East Notes: L. Johnson, Patriots, Bills, Cowboys
Although perennial Pro Bowler Jason Peters currently mans left tackle in Philadelphia, the Eagles‘ extension of Lane Johnson indicates that the club clearly views him at its left tackle of the future. Johnson’s new deal, which locks him up through 2021, makes him the highest-paid right tackle in the league, and would put on him par with the most well-compensated left tackles, as well. For his part, Johnson agrees that his time on the blindside will come eventually.
“I think that’s what they drafted me for,” Johnson tells Zach Berman of Philly.com. “Obviously, Jason Peters is probably the best tackle of all time. One of them. Him and Walter Jones, in my opinion. Having him here, he’s taught me so much. I’m going to continue to [play right tackle] until that time comes.”
Here’s more from the NFL’s East divisions:
- The Patriots‘ offensive struggles were on full display during the AFC Championship Game, and the club will have some work to do to improve the unit in 2016. But one lineman who is unlikely to be retained is swing tackle Marcus Cannon, whom Matt Dolloff of CBS Boston believes will be a salary cap casualty. Releasing Cannon would save New England about $3.69MM (the Patriots currently project to have only ~$4MM in 2016 cap space).
- If the Patriots opt to make outside additions to its offensive line, someone like Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz will probably be outside of their comfort level financially. But Chiefs free agent Jeff Allen would be more affordable, and as Dolloff notes, Allen’s ability to play both guard and tackle could be intriguing to Bill Belichick.
- Free agent linebacker Nigel Bradham clearly won’t be a priority for the Bills as they seek to re-sign Cordy Glenn and Richie Incognito, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, who predicts that Bradham won’t return to Buffalo if he asks for $4-5MM annually. One potential replacement could be Jets linebacker Demario Davis, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com, who says Buffalo could circle back to Davis after the first wave of free agency.
- While reports have indicated that Johnny Manziel — who is in the news again for an off-field incident — would like to play for the Cowboys, Todd Archer of ESPN.com doesn’t think it would be a good move. Returning to the state where he is the biggest celebrity would not be a positive for the 23-year-old, opines Archer.
Vikings Hire Pat Shurmur As Tight Ends Coach
MONDAY, 1:43pm: The Vikings have confirmed Shurmur’s hiring, announcing that he will serve as the team’s new tight ends coach. Kevin Stefanski, who previously held that role, will shift over to replace Kirby Wilson as the club’s running backs coach.
SATURDAY, 9:45pm: It’s unclear what Shurmur’s role will be, as head coach Mike Zimmer still needs to sort out his coaching staff, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. But the hire won’t lead to any other staff changes, per Goessling.
9:33pm: The Vikings have hired former Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, reports Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link). There’s no word as to Shurmur’s title in Minnesota, but it’s worth noting that the only vacant job on the Vikings’ staff is running backs coach.
Shurmur, 50, acted as Philadelphia’s interim head coach for the final game of the season following the dismissal of Chip Kelly, and then received an interview for the full-time job. That position went to Doug Pederson, however, and though Pederson expressed some interest in retaining Shurmur, the Eagles ultimately hired former Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich as their new OC.
[RELATED: Vikings to hire Tony Sparano as offensive line coach]
After being released from his Eagles contract, Shurmur immediately generated interest around the league. The Rams, whose offense Shurmur coordinated from 2009-10, requested permission to interview him for a role (reports varied as to whether that role was OC or passing game coordinator). Meanwhile, two mystery clubs, in addition to the Vikings, were reported on Thursday to have interest in pursuing Shurmur, who ultimately interviewed with Minnesota on Friday.
Shurmur’s NFL experience dates back to the 1999 season, when he entered the league as an assistant with Philadelphia. His most prominent job was acting as the Browns’ head coach — he lasted just two seasons (2011-12), posting a record of 9-23 during that time.
Falcons Hire Cowboys’ Jerome Henderson
MONDAY, 10:21am: The Falcons have officially announced the hiring of Henderson as their defensive passing game coordinator, and confirmed Morris’ reassignment.
SUNDAY, 3:42pm: The Falcons have hired Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson as their defensive passing game coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Raheem Morris, who previously held that title for Atlanta, will become the club’s offensive passing game coordinator and receivers coach, reports Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links).
[RELATED: 2016 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker]
Henderson, 46, has been a hot name on the coaching carousel this offseason, having been linked to a number of assistant jobs around the league in addition to interviewing for the Browns’ head coaching vacancy. Henderson also met with the Jaguars regarding their defensive coordinator position, and was linked to gigs on the Dolphins’ staff under new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
While Henderson had suggested that he wouldn’t leave Dallas for anything other than a promotion (which could have been taken to mean a coordinator role), the move to defensive passing game coordinator presumably represents a step up. Morris, meanwhile, also has the title of assistant head coach in Atlanta, so the club and head coach Dan Quinn evidently had a bit more leeway to move Morris around on staff without technically demoting him.
But given that Morris has never coached offense in any capacity, moving him to the opposite side of the ball is certainly an odd move. The entirety of Morris’ coaching career — exempting his years as Tampa Bay’s head coach — has been spent on defense, mostly in the secondary. It’s possible that Atlanta wanted to keep him on staff in any role possible, regardless of specifics — the Bengals did something similar in 2012, naming Hue Jackson as an assistant in the secondary despite Jackson having spent his career coaching offense.
[RELATED: Falcons part ways with executive Lionel Vital]
We first heard Friday that Henderson would be interviewing for a position with Atlanta, but the club made it clear in its release that incumbent defensive coordinator Richard Smith would not lose his title. Additionally, Falcons defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel yesterday turned down an opportunity to become the Jaguars’ defensive passing game coordinator, so Henderson couldn’t take on the role of secondary coach in Atlanta, either.
Meanwhile, Cowboys safeties coach Joe Baker is expected to assume Henderson’s responsibilities in Dallas, becoming the full-time secondary coach, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
North Notes: Packers, Steelers, Allen, Browns
Let’s take a quick spin around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is “fed up” with general manager Ted Thompson‘s refusal to use free agency to bring in veteran reinforcements, sources tell Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Thompson and the rest of the Green Bay front office are famously loath to enter the free agent period, instead opting to rely on draft picks only to bolster the roster. But that approach seems to be taking its toll on McCarthy, on whom McGinn also places plenty of blame for the Packers’ disappointing 2015 campaign.
- Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn’t believe cornerback Cortez Allen will remain on the Steelers‘ roster in 2016, calling Allen’s 2014 extension “one of the worst big-money contracts” in club history. Head coach Mike Tomlin admitted on Friday that he’s not convinced Allen can be an impact player, and given that Pittsburgh could save $1.7MM against the cap by releasing Allen, it’s fair to speculate that he won’t return.
- In her latest mailbag for Cleveland.com, Mary Kay Cabot answers questions about the Browns‘ chances of landing Cal quarterback Jared Goff, whether Josh McCown will be retained, and the latest on receiver Josh Gordon.
Buccaneers Hire Todd Monken As OC
The Buccaneers have hired Southern Mississippi head coach Todd Monken as their new offensive coordinator, the club announced today. The position was vacated, obviously, when Tampa Bay promoted Dirk Koetter to head coach. Per the team, Monken will also serve as receivers coach.
[RELATED: Buccaneers hire Mike Smith as defensive coordinator]
“I am very excited to add a coach with the type of experience and tenacity that Todd brings,” said Koetter in a statement. “I have always been impressed with his approach to the game as well as his ability to teach concepts and get the best out of his players. During his more than 25-year coaching career, he has made a name for himself as a very successful offensive coordinator and head coach on the collegiate level.”
Monken is certainly an outside-the-box hire, as there had been no reports linking him to Tampa Bay or any other NFL vacancies. But the move isn’t completely out of left field, as Monken has a history with Koetter —the pair worked together on the Jaguars’ staff from 2007-10 (Koetter as OC, Monken as WRs coach). For what it’s worth, that time in Jacksonville represents Monken’s only NFL experience.
[RELATED: 2016 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker]
In his first head coaching job, the 49-year-old Monken has certainly turned around the Southern Miss program, improving from a 1-11 record during his first season in 2013 to a 9-5 mark during last year’s campaign. He’ll step into an enviable position in Tampa, as the Buccaneers are equipped with a potential franchise quarterback in Jameis Winston, an elite receiver in Mike Evans, and a solid — but free agent — running back in Doug Martin.
Koetter has already announced that he will call the offensive plays for the Buccaneers, so Monken will presumably act in more of a game-planning and administrative role.
Week In Review: 1/17/16 – 1/24/16
Headlines:
- The Titans hired interim head coach Mike Mularkey on a full-time basis, inking him to a three-year contract.
- The Jaguars extended head coach Gus Bradley, locking him up through 2017.
- Running back Marshawn Lynch could be leaning towards retirement, per Seahawks GM John Schneider.
- Browns receiver Josh Gordon officially filed for reinstatement.
Offensive Coordinators:
- 49ers – Curtis Modkins (hired), Geep Chryst (fired)
- Chiefs – Brad Childress and Matt Nagy (promoted)
- Eagles – Frank Reich (hired)
- Lions – Jim Bob Cooter (retained)
Defensive Coordinators:
- 49ers – Eric Mangini (fired)
- Browns – Ray Horton (hired)
- Eagles – Jim Schwartz (hired)
- Jaguars – Todd Wash (promoted)
- Titans – Terry Robiskie (hired)
Signed:
- 49ers – Eric Rogers, WR (link)
Injuries:
- Broncos – Omar Bolden, DB (placed on IR)
- Patriots – Jerod Mayo, LB (placed on IR)
NFC South Notes: Manuel, Falcons, Olsen
The NFC South champion Panthers are set to take on the Cardinals tomorrow in the NFC Championship, and while wait for that contest, let’s take a quick look at some notes out of Carolina’s division:
- Falcons secondary coach Marquand Manuel turned an offer to become the Jaguars defensive passing game coordinator and will remain with Atlanta, reports D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Manuel, who interviewed for Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator vacancy before the club promoted internal candidate Todd Wash, will enter his second season with the Falcons.
- In a separate piece for the AJC, Ledbetter examines whether the Falcons should consider reuniting with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who’s spent the 2015 season with the Cardinals after five years with Atlanta. The Falcons did offer Weatherspoon an incentive-laden deal last offseason, reports Ledbetter, but Arizona offered $1.25MM in guarantees. For his part, Weatherspoon seems happy with his current situation, but did allow that “part of [his] heart is in Atlanta.”
- Tight end Greg Olsen is the Panthers‘ No. 1 option in the receiving game, but at one point not long ago, he looked like a middling pass-catcher as a member of the Bears. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune looks back at the 2011 trade that brought Olsen from the Windy City to Carolina.
NFL Combine To Remain In Indy Through 2020
The NFL Scouting Combine will remain in Indianapolis through the 2020 season, reports Mike Chappell of CBS4. The new deal between the league and the city runs through 2017, followed by three one-year extension options, confirmed Chris Gahl, vice president of Visit Indy.
[RELATED: 107 early entrants declare for 2016 NFL Draft]
“We basically had been working on a year-to-year contract,” said Gahl. “The combine and the NFL were seeking a longer-term agreement because of the logistics involved and putting on an event the size of the combine. This allows everyone involved to know the dates are secure and the venue is secure. It allows for longer-term planning.”
More than 2,000 NFL coaches, executives, and other employees (plus about 300 draft-eligible prospects) migrate to Indianapolis each year in advance of the draft. The event, which has become so popular that it’s now aired on the NFL Network, has been hosted in Indianapolis since 1987. Rumors had swirled that the combine could move to Los Angeles as part of the league’s recent relocation efforts, but it appears that won’t happen any time soon.
This year’s combine will take place February 23-29.
Browns’ Joe Thomas Unlikely To Request Trade
Earlier this month, Browns left tackle Joe Thomas — frustrated after his club fired head coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer — said he would wait to see who the team brought in as the pair’s replacements before making a decision on whether to seek a trade out of Cleveland. Speaking on WKYC on Saturday, Thomas appeared pleased with the Browns’ new direction.
[RELATED: Browns receiver Josh Gordon files for reinstatement]
“Certainly I love the people in Cleveland. It’s my home. I love the city. I love everything about it. So I definitely want to be part of the turnaround,” said Thomas, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
The Browns, of course, have made several staff and front office changes since the end of the regular season, hiring former Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson as head coach (Thomas reportedly called the selection of Jackson “pretty awesome”), promoting Sashi Brown to executive vice president of football operations, and bringing in former Mets executive Paul DePodesta as chief strategy officer.
[Browns hire Ray Horton, Pep Hamiton, and Al Saunders]
At a press conference on Thursday, Brown told the media that he had met with Thomas, and insisted that the nine-year veteran “will be a big piece of what [the team] does moving forward,” an indication that the new regime wasn’t too keen on trading its franchise left tackle. Still, given that a potential deal that would have sent Thomas to the Broncos for a bevy of draft picks reportedly fell through at last year’s trade deadline, it was fair to wonder if the club might attempt to deal Thomas again.
Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick To Begin Extension Talks Soon
After giving up just a sixth-round pick in order to acquire Ryan Fitzpatrick from the Texans prior to last season, the Jets were undoubtedly pleased with the veteran quarterback’s production as he lead the club to a 10-6 record. Appearing on WFAN Friday, general manager Mike Maccagnan said that the two sides are primed to enter contract discussions soon.
“We’re going to talk to Ryan’s people here in the very near future,” said Maccagnan, per Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. “We have time, obviously, before free agency, and we really would like to get Ryan back in the fold. [Head coach] Todd [Bowles] has said that. Obviously, myself and the rest of the organization feel very strongly about this.
“I think it’s a good situation for all of us, and we just have to go through this process, and hopefully we can come to an agreement where it’s fair and everybody’s happy with it going forward.”
As Maccagnan expressed, Bowles has stated a desire to retain Fitzpatrick, and confirmed that the 33-year-old would enter the 2016 season as the club’s starter if re-signed. Free agency doesn’t begun until March 15, and while the Jets can obviously negotiate with their own players up to and after that date, Albert Breer of NFL.com reported last month that New York would probably try to work on re-signing other free agents before Fitzpatrick, because each side has a good handle on the quarterback’s value.
In his first season in New York, Fitzpatrick posted the best season his career, passing for nearly 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns against just 15 interceptions. After earning just $3.25MM last season, the 11-year veteran should be in line for a healthy raise, and could garner $10-15MM per season.