Leslie Frazier An Option For Colts HC?
It’s been more than a decade since Leslie Frazier last served as a head coach, but the current Bills defensive coordinator could soon get his shot. ESPN’s Dan Graziano passes along that multiples sources have connected Frazier to the Colts potential HC vacanacy.
There are a few things going for Frazier. The coach does have some connections to Indy, as he served as the Colts assistant head coach/defensive backs coach in 2006. Further, as Graziano writes, Frazier has the support of Tony Dungy, and the former head coach’s “word carries some weight” within the organization. Frazier actually interviewed for the Colts’ head coaching gig back in 2018 before the team hired Frank Reich, so there’s clearly some respect for his coaching ability.
On the flip side, Frazier’s wheelhouse is on the defensive side of the ball. Graziano writes that the organization could be seeking both a quarterback and an offensive play-caller this offseason, and some could assume that those holes would be easier to navigate with an offensive-minded coach. Further, Frazier’s track record as a head coach wasn’t great. He helped guide the Vikings to the playoffs with a 10-6 record in 2012, but the team otherwise went 11-26 during his two-plus seasons at the helm.
Still, there’s no denying Frazier’s ability to coach a defense. Since taking over as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator in 2017, the Bills have developed into one of the top defenses in the NFL, including three top-five finishes in defensive yards allowed between 2018 and 2021. Buffalo’s emergence has led to more and more head coaching opportunities for the coordinator. Just this past offseason, Frazier interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Dolphins, Bears, and Giants, and he was generally considered the runner-up for the gig in New York.
The Colts fired Reich following a 3-5-1 season. Jeff Saturday unexpectedly took over as head coach and won his first game in the position, but the Colts have since dropped three straight. Considering Saturday’s lack of coaching experience, he was always deemed a temporary solution as the HC spot.
Latest On Broncos GM George Paton’s Job Status
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is more than likely going to be a one-and-done in Denver, but there may be additional casualties following the Broncos’ underwhelming 2022 season. Sources told Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that “front-office changes are more probable than not” in Denver, with the writer specifically pointing to general manager George Paton.
[RELATED: Broncos Likely To Fire Nathaniel Hackett Before Season’s End?]
Things haven’t gone great for Paton during his second season in Denver. The organization’s two main offseason moves — the trade (and subsequent extension) for Russell Wilson and the hiring of Hackett — have backfired, and as La Canfora points out, both of those moves were made before new ownership took over. The Rob Walton-led ownership group has “unlimited resources,” as La Canfora writes, and they may be more willing to eat the salaries of both their head coach and GM.
While La Canfora’s sources indicate that front office changes could be coming, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is adamant that Paton is staying put. During an appearance on 104.8 The Fan in Denver, Schefter opined that the GM will keep his job following the 2022 campaign.
“I expect that George Paton is going to be safe,” Schefter said (via the station’s website). “You can write that down from me. I don’t think he’s going anywhere.”
Paton worked his way up the Vikings organization, culminating in him earning the role of assistant general manager/vice president of player personnel. After being connected to a number of GM vacancies, he was hired by the Broncos following the 2020 season. During Paton’s first season at the helm, the organization traded star Von Miller and finished with a 7-9 record. A new quarterback and head coach were expected to right the ship in 2022, but the team is currently sitting with a 3-9 record.
Sean Payton Discusses Potential NFL Return
It always seemed likely that Sean Payton was going to get back into coaching. However, the former Super Bowl-winning coach may be back on the sideline sooner than many expected. During a recent appearance on Tom Brady‘s podcast, Payton revealed that he’ll be back in the NFL “sooner than later.”
“I really enjoy the current job I have,” Payton said (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “But I think relative to coaching, though, I know that I want to coach again and it’s not really been a secret. But I wanna find the right spot. And as Tom alluded to, you know, it’s still about the people. Because when it’s all done and it’s quiet, I don’t think it’s the money or the crowd cheers or the trophies or any of that other stuff. I think it’s about the journey with the people that you really enjoy. . . . So we’ll kind of see what happens. But sooner than later though, in fairness to that question. I think that, you know, if not this year, hopefully next year.”
Following the 2021 season, Payton announced that he’d be stepping down as New Orleans’ head coach. Payton ultimately logged 15 seasons with the Saints, going 152-89 and earning nine playoff appearances. Despite stating that he wanted to temporarily spend time away from the game, the Dolphins made a significant push for Payton but were denied permission from the Saints. It was later revealed that the organization had been having impermissible communication with Payton (and Brady) for years, leading to the loss of draft picks (along with suspensions for owner Stephen M. Ross and VP Bruce Beal).
The Dolphins reportedly offered Payton a five-year, $100MM offer, a contract that would have made him one of the highest-paid coaches in NFL history. Clearly, money isn’t Payton’s main motivation, and based on his comments, there will be many considerations as he eyes his next NFL gig. As Florio notes, a number of head coaching jobs will open up over the upcoming weeks, and it wouldn’t be surprising if one of those organizations makes a run at the former Saints head coach.
Chiefs Sign DT Brandon Williams To Active Roster
A week after joining Kansas City’s practice squad, Brandon Williams is ready to go. According to PFT’s Josh Alper, that they have signed the veteran defensive tackle to the active roster.
It was always expected that Williams’ stint on the practice squad would be temporary, especially since he wouldn’t need long to get acclimated to the Chiefs’ defense. The veteran previously played under Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen when the two were in Baltimore, so the familiarity certainly played into the player’s readiness.
The Chiefs recently dropped defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth, so Williams was the natural choice for the open roster spot. Stallworth had a small but consistent role on defense in recent weeks, so there’s a good chance Williams soaks up those open snaps. The 33-year-old could also eventually cut into Derrick Nnadi‘s and/or Khalen Saunders playing time.
“I’d tell you a good player,” coach Andy Reid recently said of Williams (h/t AP’s Dave Skretta via Seattle Times). “Joe speaks very highly of him and still thinks he can contribute. He’s been doing it a long time, but we welcome that. He’s a great kid and good football player.”
Williams spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Ravens, including a 2018 campaign where he earned his lone Pro Bowl nod. He started 114 of his 123 appearances during his time in Baltimore, collecting 33 tackles for loss and 19 QB hits.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: RB Craig Reynolds
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: C Hroniss Grasu
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DE Earnest Brown IV, RB Malcolm Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return: K Chris Boswell
Dolphins Designate OL Liam Eichenberg For Return
The Dolphins’ offensive line should soon be getting some reinforcement. Miami designated offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg for return from injured reserve, as passed along by Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter).
Eichenberg landed on injured reserve with a knee injury in early November. He ultimately sat out the required four games before returning to practice today. While it sounds like the offensive lineman is still ramping up, coach Mike McDaniel sounds anxious to reinsert the player into the starting lineup whenever he’s ready to go.
“Most of the [practice] will be on the side,” McDaniel said of Eichenberg (via Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald), “but he’s done an unbelievable job of getting himself really to where he’s at from the injury. It’s to his credit that that type of injury he’s come back so fast. I’m excited for him because he was playing his best football when he got injured.”
The 2021 second-round pick started 16 of his 17 games as a rookie and started each of his eight games in 2022. While Pro Football Focus hasn’t been fond of Eichenberg’s performance through his first year-plus in the NFL, McDaniel indicated that the lineman was starting to find his own before getting sidelined with an injury.
The head coach’s vote of confidence seems to indicate that Eichenberg will slide back into the starting lineup. Robert Jones has started four games at left guard filling in for his injured teammate, and the second-year pro has shown better than Eichenberg, per PFF. This will be one of several OL questions for the Dolphins heading into the final stretch of the season, especially with Terron Armstead set to return.
Panthers Designate DL Henry Anderson For Return
Henry Anderson could soon make his return to the field. The Panthers defensive lineman was designated to return from the NFI list today, as Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com passes along (on Twitter). Anderson will now have three weeks to be activated to the active roster.
The veteran revealed today that he was placed on the non-football illness list after suffering a sudden stroke in late October, per ESPN’s David Newton. Leading up to the Panthers’ game against the Buccaneers, Anderson experienced numbness in his arms and legs and his speech became blurred. Specialists around the country couldn’t determine what caused the stroke, but the clot was removed and Anderson revealed that he’s felt “pretty normal” since.
The veteran returned to practice today and said he “felt good” after getting back into the swing of things. In fact, interim coach Steve Wilks said Anderson has a chance to play this weekend against the Seahawks.
“I’m a football player,” Anderson said. “If I’m cleared to play, I want to be out there and play football because that’s what I love to do. I’ve been injured several times throughout my career, and it’s always kind of overwhelming when you’re injured and not with the team, so if the doctors say I’m good to go and I’ve got clearance I want to be out there with my guys and playing with my brothers.”
After getting into four games with the Patriots in 2021, the 31-year-old was let go by New England at the end of the 2022 preseason. He soon caught on with the Panthers and got into six games before landing on NFI, compiling 12 tackles. The veteran has seen time in 84 career games across eight NFL seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he finished with a career-high seven sacks with the Jets.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB BoPete Keyes, WR Binjimen Victor
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: P Kevin Huber
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Kevin White
- Released: TE Dylan Soehner
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Roy Mbaeteka
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Sam Schlueter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Roderick Johnson, DT Marvin Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Emeke Egbule
- Released: RB Master Teague
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OT Grant Hermanns, S Nolan Turner
Latest On WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr.‘s third and final visit has concluded, but it’s uncertain if a contract is imminent. Josina Anderson tweets that the wideout’s visit with the Cowboys concluded earlier this evening. This followed reports from earlier today that Dallas was concerned about OBJ’s knee.
[RELATED: Cowboys Concerned About OBJ’s Health]
Throughout the sweepstakes, there’s been persistent skepticism that OBJ would be able to contribute this season after suffering a torn ACL during last season’s Super Bowl. After opining earlier today that any team signing the wideout wouldn’t benefit until the 2023 campaign, Ed Werder adds (on Twitter) that the Cowboys “should not reasonably expect OBJ to play before [the] postseason.” Werder adds that Jerry Jones has been consistent in his assertion that a receiver acquistion needs to contribute during the regular season, but with only five games remaining, there’s a chance the executive’s stance has changed.
The wideout met with the Cowboys this week after previously meeting with the Giants and Bills. Unless something changed during tonight’s meeting, the Giants were the only reported team to put OBJ through an actual workout. This only adds uncertainty to OBJ’s readiness, although the wideout was cleared to return to the field in November.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is raising an eyebrow to the sudden leaks surrounding OBJ’s playing status. A league source told Florio that the negative info is “astounding” and wondered how the player could “even consider signing there now.” That same source questioned if the Cowboys are simply going through the motions to placate fans, and that would add to a previous sentiment that Dallas was only trying to drive up the price on their division rival.
There may be more to the Cowboys’ public posturing. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the two sides were “still aways apart” with contract negotiations heading into tonight’s meeting. Previous reports indicated that Beckham was seeking a multiyear offer with a $20MM-plus AAV, although that was always considered to be unrealistic. The Rams offered an incentive-laden deal when they pursued OBJ earlier this season, but the receiver was quick to dismiss that arrangement.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/6/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Michael Dogbe, LB Blake Lynch
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Cortez Broughton
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Davis Cheek
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: TE Tanner Hudson
- Released: DT Tyler Shelvin
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: OL George Moore
Denver Broncos
- Signed:WR Kaden Davis, QB Jarrett Guarantano
- Released: LB Zach McCloud
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Austin Calitro
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Chris Glaser, WR Diontae Spencer
- Released: WR Tarik Black, RB Jonathan Ward
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Kawaan Baker, CB Javelin Guidry, DT Anthony Rush
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Wayne Gallman Jr.
- Released: DT Jarrod Hewitt
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: OT Dylan Cook, CB Ryan Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: K Caleb Shudak
- Released: LB Wyatt Ray, OL Eric Smith