Minor NFL Transactions: 1/14/18
Today’s minor moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted to active roster: LB Deon King
- Waived: WR Montay Crockett
Bills Hire Brian Daboll As OC
The Bills have hired Brian Daboll as their new offensive coordinator, the club announced today.
[RELATED: 2018 NFL Coordinator Tracker]
Daboll, fresh off a National Championship as the offensive play-caller for the University of Alabama, will replace longtime NFL coach Rick Dennison, who was fired on Friday after only one season in Buffalo. Multiple head coaching candidates had reportedly expressed interest in hiring Daboll as an offensive coordinator, so the Bills acted quickly to add him to their staff.
While the 42-year-old Daboll spent the 2017 campaign in the collegiate ranks, he does boast vast amounts of NFL coaching experience. He’s coordinated offenses for the Browns (2009-10), Dolphins (2011), and Chiefs (2012), and has also worked in a number of offensive roles for the Patriots, first from 2000-06 and again from 2013-16.
In Buffalo, Daboll will be tasked with heading an offensive unit which ranked 22nd in scoring, 26th in DVOA, and 29th in yards a season ago. Running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Zay Jones will be among the weapons at Daboll’s disposal, while Buffalo has decisions to make on quarterback Tyrod Taylor and wideout Kelvin Benjamin.
East Notes: Cowboys, Cable, ASJ, Redskins
Having fired Frank Pollack last week, the Cowboys are casting a wide net as they search for a coach to lead an offensive line that was considered the NFL’s best as recently as 2016. Dallas has already interviewed former Bengal OL coach Paul Alexander last week, while incumbent Cowboys assistant offensive line coach Marc Colombo is reportedly “in the mix” for the vacancy, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, Dallas had interest in meeting with former Seahawks OL coach Tom Cable before he was hired by the Raiders, but no formal interview was ever arranged, per Archer, who adds the Cowboys also plan to meet with Giants offensive line coach Mike Solari.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- In addition to finding a new offensive line coach, the Cowboys are also looking for a new coach to head up the club’s wide receivers. Former Colts wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal is interviewing to replace Derek Dooley, who was fired last week, as Archer reports. Lal, 48, originally joined the NFL ranks with the Raiders in 2007, and has since coached wideouts for Oakland, New York, and Buffalo. At present, the only other candidate to interview for the Cowboys’ WRs coach job is former Dallas pass-catcher Miles Austin, who is currently a scout for Dallas but has never coached in the NFL.
- While the Jets have interest in re-signing pending free agent tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, general manager Mike Maccagnan & Co. have no intent of “going crazy” to retain the 25-year-old, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Seferian-Jenkins, a former second-round pick who has overcome substance abuse issues, posted the best season of his career in 2017 by posting 50 receptions for 357 yards and three scores. While ASJ did tail off near the end of the year (he managed only 11 catches for 69 yards in New York’s final five games), his age and pedigree should allow him to garner a multi-year pact.
- Stanford has hired former Redskins assistant offensive line coach Kevin Carberry as its new run game coordinator and offensive line coach, tweets Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports. To replace Carberry, Washington has inked ex-Broncos assistant Phil Rauscher as its next assistant OL coach, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
NFL Teams Eyeing Greg Schiano For DC Jobs
Former Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano is generating a “lot of interest” for NFL defensive coordinator positions, according to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
While Schiano spent two years as Tampa Bay’s head coach from 2012-13, the majority of the 51-year-old’s experience has come at the collegiate level. He’s currently the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State, but he’s perhaps best known for his 11-year run as the head coach at Rutgers. Schiano nearly landed the Tennessee head coaching job last year before seemingly misplaced social media backlash caused the Volunteers to back out of a deal.
Schiano’s reputation and record in the NFL is a mixed bag, to say the least. He posted an overall mark of 11-21 in two season with the Buccaneers, and drew criticism around the league and within the organization for his “autocratic” management style. Schiano was also infamous for sending his defensive players on all-out rushes when opposing offenses were executing game-ending kneel-downs, a controversial strategy that drew ire around the league.
But Schiano does have a solid relationship with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and other members of the New England coaching tree, leading Ben Volin of the Boston Globe to speculate (via Twitter) that Schiano could potentially follow either Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels or defensive coordinator Matt Patricia if either accepts a head coaching position elsewhere.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/14/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Cleveland Browns
- DL Ricky Ali’ifua
- OL Joseph Cheek
- DL Jeremy Faulk
- DB Corey White
Important 2018 NFL Offseason Dates
Even with the NFL in the midst of the postseason, the offseason is already underway, as head coaching and general manager vacancies are quickly being fgilled. As such, it’s worth looking ahead to the NFL’s offseason calendar for an idea of which dates will be more important during the next several weeks and months. With teams filling out their coaching staffs and preparing to make changes to rosters, there are plenty of days to circle on the calendar.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the NFL’s key offseason dates and deadlines:
January
- January 15
- Deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the 2017 NFL draft.
- January 27
- Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
- January 28
- Assistant coaches for teams in the Super Bowl – who have previously interviewed for a head coaching job – can interview a second time with the club no later than the Sunday before the Super Bowl.
February
- February 5
- 2018 waiver system begins.
- 2018 waiver system begins.
- February 13
- Teams may sign CFL players whose 2017 contracts have expired.
- February 20
- First day for teams to designate a franchise or transition player.
- February 27-March 5
- The NFL scouting combine will be held in Indianapolis.
March
- March 6
- As of 3pm CT, teams can no longer designate a franchise or transition player.
- As of 3pm CT, teams can no longer designate a franchise or transition player.
- March 12-14
- Team may contact agents and negotiate contracts for players who will become unrestricted free agents on March 14. Free agent contracts can’t be signed yet, but informal agreements can be reached.
- March 14
- The 2018 league year begins, and free agency opens. By 3pm CT, teams must make decisions on player options, submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents, submit minimum tenders to exclusive rights free agents, and be under the 2018 salary cap. Trades can be made and free agents can be signed after 3pm CT.
- March 25-28
- The NFL owners meetings will be held in Phoenix, Arizona.
April
- April 20
- Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
- April 25
- Deadline for previous club to exercise right of first refusal (ie. match offer sheets) on restricted free agents.
- April 26-28
- The NFL draft will be held in Arlington, Texas.
May
- May 3
- Teams exercising fifth-year options on 2015 first-round picks must do so prior to May 3.
July
- July 16
- Deadline for teams to work out multi-year contracts with free agents designated as franchise players.
Panthers Hire OC Norv Turner
The Panthers have hired longtime NFL coach Norv Turner their next offensive coordinator. The news was first reported by David Newton of ESPN.com.
Turner was in Carolina on Wednesday to formally interview for the position and it didn’t take long for the two sides to hammer out an agreement. On Friday, the team made it official.
Turner’s hiring should come as no surprise, especially given that he was the first — and only — candidate mentioned following the firing of Mike Shula on Tuesday. Reports indicated the Panthers preferred to hire a veteran coach, and Turner certainly fits that bill. He’s served as a coordinator for six clubs and been a head coach for three more teams. Turner, 65, was most recently the offensive play-caller for the Vikings before abruptly resigning midway through the 2016 campaign.
In addition to his wealth of experience, Turner is also close with Panthers head coach Ron Rivera. Turner hired Rivera as an assistant coach and later defensive coordinator when both worked for the Chargers, and Turner also recommended Rivera for the Carolina job when it became open in 2011.
With the Panthers, Turner will take over a unit that boasts pieces such as quarterback Cam Newton, running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Devin Funchess, and tight end Greg Olsen. Despite those options, Carolina’s offense struggled in 2017, ranking 12th in scoring, 17th in DVOA, and 19th in yards.
Meanwhile, Scott Turner will join his father in heading to Carolina, as he’ll become the Panthers’ new quarterbacks coach. The younger Turner most recently served as QBs coach at the University of Michigan, and has worked with the Panthers, Browns, and Vikings at the NFL level.
Packers Notes: Whitt, O’Neil, Graham, Staff
Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt was passed over as Green Bay searched for a new defensive coordinator, but he’ll stay on with the club and receive an elevated title of defensive passing game coordinator, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Whitt was one of three internal candidates — in addition to assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss and safeties coach Darren Perry — being considered for Packers DC, but former Browns head coach Mike Pettine was ultimately awarded the position. At present, there’s no word as to whether Moss or Perry will remain on staff.
Here’s the latest from Green Bay, with a focus on coaches and front office personnel:
- Now that Pettine has been announced as the Packers’ new defensive coordinator, Green Bay will attempt to fill out a defensive staff. As Adam Caplan of SiriusXM hinted last night, the Packers will interview former 49ers defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil for their linebackers coach position, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. O’Neil, who spent the 2017 campaign out of the NFL, served as Petine’s defensive coordinator when both worked with the Browns from 2014-15. O’Neil’s interview could be a sign that the incumbent Moss is moving on.
- Cignetti isn’t the only ex-Giants assistant whom the Packers could soon hire, as Green Bay will also meet with New York defensive line coach Patrick Graham this week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Like O’Neil, Graham could be a candidate for the Packers’ linebackers coach job, reports Silverstein (Twitter link). The 38-year-old Graham spent the past two seasons teaching defensive lineman with Big Blue, but was previously a longtime Patriots staffer, working his way through the ranks to coach both lineman and linebackers in New England.
- Green Bay’s front office has witnessed major upheaval over the past several weeks, as Brian Gutekunst replaced Ted Thompson as general manager while fellow executives Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith both took new positions with the Browns. More changes will likely be coming, however, and the Packers are expected to consider college scouting director Jon-Eric Sullivan and pro personnel director John Wojciechowski for promotions, tweets Silverstein. Both men could be contenders for an assistant general manager of director of player personnel role.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/10/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Jeremy Liggins
Bengals Notes: Davidson, Van Pelt, Staff
The Bengals are attempting to hire a new offensive line coach for the first time in more than two decades after firing Paul Alexander, and the sheer amount of candidates means the club’s interview process is being extended, according to Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). As staffs around the league continue to be altered, more experienced OL coaches are becoming available, so Cincinnati’s plan to have a new hire in place quickly has been consequently changed. In-limbo Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin has reportedly interviewed for the position.
Here’s more from the Queen City:
- Goodwin isn’t the only candidate to fill the Bengals’ offensive line coach position, as former Broncos OL coach Jeff Davidson has also interviewed for the job, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Davidson, who was fired by Denver last week, has been an NFL coach since 1995 and worked for a variety of teams. He also offers past play-calling experience, as he served as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator from 2007-10. Aside from Goodwin and Davidson, Utah OL coach Jim Harding is also reportedly a candidate to land in Cincinnati.
- Former Packers quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt is under consideration for a job with the Bengals, per Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). While it’s unclear exactly which position Van Pelt would fill, it’s fair to assume he’d take over at QBs coach for Cincinnati. Like Davidson, Van Pelt has been an OC before, as he called plays for the Bills in 2009. The Bengals are in need of a new quarterbacks coach given that Bill Lazor — who formerly held that title — is now being retained as their full-time offensive coordinator.
- The Bengals have promoted assistant secondary coach Robert Livingston to the primary role, according to Owczarski (Twitter links). Livingston, who’s coached in Cincinnati for the past three seasons, originally started as a scout, which should come in handy given that the Bengals use their coaching staff to scout more than any team in the league. Given that former secondary coach Kevin Coyle wasn’t retained, Cincinnati is still on the hunt for another defensive backs coach to work alongside Livingston, per Owczarski.