Extra Points: Bowlen, Broncos, Packers, Pettine, Berry, Chiefs
We’ve been updating you on the Broncos ownership saga, and the case took another turn today. Owner Pat Bowlen‘s brother, Bill Bowlen, has filed a lawsuit requesting that the trust that currently controls the team be dismantled. Pat has been dealing with Alzheimer’s for years now, and a trust led by CEO Joe Ellis has been running the team. Bill is arguing that the trust was created illegally and is attempting to gain control of the team. Last month, the trust responded by asking a court to dismiss the lawsuit and send it to NFL arbitration for the league to mediate.
Today, Bill filed his response to that motion and argues that the NFL has no jurisdiction, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jhabvala’s full Twitter feed has all the details on the latest developments, and it’s worth checking out. The NFL opposes Bill’s attempts to disrupt thing, so presumable any NFL-led arbitration would not go well for him. The whole situation is a complicated legal mess, as several of Pat’s daughters are also jockeying for control of the team. The unresolved and tangled feuds have thrown the team into a state of limbo, and have given GM John Elway an unprecedented amount of job security as no owner can really fire him. League executives are reportedly bullish on 28-year old Brittany Bowlen‘s chances of taking over the team one day, but any resolution still seems a long ways away. There should be more updates soon as this makes its way through the courts.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Packers’ head coaching job is wide open and their defensive coordinator Mike Pettine has head coaching experience, but Pettine isn’t interested in the job, according to Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. While Pettine said “despite the struggles we’ve had this year, this is probably the most fun I’ve had coaching in a long time”, he made clear he isn’t interested in being a head coach for the Packers or any other team anytime soon. Pettine’s two-year stint as coach of the Browns from 2014-15 went pretty disastrously, so it’s not that surprising he’s not dying to get back into it.
- Speaking of the Packers, the team worked out long snapper Zach Triner, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN (Twitter link). The Packers ultimately elected not to sign him Demovsky reports, and stick with current snapper Hunter Bradley. Triner, an Assumption College alum, competed for the gig with Bradley in training camp.
- The Chiefs have been very patient with star safety Eric Berry, and he appears to finally be nearing a return. Berry has sat the entire season with a heel injury, but the team never placed him on injured reserve. While Berry is unlikely to play tomorrow against the Ravens, he is “very likely” to make his season debut on Thursday against the Chargers, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). One of the best safeties in the NFL when he’s healthy, it would be the first game Berry has played in since Week 1 of last season if he’s able to return for the pivotal AFC West clash that could determine who wins the division.
Reactions To Mike McCarthy’s Firing
Immediately after their shocking home loss to the Cardinals, the Packers fired coach Mike McCarthy. While McCarthy was widely believed to be on the hot seat, it’s still somewhat of surprise the team made the move in-season because of his winning history with the team. The move could have a massive ripple effect on the rest of the league, and reactions and opinion pieces immediately began pouring in.
We’ve compiled the most interesting observations and responses below:
- Assuming the Jets fire Todd Bowles, McCarthy should be at the top of the list in New York’s coaching search, argues Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. Vacchiano writes that McCarthy is “exactly what the Jets need”, and thinks that the Jets’ next coach needs to be someone like McCarthy, who is used to being in the spotlight, in order to handle the intense media pressure of being the Jets’ coach. Vacchiano thinks McCarthy would be a nice fit with Sam Darnold, and compares him to Andy Reid, who was fired after a long run in Philadelphia and has gone on to have great success with the Chiefs. It’s not the best comparison since Reid has been widely hailed for his innovation while McCarthy has been criticized for being overly-conservative, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the Jets are interested.
- Because of the new structure of the Packers’ organization, it’ll be team CEO Mark Murphy who is making the call on who to hire as McCarthy’s replacement and not GM Brian Gutekunst, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. While Florio thinks Gutekunst will have a role in the process, it’ll be Murphy making the final call now, which is a change for the team. Previously, GM Ted Thompson would’ve had the decision making authority in situations like this. For what it’s worth, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets that the decision to fire McCarthy was a joint one made by both Murphy and Gutekunst.
- The move to fire McCarthy before the end of the season was “almost unprecedented”, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Schefter notes that this is just the second time in league history where a Super Bowl winning coach was let go in the middle of the year, with the only other time being when the Colts fired Don McCafferty in 1972. It underscores how surprising it was that they didn’t wait until after the season out of respect for McCarthy, and helps explain why McCarthy was reportedly blindsided by the decision.
- The team made the right call letting McCarthy go early, according to Pete Dougherty of Packersnews.com. Dougherty argues that it’ll give the Packers a head start in their search for a new coach, and as such give them a leg up on all the other teams who will be looking for a new coach. Dougherty also writes that “former general manager Ted Thompson would never have done it during the season and might never have let McCarthy go” at all.
- Ryan Wood of Packersnews.com took a look back at the McCarthy-era, and ranked the highs and lows of his tenure. Among the highs, of course, was the Super Bowl victory, as well as a streak of eight years in a row of making the playoffs, while the lows include today’s loss to the Cardinals and the history of losing in the NFC Championship game.
Extra Points: Jaguars, Coughlin, Ravens, Giants, Lauletta, Hunt
It’s been a rough year for the Jaguars. After making the AFC Championship game last year, they were supposed to be contenders again in 2018 but nothing has gone according to plan. They were just 3-8 entering today, and benched Blake Bortles for Cody Kessler while firing their offensive coordinator. While they squeaked out a 6-0 victory over the Colts, major changes are still coming this offseason, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
La Canfora says that “sweeping changes are inevitable, which may include coaching and front-office moves”, and cites “multiple NFL salary cap executives” who say the team will need to “gut its roster” because of their cap situation. Jacksonville has spent big on free agents the past couple of years to build the team, but La Canfora writes their win-now window is “now effectively closed”, and they’ll have to start dumping the high-priced veterans soon. La Canfora seems to think head coach Doug Marrone‘s job is in danger, and notes that team president Tom Coughlin could “consider a return to the sidelines” to lead the team. Whatever happens, the Jaguars will be one of the most interesting teams to monitor this offseason.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Ravens coach John Harbaugh may have saved his own job with the team’s recent three game winning streak, but he could be losing one of his assistants soon. Baltimore’s defensive line coach Joe Cullen interviewed for the head coaching job at UMass, and is considered a “top candidate” for the position, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Cullen played at UMass in the 80’s, and was an assistant coach there in the early 90’s. He’s coordinated at Indiana and Richmond, but has always been a defensive line coach at the NFL level.
- Although Eli Manning has played a lot better recently and the Giants have now won three of four games, the team still plans to get rookie quarterback Kyle Lauletta in a game at some point, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link). Vacchiano notes that it may only come in the second half of a blowout game and not a start, but that the team wants to get a look at him either way.
- It’s been speculated that a team might claim Kareem Hunt off waivers in order to get him on his cheap rookie contract that has him locked up through 2020, but “multiple executives” told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Hunt is likely to go unclaimed on waivers. While one GM told Schefter there’s “no chance” he gets claimed, it still wouldn’t be a shock if he does. While he’s likely facing a lengthy suspension, Reuben Foster is also facing a lengthy suspension and got claimed even though he’s making significantly more money than Hunt.
C.J. Anderson Visiting Chiefs, Likely To Sign
The Chiefs are wasting no time bringing in running back help in the wake of the waiving Kareem Hunt, as C.J. Anderson will visit the team this week, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. 
Florio adds that the Chiefs are bringing him in”with the intent of signing him to a contract if he passes” a physical. Former Chiefs running back Charcandrick West will also be brought in for a workout, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted in a follow-up tweet. Without Hunt, the Chiefs are very thin in the backfield. New started Spencer Ware struggled today against the Raiders, one of the worst rushing defenses in the league, gaining only 47 yards on 14 carries, so it makes sense why they’re looking for help. Anderson was waived by the Panthers a few weeks ago because he wasn’t happy with his reduced role.
He also recently worked out for the Lions in the wake of Kerryon Johnson‘s injury, but his market has been pretty quiet other than that. Before this season, Anderson had spent the first five years of his career with the Broncos. Anderson has done quite well for an undrafted free agent, averaging 4.4 yards per carry on 717 carries for his career.
He rushed for 1,007 yards with Denver last year, but was met with a very quiet free agent marked this past offseason. He had to settle for a one year deal from Carolina, and although he had a decent role at the beginning of the season, he quickly became a distant second option behind Christian McCaffrey. That being said, he should immediately get playing time if he signs with Kansas City, and could push Ware for the starting job. It’s a nice addition for this time of year, and Anderson is still only 27.
Packers Fire Mike McCarthy
The Packers have made a shocking mid-season change, firing head coach Mike McCarthy, the team announced in a statement posted to Twitter.
The team also announced that offensive coordinator Joe Philbin would take over as interim coach. While McCarthy was widely known to be on the hot seat, an in-season change is still a surprise because of his history with the team. The change comes immediately after the Packers’ embarrassing home loss to the Cardinals, where they lost as massive favorites.
A source told Adam Schefter of ESPN that the team brought McCarthy in immediately after the game and let him go, and that McCarthy was “not expecting it” (Twitter link). The “writing was on the wall” already, but today’s loss was the “final straw” for McCarthy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link), who notes that McCarthy will be “very desirable” as a free agent.
McCarthy has been linked to the Browns’ opening in recent weeks, and he should be considered a strong candidate for that job. This was the 13th season in Green Bay for McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with the team back in 2010. There have been rumors for a couple years now that McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers haven’t seen eye-to-eye, and things appeared to reach a boiling point in recent weeks with multiple tough losses. First-year Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has already made a ton of changes, and was never as loyal to McCarthy as longtime GM Ted Thompson was. Philbin is in his first year back in Green Bay after coordinating the offense from 2007 to 2011. While he’ll be a stable presence for the time being, he probably isn’t a serious candidate for the full-time job.
Extra Points: Stafford, Lions, Fournette, Jaguars, Trubisky
Matthew Stafford fell flat on Thanksgiving, throwing a pair of interceptions that cost the Lions the game. The loss dropped the Lions to 4-7 on the year, and more or less eliminated them from the NFC playoff picture. It naturally sparked a new wave of questions about Stafford’s future with the team, and has led many to speculate that he might not be the longterm solution in Detroit. Due to the “culture change” the Lions are implementing, it’s possible Detroit’s transformation “eventually will result in a new quarterback”, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.
While Florio does note that Stafford’s massive contract will make it hard to move on from him before 2020 at the earliest, he does float a trade as a possibility. While Stafford hasn’t been great this year, he’d be an upgrade for many teams. The most likely course of action still remains that the Lions stick with Stafford and possibly make a change at offensive coordinator with Jim Bob Cooter if the offense continues to struggle.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was ejected from the team’s loss to the Bills today as part of a brawl that broke out between the two sides, and there was initially some concern he might be suspended. However, Fournette is not expected to be suspended, a source told Florio. The Jaguars’ season is quickly circling the drain at 3-8, and they can’t afford to be without Fournette for any period of time right now.
- Mitchell Trubisky missed the Bears’ win over the Lions on Thanksgiving, and while the initial thought was that he could’ve played had it been a Sunday game, it’s no guarantee he’s back for Week 13. “It is not certain he will [return] and missing one more game is possible”, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Chase Daniel was just as good as Trubisky has been in his one start, so it’s not too much of a downgrade for Chicago’s offense. Schefter does add that if Trubisky is forced to sit out against the Giants, he’ll return the next week at the latest.
- In case you missed it, the Texans are discussing a contract extension with Tyrann Mathieu.
John Harbaugh Won’t Commit To Joe Flacco As Starter
Just when the Ravens’ season was on the line and they were on the verge of being eliminated from the playoff race, they responded with two straight wins. With Joe Flacco sidelined with a hip injury, rookie Lamar Jackson slid in as the starter and beat the Bengals and Raiders in his first two career starts. Now Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn’t ready to commit to Flacco getting his job back when he’s healthy, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
“Whether the decision has been made or not, it’s not important for anybody to know but us. If I decide to do it one way or another, I don’t want our opponent to know. So, I’m probably not going to announce it for obvious reasons, just to make it tough for our opponent” Harbaugh was quote as saying.
If Harbaugh was going to give Flacco the job back, he probably would’ve continued to say as much, and the fact that he was so non-committal would seem to indicate he’d prefer to stick with Jackson. It would be pretty hard for Harbaugh to take it away from Jackson now, so we should probably tentatively expect to continue to see Jackson make starts.
Harbaugh isn’t in any position to play for the future, so whatever decision he makes will be the one he feels like gives the team the best chance to win. Harbaugh is on an extremely hot seat, and it was reported earlier today that Ravens players were expecting him to be fired if the team didn’t make the playoffs. Jackson has flashed electrifying talent, but has also struggled as a passer at time. They’ve won both his starts, but they’ve come against two of the worst defenses in the league. It’s possible the team will go back to Flacco as they prepare to play a much tougher slate of defenses, but it’s also looking highly possible that we’ve seen the end of the Joe Flacco-era in Baltimore.
East Notes: Wentz, Eagles, Clay, Bills, Burkhead, Patriots
The Eagles have struggled mightily in 2018, and while a lot of their troubles can be explained by the rash of injuries they’ve suffered on defense, the offense has also been much worse than last year. Carson Wentz hasn’t looked like himself, and now we have some clarity on why. Wentz returned because Nick Foles was awful the first couple of weeks, and rushed himself back in the process. Wentz is still not 100 percent, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link), who reports Wentz still isn’t able to plant “hard on his left foot.”
Wentz came back from a torn ACL and LCL, which Rapoport says is supposed to take at least a full year to recover from. It helps explain why Wentz hasn’t played at the level we’re all used to, and could mean the Eagles’ offense will only trend upward as the season progresses and he gains more and more confidence in his leg.
Here’s more from the league’s Eastern Divisions:
- This is tight end Charles Clay‘s fourth year with the Bills, and it’s looking like it will also be his last. The Bills will likely move on from Clay after this season, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link), who writes this is “the first chance the Bills have to get out of the contract.” Buffalo can save $4.5MM in cap space by cutting him this spring, which makes sense to Buscaglia given Clay’s “complete void in production this year.” Once one of the best tight ends in the game, Clay’s production has completely dropped off a cliff this season as he’s dealt with injuries, catching only 19 passes for 169 yards.
- Patriots running back Rex Burkhead is eligible to return from injured reserve next week, and New England will have to make some room on the roster to bring him back. The Patriots are likely to cut one of their excess offensive linemen, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who lists both tackle Matt Tobin and guard James Ferentz as being in danger of losing their jobs.
- In case you missed it, there’s a growing sense that the Cowboys might not want to commit huge money to Ezekiel Elliott.
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PFR Originals: 11/18/18 – 11/25/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- As part of our ‘This Date In NFL Transactions History’ series, our Ben Levine took a look back at the suspension of Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander. Alexander was a very promising young player who saw his career cut extremely short by off-field troubles. The suspension he earned in 2015 was his third for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in just a couple of years in the NFL, and ultimately ended his career.
- Around this time of year, people start paying more and more attention to potential draft order. Many teams are having abysmal seasons, and there’s a crowded field of teams all in position to pick very early in the draft. Our Zach Links asked readers in a poll which team was most likely to wind up with the first overall pick, and laid out the case for each side. The Raiders won the poll, garnering 49.2% of the votes with the Cardinals coming in second place.
Jets Notes: Maccagnan, Bowles, Anderson, Darnold
If the Jets’ season continues to go the way it has gone so far, it’s very likely that head coach Todd Bowles will be fired after the season. GM Mike Maccagnan is apparently in far better shape with ownership, and “all indications” are that “Maccagnan will survive this mess of a season and get a chance to finish his rebuilding project”, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. While Maccagnan seems like a heavy favorite to survive, Cimini writes that it’s unclear exactly how much power he’ll have.
Cimini writes that it’s an open question whether or not Maccagnan will get to be the one who hires New York’s next head coach, and notes that the pairing of Bowles and Maccagnan was an “arranged marriage” from ownership. For what it’s worth, Cimini thinks the Jets will “add a couple of years to Maccagnan’s deal” if they keep him, so it doesn’t send the impression that the GM has less job security than the new coach. While Maccagnan will hang on by the skin of his teeth, the way everyone is talking now it seems like a foregone conclusion that Bowles’ days are numbered.
Here’s more from New York:
- Robby Anderson is a very talented young receiver, but has dealt with multiple off-field incidents as well as injuries this season, so Cimini thinks he might not be long for the team. Anderson will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and while Cimini expects the Jets to tender him, he thinks they might look to trade him next offseason. He mentions the Eagles as a possible trade destination, and notes that the Eagles “tried to pry him away” from the Jets at the trade deadline. He also thinks the team might just let him walk if a team signs him to a huge offer sheet this spring. It was reported earlier this week that the Jets are trying to get an extension done with fellow receiver Quincy Enunwa, and it seems like the team definitely values Enunwa more than Anderson moving forward.
- Sam Darnold isn’t playing today against the Patriots, and it looks like he might not play next week either. While Darnold could still possibly return in Week 13, “the following week is more likely”, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Rapoport writes that the Jets want to take it easy on Darnold and make sure he’s 100 percent healthy before returning. The team isn’t going to rush him back, so it’ll likely be Josh McCown again next week against the Titans.