Wade Phillips’ Contract Set To Expire
There is a chance that the Broncos’ season finale against the Raiders on Sunday will be Wade Phillips’ last game as Denver’s defensive coordinator. The 69-year-old isn’t mulling retirement, but his contract is about to expire, reports USA Today’s Tom Pelissero, who adds that Phillips and the Broncos weren’t able to reach an extension during negotiations last offseason.
At the time of their discussions with Phillips last winter, the Broncos were fresh off a Super Bowl championship that his dominant defense sparked. Phillips earned AP Assistant Coach of the Year honors as a result, though this season hasn’t gone gone as well for him or the Broncos. The club is 8-7 and won’t make the playoffs, but that’s hardly Phillips’ fault. Evidence: Despite losing Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan in free agency, the Broncos’ defense ranks first in DVOA (for the second year in a row), third in sacks, sixth in yardage and scoring, and ninth in takeaways.
Should Phillips join Jackson and Trevathan in exiting via the open market, it would end his second tenure with the Broncos after only two years. He was previously in Denver from 1989-94 – first as a D-coordinator and then a head coach – before serving in at least one of those roles with the Bills, Falcons, Chargers, Cowboys and Texans through the 2013 campaign. Phillips was also on Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak‘s staff in Houston, which – along with Denver’s immense defensive talent – might help the club retain him.
Without Phillips, the Broncos could turn to one of his assistants to coordinate their Von Miller-headlined defense, according to Pelissero. It’s perhaps worth noting, then, that the team called on linebackers coach Reggie Herring to handle play-calling duties for the majority of a 27-19 win over the Chargers in Week 8. The decision to elevate Herring on a temporary basis came after Phillips bore the brunt of a second-quarter sideline collision and left on a stretcher.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/16
Thursday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Panthers placed wide receiver Devin Funchess on injured reserve and promoted wideout Damiere Byrd from their practice squad, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Funchess has a knee issue that won’t require surgery, but it will cut his second NFL season a bit short. With just 23 catches on 58 targets, the 2015 second-round pick from Michigan had an unspectacular year, but he did average 16.1 yards per reception and add four touchdowns.
- The Cowboys cut receiver Vince Mayle, who went without a catch for the second year in a row. Most of Mayle’s work (94 of 130 snaps) came on special teams.
NFC Notes: Vikings, Eagles, Barwin, Panthers
It’s unclear whether Sam Bradford or Teddy Bridgewater will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback next year, but the former has a clear advantage based on health. Moreover, Bradford’s performance has impressed head coach Mike Zimmer, who heaped praise on the 29-year-old Thursday. “I think, honestly, if you sat back and looked at all the things — being traded, trying to learn a new system, having a new coach, having to learn teammates — all these things that he’s had to deal with. Injuries on offense. I thought he’s done an unbelievable job,” said Zimmer (via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com).
Minnesota paid a high price to acquire Bradford from Philadelphia in early September after Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic knee injury. Now a disappointing 7-8, the Vikings won’t replicate their playoff-bound 2015 campaign under Bridgewater, though Bradford has nonetheless fared respectably despite having little help from his offensive line or running game. With a 71.3 percent completion percentage, the seventh-year man is on track to surpass the single-season record of 71.2. He has also amassed 17 touchdowns against just four interceptions and posted a career-best 98.3 passer rating in 14 starts. Those numbers are somewhat the product of a conservative offense, though, as Bradford ranks last in the league in air yards per attempt (6.24), notes Goessling.
More from the NFC:
- As a less-than-ideal fit for Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 scheme, pass rusher Connor Barwin could end up a cap casualty in the offseason. But the 30-year-old would consider taking a pay cut from $7.75MM to remain with the club, he told Marcus Hayes of Philly.com. “I’m willing to do something,” he said. “So, we’ll see.” Barwin added that he’s “optimistic about the system, and the growth I can have in it from this year to next year.” The fourth-year Eagle has four sacks, his fewest since totaling three in 2012, and has racked up only seven quarterback hurries after accumulating 18 in 2015. Releasing him would save Philadelphia $7.75MM against just $600K in dead money.
- Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis has no plan to retire, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets, meaning the back-to-back Pro Bowler will return for a 12th season in 2017. Davis has played 93.9 percent of the Panthers’ defensive snaps this year and filled the stat sheet with 15 starts, 104 tackles, three interceptions, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The soon-to-be 34-year-old is set to count $8.25MM against the Panthers’ cap in 2017, the last season of his contract.
- Left tackle Michael Oher, another integral Panthers cog, is likely to return next year, offensive lineman Trai Turner told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I think he’ll play again,” Turner said Thursday. “He never said or gave me an indication that he wouldn’t.” Oher already shot down retirement rumors earlier this year, but that was before a concussion forced him to injured reserve Nov. 25. The 30-year-old played in a mere three games this season – none past Sept. 25 – and dealt with serious concussion-related problems (sensitivity to light and issues with vision, movement and balance) before going on IR, according to Person.
Browns Notes: Pryor, RG3, McCown, Erving
Contract-year wide receiver Terrelle Pryor made it clear multiple times earlier this season that he wants to remain with the Browns going forward. However, with free agency looming, Pryor acknowledged Thursday that he could on the cusp of playing his final game with the team. “I love to play for [Hue Jackson] and I enjoy playing for him this year and I’d love to play for him longer,” Pryor told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “But at the end of the day, it’s got to come down to what my agents think is right for me.” Those agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, have tabled extension talks with the Browns until after the season and likely want their client to test the market off a breakout campaign, per Cabot. The 27-year-old Pryor, a former quarterback, leads the Browns in targets (129), receptions (70), yards (913) and touchdowns (four).
More from Cleveland, which is no longer in danger of enduring a winless season as Week 17 nears:
- Quarterback Robert Griffin III cleared concussion protocol after suffering a head injury last week and is on track to start Sunday in Pittsburgh, writes Cabot. Health has been a problem throughout the season for Griffin, who has not revived his career since signing a two-year deal with Cleveland last winter and could end up on the chopping block this offseason. In four appearances this year, Griffin has completed a meager 54.2 of his 107 passes and hasn’t thrown a touchdown. Moving on from the former Redskin would free up $7.5MM in spending space for the Browns, who would incur $1.75MM in dead cap.
- Fellow signal-caller Josh McCown hinted at retirement last week, but the 37-year-old declared Thursday that he aims to return in 2017. “My plan is to play,” he said (via Pat McManamon of ESPN.com). “I have another year left on my deal. So right now, that’s the plan.” It’s unclear whether McCown will be open to continuing his career if the Browns release him, which looks like a distinct possibility. By cutting McCown, Cleveland would save $4.375MM on its cap against roughly $667K in dead money next year. If McCown’s playing career does conclude, he could have a place on Jackson’s staff next year. “I told him already if he ever wanted to coach, he could coach for me anytime he wants,” said Jackson.
- Jackson revealed nearly two months ago that the Browns would try second-year man Cameron Erving at tackle if his play didn’t turn around at center. Erving was then Pro Football Focus’ worst-rated center, which hasn’t changed. As a result, the Browns will try the 2015 first-rounder at right tackle Sunday, per Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. Erving hasn’t fared well along the interior in the NFL, though he was an accomplished left tackle at Florida State and is eager to serve as a bookend again. “It’s definitely a little exciting, just to be able to potentially have that opportunity to go out and play tackle again,” Erving said.
Pats To Place High Asking Price On Garoppolo
Even though quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is only a year from hitting free agency, the Patriots are going to place a high asking price on Tom Brady‘s backup if they shop him during the offseason. In order to move the 25-year-old Garoppolo, New England is likely to want at least a first- and fourth-round pick in return, ESPN’s Adam Schefter told WEEI on Wednesday.
In the latest high-profile trade involving a signal-caller, the Vikings sent a first- and fourth-rounder to the Eagles for Sam Bradford last September. Bradford came with two years of team control, but his recent track record at the time wasn’t as impressive as Garoppolo’s work early this season.
In two games filling in for a suspended Brady, Garoppolo completed 42 of 59 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns as the Patriots racked up wins over Arizona and Miami. The plan was for Garoppolo to start all four games of Brady’s season-opening Deflategate ban, but that changed when Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso knocked the 2014 second-rounder out with a shoulder injury in Week 2.
With Brady entrenched under center in New England, it’s possible Garoppolo’s Week 2 start will go down as his last with the organization. While it would ideal for the Patriots to retain Garoppolo for the long haul as the successor to Brady, that looks unrealistic. The soon-to-be 40-year-old Brady hasn’t waned in 2016 from his typical MVP-level form and is under Patriots control through the 2019 campaign. So is third-stringer Jacoby Brissett, with whom the Pats went 1-1 when Brady and Garoppolo were unavailable in Weeks 3 and 4.
With the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins likely a poor bet to become a free agent, Garoppolo could end up as the top potential long-term solution available at QB in the offseason. Speculatively, teams like the Browns, Bears, 49ers, Texans, Jaguars, Bills and Jets could be among those to chase Garoppolo, which might lead to a bidding war and enable the Pats to receive their desired compensation. New England could otherwise keep the ex-Eastern Illinois star at an $820K salary in 2017 and, should Garoppolo sign elsewhere after next season, potentially receive a compensatory third-rounder in the 2019 draft.
Dolphins Extend TE MarQueis Gray
A day after awarding offensive lineman Sam Young a short-term extension, the Dolphins have re-upped tight end MarQueis Gray to a two-year deal, tweets Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Gray is now under the Dolphins’ control through the 2018 season.
The Dolphins are the fifth NFL organization for the 27-year-old Gray, who entered the league with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2013. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher debuted that year with the Browns and then spent parts of the 2014 and ’15 campaigns with the Vikings and Bills. All told, he appeared in 29 games, made seven starts and caught 12 passes in that span.
In Miami, which he joined on a one-year deal in March, Gray has given the team a useful option behind Dion Sims by setting career highs in appearances (15), starts (seven), targets (17) and receptions (14). In terms of overall performance, Gray ranks a respectable 28th among Pro Football Focus’ 64 qualifying tight ends.
Extra Points: Rams, 49ers, Jets, Draft
Rams owner Stan Kroenke only relocated the franchise from St. Louis to Los Angeles last winter, but his plan to swap Missouri for California went back several years, ex-head coach Jeff Fisher told ESPN Radio (via Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). On taking the Rams’ head coaching job in 2012, Fisher recalled, “I decided on L.A., or St. Louis, at the time, knowing that there was going to be a pending move.”
More from around the sport:
- Former 49ers offensive lineman Anthony Davis, who retired for the second time in September, took to Twitter on Christmas to blast some of the team’s brass, per Katie Dowd of the San Francisco Chronicle. Regarding CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke, the outspoken Davis commented in a now-deleted tweet, “I don’t want to play for Jed, Trent or [offensive line coach Pat Flaherty] though. They’re all full of [expletive].” Davis shared a more positive assessment of head coach Chip Kelly, calling him a “smart, very calculated, interesting guy,” though he’s unsure if Kelly’s offense can work in the NFL.
- Quarterback Christian Hackenberg needs to start for the Jets in the season finale against Buffalo, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News opines. After Bryce Petty landed on IR, the Jets are slated to start Ryan Fitzpatrick in the final game of the season. However, it would behoove them to find out what they have in their second-round rookie. On the flipside, wide receiver Brandon Marshall would rather not see Hackenberg on the field yet. “Why would you want to do that to that kid? There used to be a time back in the day where quarterbacks had time to sit on the bench and really learn,” Marshall told Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday (Twitter link).
- Wyoming running back Brian Hill announced on Twitter that he will skip his senior season and enter the draft. After rushing for 1,860 yards and averaging 5.3 yards per carry with 22 touchdowns, Hill figures to draw lots of interest. In a deep running back class, it will be interesting to see where he comes off the board. Stars like Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, D’Onta Foreman, and Christian McCaffrey all figure to slot ahead of Hill.
- The Bills dominated the news Tuesday. Here’s a recap: The Doug Whaley-led franchise changed both its head coach and quarterback entering Week 17. Interim head coach Anthony Lynn and a couple others have since emerged as possibilities to permanently take over for the ousted Rex Ryan.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Fallout From Rex Ryan’s Firing
The Bills are on the hunt for a new head coach after firing Rex Ryan on Tuesday, but the presence of general manager Doug Whaley is likely to limit their options, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. With Whaley entrenched atop the Bills’ front office, head coaching candidates who want significant say in roster construction might be less inclined to take the job.
[RELATED: Bills to bench Tyrod Taylor]
That could include longtime NFL head coach Tom Coughlin, with whom the Bills spoke last offseason about a front office role before he took a position with the league. Coughlin is now a possibility to end up back in Jacksonville – where he coached from 1995-2002 – but Bills owner Terry Pegula is interested in tabbing the two-time Super Bowl winner to succeed Ryan, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is also high on the Bills’ list, reports Cole, who adds that the team would want to retain interim head coach Anthony Lynn as its offensive coordinator under either Coughlin or Austin.
Lynn entered the season as the Bills’ running backs coach, but they elevated him to O-coordinator after firing Greg Roman on the heels of an 0-2 start. Buffalo’s Lynn-led attack ranks first in the league in rushing, seventh in scoring, eighth in DVOA and 12th in total offense. Now, given his impressive work this season, it’s possible Lynn is actually the favorite to take over for Ryan on a permanent basis. Whaley “pushed” ownership to place the interim tag on Lynn, tweets the Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci, who wrote last week that Lynn could be primed to grab the reins going forward. Lynn garnered attention from head coach-needy franchises last winter and will again be on teams’ radars this offseason (the Rams are reportedly eyeing him), so the Bills could lose the 47-year-old if they don’t select him as Ryan’s replacement.
As for Ryan, his downfall in Buffalo was his inability to live up to his reputation as a defensive guru. The Bills had a top-tier defense in place when they hired him in advance of the 2015 campaign, but it was a below-average unit in each of his two years with the club. Ryan’s move last January to hire his twin brother, the now-fired Rob Ryan, to team with him and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman didn’t produce positive results. In fact, Bills players told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that the Ryans lost the defensive portion of the locker room because there were “too many cooks in the kitchen” (Twitter link). Defensive end Leger Douzable took to Twitter to bash Buffalo’s decision to ax Rex Ryan, whom he also played under as a Jet, but star D-tackle Marcell Dareus doesn’t seem too broken up about the coaching change.
While Dareus told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he likes Ryan, the franchise’s highest-paid player explained that the defensive scheme “was just too much detail for a lot of guys, and I feel like for a lot of guys it was too much going on for them to check here and check there, if this happens and that happens. Then nine times out of 10, a team will throw something out there that we weren’t prepared for, and then the adjustment to it, we had to get use to and try to make it happen and make plays.”
The 26-year-old Dareus will be among a few marquee talents the Bills’ next coach inherits (running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Sammy Watkins are the others), though the environment “from top to bottom” is “toxic,” relays Carucci (Twitter link). Considering the Bills have gone a league-worst 17 years since their latest playoff trip, that’s not overly surprising.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/16
A rundown of Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: S Christian Bryant (signed from Giants practice squad)
- Placed on injured reserve: S Tony Jefferson, G Taylor Boggs
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Travell Dixon, DE Larry Webster
- Placed on IR: S Tre Boston, DE Ryan Delaire
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jake Kumerow, LB Trevor Roach
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Joe Banyard
- Placed on IR: LB Sean Porter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: RB Ryan Matthews
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers: DL Zach Moore
- Placed on IR: RB Carlos Hyde
San Diego Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Andre Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kasen Williams
- Placed on IR: WR Tyler Lockett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: CB Jude Adjei-Barimah
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Alex Tanney
- Placed on IR: QB Marcus Mariota
Washington Redskins
- Placed on waivers: RB Silas Redd (Twitter link via Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/27/16
Tuesday’s practice squad changes:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DE Martin Ifedi, TE Darion Griswold
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Dustin Vaughan
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Antwan Goodley
- Placed on P-Squad IR: TE Devon Cajuste
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Brandon Shippen
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Keith Wenning, RB Jacob Huesman, S Ryan Murphy
Seattle Seahawks