Vikings DC George Edwards Not Expected To Return
The Vikings will have two new coordinators in 2020. OC Kevin Stefanski left to become the new head coach of the Browns, and DC George Edwards is not expected to return next year, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
There was some speculation toward the end of the year that head coach Mike Zimmer could be on his way out, but that turned out not to be true. He will have a completely retooled staff however, and it isn’t the first time. Minnesota went from Pat Shurmur to John DeFilippo to Stefanski in consecutive years, so 2020 will be their fourth straight season with a new offensive play-caller. There’s been more continuity on defense, but that’s about to change. Edwards had been Zimmer’s defensive coordinator ever since he became the Vikings’ head coach in 2014, so this is a big departure.
Edwards, 52, has been in the NFL in some capacity for every season since 1998. He was Washington’s defensive coordinator in 2003, and Buffalo’s from 2010-11. He’s also served as a positional coach with a handful of different stops. Andrew Zimmer, Mike’s son and the Vikings’ current linebackers coach, could be a candidate for a promotion, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com floated in a tweet.
The contracts for both Zimmer and Vikings GM Rick Spielman expire after next season, so there could be even more change on the horizon. Quarterback Kirk Cousins will also be entering the final year of his deal, and ownership could elect to truly blow things up if the results are underwhelming in 2020.
Coaching Rumors: Texans, Kubiaks, Cowboys
The Texans got embarrassed Sunday as they blew a 24-point lead in the playoffs to the Chiefs, but don’t expect any major coaching changes. It doesn’t look like Bill O’Brien is going anywhere, and his top assistant coach seems to be safe for now as well. O’Brien said after the game that he anticipates defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel being back next year, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Seemingly every year there is speculation that the 72-year-old legendary coach will retire or get pushed out, but he’s been able to stick.
Here’s the latest from the coaching world:
- With Kevin Stefanski leaving to become the next head coach of the Browns, the Vikings will need to find a new offensive coordinator. Both Gary and Klint Kubiak are on staff, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune both floated them as potential favorites for the gig (Twitter links). Goessling noted in a separate tweet that both Kubiaks have a strong relationship with Stefanski, and that “they’d talked about working together last year if Stefanski got the job in Cleveland.” Stefanski was a finalist for the gig that ended up going to Freddie Kitchens. The elder Kubiak is a seasoned vet with a lot of head-coaching and coordinating experience, while his son Klint served as Minnesota’s quarterbacks coach this past year. It sounds like the Vikings could opt for continuity for Kirk Cousins.
- The Cowboys have a new secondary coach after letting go of Kris Richard. Dallas is hiring Maurice Linguist away from Texas A&M to fill that role, according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Linguist had been the cornerbacks coach at A&M. He had previously coached under P.J. Fleck at the University of Minnesota. Mike McCarthy continues to flesh out his inaugural Cowboys staff.
- The Dolphins will have two new coordinators in 2020, and they’ll also have a new quarterbacks coach. Miami is hiring Robby Brown to fill that role, a source told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Brown first served as an assistant coach in the college ranks for a handful of years, and then was an offensive quality control coach with the Jets for a few seasons. While in New York he worked under new Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, so this hiring makes some sense.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/12/20
The Vikings added a group of players on reserve/futures contracts today, and we also missed some of the Rams’ from earlier in the week. For a primer/refresher on what exactly these deals entail, click here.
Los Angeles Rams
- DB Adonis Alexander
- DL Marquise Copeland
- WR Greg Dortch
- OLB Jeff Holland
- OG Jeremiah Kolone
- OLB Jachai Polite
- C Nate Trewyn
- TE Ethan Wolf
- QB John Wolford
Minnesota Vikings
- RB Tony Brooks-James
- QB Jake Browning
- WR Davion Davis
- TE Brandon Dillon
- CB Mark Fields
- DB Kemon Hall
Polite is the most well-known of the bunch. A highly regarded talent, he fell to the Jets with the 68th pick this past draft because of off-field concerns. He was shockingly cut by New York despite being an early third-round pick, and eventually ended up on the Rams’ practice squad.
Latest On Browns’ Coaching & GM Search
The Browns have their new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, but they still need a new GM after firing John Dorsey. They recently requested an interview with Eagles exec Andrew Berry, and Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets that he’s “at the front of the GM candidates.”
Robinson notes that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam once said he considered Berry a future GM, and that he has a relationship with chief strategist Paul DePodesta. In a separate tweet, Robinson explains that it may come down to whether or not Berry wants to take the job. He notes that Berry, who used to work in Cleveland under former GM Sashi Brown, is only 32 and in a good situation in Philly. He also writes that Berry will likely get other calls if he passes on the job.
As for the search that ultimately ended in Stefanski, Robinson has some interesting new nuggets. He tweets that Josh McDaniels “wanted a specific structure with the Browns” and that he “wasn’t going to an org where DePodesta or anyone else was a ‘side jury’ reporting to Haslam.” If that’s the case, then it sounds like McDaniels never got too close to landing in Cleveland despite his lengthy visit. The Browns and Haslam have caught plenty of flak for their odd reporting structures, and it sounds like that was an issue once again this time around.
Robinson also tweets that both Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh “had very good interviews” and that he thinks they were the finalists along with Stefanski. Both should be hot names during next cycle. As for Stefanski’s staff, Robinson tweets that the rookie head coach will likely target either Gary or Klint Kubiak. The Kubiaks were on staff with Stefanski in Minnesota, although Robinson thinks the Vikings will try to retain both. Either could be a candidate to be Cleveland’s new OC assuming Stefanski hires one.
Finally, Robinson tweeted about the future prospects for assistant GM Eliot Wolf and VP of Player Personnel Alonzo Highsmith. He thinks the Haslams are open to both staying, and that Wolf will have a conversation with whoever the new GM is about a role.
Broncos To Hire Pat Shurmur As OC
Pat Shurmur wasn’t out of a job too long. Less than two weeks after being fired as head coach of the Giants, Shurmur has agreed to become the new offensive coordinator of the Broncos, sources told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
Garafolo notes that the deal isn’t officially set yet, but that Shurmur has accepted the job. Despite getting run out of New York he was a pretty hot name. We heard recently that four different teams had expressed interest in Shurmur as an OC, and the Redskins were reportedly sniffing around before hiring Scott Turner. Denver surprisingly elected to fire Rich Scangarello earlier today, and they moved quickly to lock up Shurmur.
Shurmur’s reputation took a hit during his time with the Giants, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was receiving a ton of praise for his work in helping guide Case Keenum to the NFC Championship game with the Vikings. That performance landed him the job in New York, but he flamed out while going 9-23 in two years.
Shurmur is a veteran play-caller, and has served as an offensive coordinator with the Rams and Eagles as well as being a head coach with the Browns for two years in 2011 and 2012. Denver started three different quarterbacks last year, but they hit a bit of a groove down the stretch with rookie Drew Lock under center. Shurmur will now be responsible for Lock’s development.
Giants To Hire Patrick Graham As DC, Dolphins Promote Josh Boyer
The Giants officially have a new defensive coordinator. New York is hiring Dolphins defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). In a corresponding move, Miami is promoting Josh Boyer to replace Graham, Pelissero tweets.
Graham was already the defensive play-caller in Miami, but the team allowed him to interview anyway. NFL Insider Adam Caplan says Graham will also be given the title of assistant head coach in New York, which may be part of the explanation (Twitter link).
Graham coached with new Giants head coach Joe Judge in New England, so there’s a lot of familiarity there. Graham got his start as a graduate assistant at Wagner College back in 2002 and spent most of the next decade in the college ranks before making the jump to become an assistant with the Patriots in 2009.
He also served as defensive line coach with the Giants in 2016 and 2017 under Ben McAdoo, so this is a homecoming for him. As for the Dolphins, they’ll now have two new coordinators in 2020. They elected to fire offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea after the season, replacing him with Chan Gailey. The Dolphins’ defense obviously wasn’t too good this past year, but Graham was working with startlingly little talent, so it’s hard to hold that against him.
Boyer is another former Patriots assistant who rose through the ranks under Bill Belichick. He served as cornerbacks coach for New England for seven straight years before Flores hired him to be his passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach last season.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/10/20
Today’s reserve/futures contracts. For a primer/refresher on what exactly these deals entail, click here.
Indianapolis Colts
Philadelphia Eagles
Both players are former Chargers. Williams started 15 games for the Chargers in 2017 and seven last year, but injuries quickly derailed his career even though he was once highly regarded. Still only 26, he should have a decent chance to crack Philly’s secondary next year. Scott spent most of the past three seasons on Los Angeles’ practice squad.
Rams To Hire Kevin O’Connell As OC
The Rams are hiring assistants at a blistering pace. Just minutes after it was reported they’d be bringing in Brandon Staley to be their defensive coordinator, we now have word on their new OC. Los Angeles is hiring Kevin O’Connell, formerly of the Redskins, as their new offensive coordinator, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
There was some initial speculation that Washington would keep O’Connell, but Ron Rivera elected to hire Scott Turner instead. O’Connell instantly became a hot name, and was linked to the Eagles and the Browns‘ OC openings. O’Connell was hired by the Redskins as quarterbacks coach right after Sean McVay left Washington, and he moved quickly through the ranks.
Before this past season he was promoted to offensive coordinator, and he earned a lot of praise for his work with Dwayne Haskins down the stretch. Both McVay and O’Connell worked under Jay Gruden with the Redskins, so the connection was there. McVay was unhappy with his staff after the Rams missed the playoffs last year, electing not to retain Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator and to hire a real OC.
O’Connell is only 34, and is highly regarded in most circles. If all goes well in Los Angeles, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s a head-coaching candidate before too long. He started his career as a player, bouncing around a handful of teams as a journeyman quarterback from 2008-2012.
Rams To Hire Brandon Staley As DC
The Rams have a new defensive coordinator. After electing not to retain the legendary Wade Phillips, Los Angeles is hiring Broncos outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley to be their new DC, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Rapoport notes that a deal still needs to be worked out, but that it’s going to happen. Albert Breer of SI.com was the first to tweet that a deal was close. In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport notes that Staley flew out to Los Angeles yesterday and spent the day with head coach Sean McVay. Staley had been with Vic Fangio for a while, as he served as his outside linebackers coach for two years with the Bears before following Fangio to Denver.
It’s a bit of an outside the box hire, as Staley hadn’t been batted around as a hot name previously. There were reports that McVay wanted more innovation and scheme-emphasis from his defensive staff, so that’s what Staley will be expected to provide. Prior to joining Chicago, Staley had served as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll University, a D3 school.
He also briefly served as DC at James Madison, and got his start as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois back in 2006. The Rams also saw special teams coordinator John Fassel leave for Dallas, and there will be a fair amount of turnover on McVay’s staff when all the dust settles.
Coaching Notes: McDaniels, Browns, Judge, Giants, Rams, Cowboys
Josh McDaniels left his Browns visit without a deal, and the latest word is that Cleveland will take the weekend to mull things over. While they’ve been careful not to tip their hand too much, Michael Lombardi of The Athletic tweets that it’s not a good sign McDaniels went back home without a contract. Lombardi was the first to suggest that now former Browns GM John Dorsey might be in danger, so he’s certainly plugged into the situation. A report from earlier this morning indicated that McDaniels, Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz were the three finalists, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets that “multiple people around the league” believe it’s down to McDaniels and Stefanski. If Lombardi and Fowler are both correct, then that would seem to indicate Stefanski is the favorite as of right now.
Here’s more from the coaching ranks:
- The Giants gave Joe Judge a five-year contract to be their head coach, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s not the massive seven-year deal that Matt Rhule got from the Panthers, but it’s a significant commitment nonetheless. It’s especially noteworthy since, as Schefter points out, each of New York’s last two coaches have been given two years or less on the job. Simply to avoid the reputation of being coach-killers, the Giants’ ownership will likely give Judge a somewhat lengthy leash.
- Cleveland is the only team with a head-coaching vacancy, but the dust has yet to settle for plenty of assistant coaches. There are still a lot of openings around the league, and it looks like a bidding war is brewing between the Rams and Cowboys. Both Los Angeles and Dallas are fighting to make Stan Drayton their next running backs coach, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link). Drayton is currently the run-game coordinator at Texas. Brandt notes that Drayton coached Ezekiel Elliott at Ohio State, which explains the Cowboys’ interest. It’ll be interesting to see whether he picks Sean McVay or Mike McCarthy.
- In case you missed it, Rhule is looking to bring his defensive coordinator from Baylor with him to fill the same position in Carolina.