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1
- New England Patriots: 10-7
- Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7
- Arizona Cardinals: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6
- Tennessee Titans: 12-5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4
- Green Bay Packers: 13-4
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
Falcons, Longtime Exec Part Ways
- Falcons director of pro personnel Steve Sabo is leaving the team. Sabo spent the past 12 years with the Falcons, working in various roles. Previous GM Thomas Dimitroff hired Sabo, but he stayed on in Terry Fontenot‘s first year. Sabo previously served as the Falcons’ college scouting director.
Falcons Have Discussed New Deal With RB Cordarrelle Patterson
Cordarrelle Patterson had a breakout offensive year during his age-30 season. While the veteran is set to his free agency this offseason, the Falcons are already looking to retain the Swiss Army Knife-like weapon. Owner Arthur Blank told reporters that the Falcons have already had discussions with Patterson’s agents.
“From our standpoint, we’d love to have [CP] back,” Blank said (via the team’s website). “We saw the same thing that you saw on the field. I think this is a very talented player, a very talented athlete. This is a good example of when a coach understands the scheme – which he does, Coach Smith – and he takes an athlete like this and can use him in a variety of ways I think you see the kind of production that he can have. He’s a terrific young man. He’s great with the fans. He’s great in the locker room. He’s a real competitor… I hope that he’ll be a Falcon this time [next] year.”
Patterson made a name for himself on special teams, but he took on a large offensive role in 2021. In 16 games (13 starts), Patterson finished with 1,166 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns on 205 touches. Thanks in part to his on-field production, Patterson became a fan favorite, and he reciprocated the love by wearing a sweatshirt stating “The City of Atlanta Changed My Life.”
The Falcons signed Mike Davis to a two-year deal last offseason, but they could choose to move on from the veteran if Patterson ends up commanding a (relatively) hefty contract. Fellow running back Qadree Ollison is also set to hit free agency.