Stadium Updates: Raiders, Rams, Chargers
Let’s take a look at stadium-related news, all of which happens to come from the West divisions:
- Raiders owner Mark Davis told reporters today, including Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com, that the club is planning to sign a one-year lease to remain in O.co stadium for the 2015 season. Despite rumors that the team could move to Los Angeles, Davis spoke as though he’s committed to Oakland. “We’re working hard to stay here,” Davis said. “We’re not using any other city as leverage. It’s not that way. It’s known that, no matter what we do here, it will not be as valuable as if we went somewhere else. That’s known. But we still want to be here. Finances are not the No. 1 goal of this organization.” As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds, Davis says that he’s willing to contribute $500MM to the cost of building a new stadium in the Bay Area. For reference, the new Vikings stadium is set to cost more than $1 billion, so the city of Oakland would presumably foot about 50% of the bill to get a new building started.
- Like the Raiders, the Rams have been tied to the LA area — Rams owner Stan Kroenke has been unequivocal in his plans to build a stadium in the Hollywood area, jeopardizing St. Louis’ chance to keep its club. NFL executive Eric Grubman, who oversees the LA market, met with the St. Louis stadium task force on Thursday, and was blunt in his directive for the city, according to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Take the plan and get it done,” Grubman said, referring to the city’s recent unveiling of stadium blueprints.
- Meanwhile, a third team that’s been linked to Los Angeles — the Chargers — have been growing frustrated with the city of San Diego’s lack of progress on a new stadium, writes Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. Owner Dean Spanos has been working to get city approval for a new building for twelve years, per Gehlken, and the club’s displeased reaction to mayor Kevin Faulconer’s rough stadium agenda could be a sign that the Chargers are aiming to leave San Diego.
Audition Notes: Friday
Duron Carter is among the busier men in the NFL right now, as the CFL receiver has worked out for a litany of teams over recent weeks in an effort to secure a contract for 2015. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Carter has is likely finished with the audition circuit after visiting with the Browns earlier today. And despite earlier reports that the Vikings, home to Duron’s father Cris Carter for much of his career, were the favorites to land the young receiver, Goessling reports that Minnesota is the not high bidder for Carter at the moment. Here’s more workout news from around the league…
- Carter isn’t the only CFL player making the NFL rounds, as defensive back Delvin Breaux met with both the Steelers (Twitter link via Howard Balzer) and the Jaguars (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN). Per Caplan (on Twitter), Breaux has several more visits lined up, and is scheduled to meet with the Browns, Dolphins, Falcons, and Saints, while the Eagles and Jets also maintain interest.
- The Panthers brought in quarterback Dominique Davis for a workout, tweets Caplan. Davis, 25, was a reserve for the Falcons from 2012-13, and spent time with the Titans and Colts last season.
- The Titans, like all teams, are aiming to fill out their offseason roster, and worked out the following players today in that vein, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link): LaVon Brazill, David Fluellen, Jacoby Ford, Clyde Gates, Phillip Hunt, Shawn Lemon, Joe Morgan, Keith Price, and Chase Rettig. Brazill is probably the most notable name among the list, as he was set to play a meaningful role in the Colts’ offense before being suspended and migrating to the CFL.
- Before signing Mitchell Van Dyk yesterday, the Steelers also worked out fellow punters Tom Hornsey and Richie Leone, in addition to defensive tackle Kheeston Randall, per Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Bills auditioned offensive lineman Matt Armstrong today, tweets Wilson.
Bills Hire Dennis Thurman As DC
THURSDAY, 12:06pm: The Bills have officially announced the hiring of Thurman as their defensive coordinator, according to a team release.
MONDAY, 10:35pm: We learned earlier tonight that despite reports that incoming Bills head coach Rex Ryan would offer him a spot on his coaching staff, Jim Schwartz will not return as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator. Instead, as has been widely speculated, Ryan will bring along his DC from his time with the Jets, Dennis Thurman, to take over the Bills defense, according to Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
It’s perhaps a bit surprising that Schwartz is being allowed to leave Buffalo, as he guided a defense that finished second in DVOA in 2014. However, if Ryan decided he wanted to bring in his own coordinator, there wasn’t much of an option for Schwartz, who would surely be disinterested in moving to a position coach role. Instead, the Bills will return to running Ryan’s defensive schemes — because Mike Pettine, a Ryan disciple, was the coordinator in 2013, the club should be familiar with the playbook. The team will be returning to a more traditional 3-4 look, though edge defender Jerry Hughes did act as a stand-up rusher quite often in 2014, and many have opined that the changes won’t be as monumental as perceived.
Thurman, 58, has worked with Ryan since 2002, when both were employed by the Ravens. Ryan brought Thurman to New York in 2008, where he served as the secondary coach until transitioning to DC in 2013 following Pettine’s departure. A former cornerback, Thurman played in the NFL for nine years, mostly with the Cowboys. While he’ll be listed as the coordinator, Ryan will call the defensive plays.
Steelers Promote Keith Butler To DC
TUESDAY, 10:03am: The Steelers have officially announced that Butler is the team’s new defensive coordinator (Twitter link).
MONDAY, 9:29pm: The Steelers are expected to promote linebackers coach Keith Butler to defensive coordinator, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who adds that the move could be announced on Tuesday. Per Dulac, Butler met with head coach Mike Tomlin on Monday, and is set to a sign a three-year deal to replace longtime DC Dick LeBeau, who resigned on Saturday.
Butler, 55, will be tasked with improving a defense that has regressed in recent years — the unit has seen its DVOA ranking slip from seventh, to 13th, to 19th, to 30th from 2011-2014. After employing the league’s oldest defense in 2013, Pittsburgh has made an effort to get younger, adding defenders like Ryan Shazier, Stephon Tuitt, and Jarvis Jones in the past two drafts. However, 2014 franchise player Jason Worilds is set to hit free agency in March, meaning the club could be missing one of its impact players in 2015.
Per Dulac, one of the reasons the Steelers declined to retain LeBeau is that Butler’s three-year contract had expired, meaning he was free to talk to other clubs about defensive coordinator jobs. Butler, who started 132 games as a player after being selected in the second round of the 1978 draft, has been in his current role since 2003. Pittsburgh is expected to promote one of its assistant LB coaches — former Steelers players Jerry Olsavsky and Joey Porter — to lead its linebacking corps.
2015 Free Agent Power Rankings
Only four teams are left in the Super Bowl hunt, but even more importantly from a roster standpoint, less than two months remain until the start of the new league year and the beginning of free agency. We have seven more weeks of data since the previous edition of our free agent power rankings, and one player included in the prior list — Broncos cornerback Chris Harris — has signed an extension. With that in mind, let’s update our stock watch of the 2015 unrestricted free agent class:
1. Ndamukong Suh, DT: Already among the best available free agents heading into the stretch run, Suh ramped up his level of play during the last six games of the year, racking up four sacks and 21 tackles. He then posted a dominating performance during the Lions’ wild card round loss to the Cowboys, sacking Tony Romo twice, hurrying him five times, and registering his third-highest grade of the season per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew recently said the club would “leave every option open” with regards to retaining Suh, who turned 28 six days ago, but recent reports suggested that as many as 10 teams could be prepared to make “titanic pitches” to the star defensive tackle. PFR’s Luke Adams recently examined several Suh-related scenarios that could play out in the coming months, including the Lions working out a long-term agreement, using the franchise tag, or allowing the 2014 All-Pro to walk.
2. Justin Houston, OLB: Like Suh, Houston’s production in the final leg of the season was outstanding, as he posted an astounding nine sacks and 22 tackles during the Chiefs’ final five games — he took down Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers four times in Week 17 alone, hurrying him another three times. He finished the year with 22 sacks, which led the league and was just a half-sack shy of matching Michael Strahan’s all-time record. Houston, who turns 26 next Wednesday, graded out as the No. 1 3-4 outside linebacker per PFF; his +51.1 score was nearly double that of Pernell McPhee, the No. 2 finisher. There hasn’t been much news regarding Houston as of late, but the more time that passes without a long-term deal being agreed upon, the more likelier it becomes that Kansas City places the franchise tag on its pass-rusher.
3. Dez Bryant, WR: In November, reports indicated that Bryant’s camp didn’t believe they would agree to a multiyear pact with the Cowboys, meaning the star pass-catcher is likely to be franchise-tagged. Dallas has reportedly offered Bryant an extension worth $114MM over 10 years, but with just $20MM guaranteed. With the franchise tag figure for receivers expected to approach $13MM in 2015, it would make little sense for Bryant to accept such a deal. Bryant, who earned just $1.78MM in base salary this season, finished the year with 88 receptions for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns.
4. Demaryius Thomas, WR: Thomas, who turned 27 on Christmas Day, was solid down the stretch, averaging six receptions for 86 yards and a score over the Broncos’ final six games, before tacking on five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown in Denver’s playoff loss to the Colts on Monday; on the season, he caught 111 balls for more than 1,600 yards. In December, Thomas indicated that he was open to accepting a hometown discount to remain in Denver, noting that he was fond of playing with Peyton Manning. Now, with Manning’s future uncertain and the entire Broncos organization in a state of upheaval, it’s unclear if Thomas would offer those same sentiments. His preferences will likely be determined by the choice of head coach and Manning’s decision on retirement, but the club ultimately will have final say: if an extension can’t be worked out, the Broncos will almost certainly franchise-tag Thomas.
5. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: Perhaps no player did more to raise his stock during the final stretch of the season than Pierre-Paul. During the Giants’ final six games, he registered nine sacks, five QB hits, and 15 QB hurries — also a stout run defender, JPP finished as PFF’s No. 6 overall 4-3 defensive end. Giants owner John Mara said in December that he’d be very surprised if Pierre-Paul wasn’t with New York next season, but JPP has been adamant that he won’t accept a hometown discount to stay with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2010. PFR’s Rory Parks took a look at Pierre-Paul’s contract situation last month, and estimated a contract in the neighborhood of five years, $80MM for the pass-rusher.
6. Randall Cobb, WR: One of only two members of this list who plays for a team that remains in the postseason, Cobb was able to stay healthy for all of 2014, something he’s had trouble with in the past. As of mid-December, there was no movement on extension talks between Cobb and the Packers. Cobb, who caught 91 passes for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, could seek to match the five-year, $35MM contract signed by Eric Decker last offseason. As Luke noted in the link above, however, Green Bay may want to ensure that Cobb doesn’t earn more than No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson, who inked a four-year, $39MM extension during the summer. The youngest player on this list, Cobb won’t turn 25 until August.
7. Devin McCourty, S: With Harris off the board, McCourty is now the top defensive back available among free agents. Aside from Brandon Flowers (who will be 29 when next season begins) there aren’t many options at cornerback, so teams looking for secondary help will have to turn to McCourty, who stands alone in a FA safety class that contains middling players like Chris Conte and Rahim Moore. McCourty, 27, will hit free agency with his stock high — he rated as the league’s eighth-best safety per PFF after racking up 54 tackles and two interceptions for the Patriots this season. On December 14, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reported that there was “nothing happening” between McCourty and New England regarding an extension. I examined McCourty, a 2010 first-round pick, as an extension candidate in November, projecting that he could match Jairus Byrd‘s $9MM AAV.
8. Jeremy Maclin, WR: Maclin didn’t finish the season as strong as some of the others on this list — he averaged just five receptions for 56 yards during the Eagles’ final six games, and scored only once during that time. Maclin was adjusting to playing with a new quarterback in Mark Sanchez, however, who trailed off after a hot start and seemed to favor slot receiver Jordan Matthews at times. Nevertheless, Maclin enjoyed a strong comeback season in 2014, catching 85 balls for more than 1,300 yards while playing under a one-year, prove-it deal worth $6MM. Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said in December that it was a priority to retain Maclin, whom Luke projected could surpass Decker’s contract.
9. Jerry Hughes, EDGE: The most unheralded player on this list, Hughes has been a revelation with the Bills since being considered a bust after Indianapolis selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft. In 2014, he posted 10 sacks and graded as the 14th-best 4-3 defensive end in the league per PFF — he’d have placed much higher if not for his -9.1 penalty grade. He’d fit in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 look; in new Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan’s scheme, he’d work best as an OLB. In late December, Hughes indicated he would not be open to accepting a hometown discount to remain in Buffalo. It’s conceivable that he could garner $10MM annually on the open market.
10. Greg Hardy, DE: The most difficult player to slot on these rankings, Hardy played in just one game in 2014 before being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after being charged in a domestic violence incident. The league is extremely sensitive to cases like Hardy’s, as it should be, and it’s beyond PFR’s purview to determine what the proper penalty for Hardy’s actions should be. But the fact remains that NFL teams pay for production, and Hardy is extremely productive. He posted consecutive double-digit sack seasons in 2012 and 2013, grading as a top-six 4-3 defensive end per PFF in both years. With his trial date set for February 9, Hardy should have some sort of resolution regarding his status shortly. If not for his off-the-field baggage, the 2010 sixth-rounder would easily be in the top half of this list, if not in the top three.
Dropped out: Chris Harris, CB (signed extension); Julius Thomas, TE; DeMarco Murray, RB
FA Notes: Welker, Panthers, Lions, Eagles
Let’s look at some news regarding free-agents-to-be…
- Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker told reporters, including Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post (on Twitter), that he’s not sure if he wants to return to the Broncos next season. “I don’t know. There’s a lot of things I need to figure out,” the veteran said. Back in November it was reported that several former teammates would like to see him walk away from the game altogether for the sake of his long-term health.
- Assuming the Panthers don’t pursue Greg Hardy after the completion of his Feb. 9th domestic violence trial, their biggest decision will be whether to re-sign left tackle Byron Bell, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton. Bell has had an up-and-down season, but odds are Carolina won’t find a high-level left tackle in the draft at pick No. 25. Besides, the Panthers have other needs they might want to address with their first round selection. Carolina could use a speed receiver, a return specialist, a cover corner, and a defensive lineman.
- Stephen Hill says he’d like to return to the Panthers next year, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter) Based on coach Ron Rivera‘s comments last week, it sounds like the team wants him back as well.
- The Lions have several free agents to address, including backup quarterback Kellen Moore, who tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com that he’d like to return to the Motor City next season. Moore, 25, has yet to take an NFL snap.
- The Eagles have a lot of decisions to make about their upcoming free agents. In part one of a six part series, Reuben Frank and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com look at a handful of the Eagles – from Emmanuel Acho to Matt Barkley – who can leave this offseason.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Fox, Bears, Ogbuehi, Gurley, Colts
There’s been plenty of speculation linking deposed Broncos coach John Fox to the Bears vacancy, and now a source tells Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that Fox would indeed have some interest in coaching in Chicago. As previously noted, Fox has a personal relationship with Bears advisor Ernie Accorsi, and shares a mutual friend in Saints head coach Sean Payton with new Chicago GM Ryan Pace. Here are some more notes from around the league:
- Although Fox will probably be a candidate for the Bears job, don’t expect him to enter into the Falcons’ pool of options, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who notes that Atlanta is already well along in its coaching search. We’ve heard previously that the Falcons are focusing on defensive coaches, and have zeroed in on Todd Bowles.
- Sad news from the college front, as Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link) that Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi has tore his ACL in the Liberty Bowl on December 29. Ogbuehi was projected to be among the best lineman available — ESPN’s Todd McShay had him going No. 11 in his most recent mock draft. Needless to say, this injury will likely push him down draft boards.
- Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports has signed Georgia running back Todd Gurley as a client, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com (via Twitter). It’ll just be Roc Nation representing the standout tailback, not a split with CAA. Ari Nissim will be the lead agent for Gurley (link).
- After the Colts‘ playoff victory over the Broncos, Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay took the opportunity to gloat a little bit. “I knew it was the right thing to do for the Colts,” Irsay said of his decision years ago to move on from Peyton Manning and replace him with top pick Andrew Luck (via ESPN.com).
- The Titans should look to hire Dick LeBeau as a consultant, opines Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who argues that the veteran DC could help the club in its second year as a 3-4 unit.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Coach Rumors: Fox, Bowles, Browns, Morris
We’ve already posted one roundup of the latest news on the coaching front, but even more items have surfaced. Let’s dive in…
- Correcting an earlier report, ESPN’s Adam Schefter says (via Twitter) that the Jets have not in fact requested an interview with ex-Broncos coach John Fox. That doesn’t mean a request won’t be made at some point soon, but as of yet, New York hasn’t been in contact with Fox.
- Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is set to have a busy week — he’ll meet for a second time with the Falcons and Jets on Wednesday, and now the Bears are seeking a second interview with Bowles sometime this week, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times. Bowles first interviewed with Chicago on Thursday, on what was new general manager Ryan Pace’s first day.
- The Browns have requested permission to interview two Cowboys offensive assistants — OC/offensive line coach Bill Callahan, and passing game coordinator Scott Linehan, tweets Schefter. Callahan, who doesn’t call the plays in Dallas (Linehan’s duty), has a relationship with Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine. The Browns tried to hire Callahan last year but Jerry Jones blocked the move, per Schefter (Twitter link). According to Schefter, the Jaguars have also requested to meet with Callahan, but Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union speculates that Jacksonille wants Callahan for its line coach position, not as an OC.
- We heard earlier that Raheem Morris would interview for the Washington defensive coordinator job sometime this week, and John Keim of ESPN.com reports that the meeting will take place on Tuesday (Twitter link).
- Before the news broke that Adam Gase was the frontrunner for the 49ers head coaching job, league insiders believed that defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was the favorite for the gig, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Meanwhile, if Gase does secure the San Francisco position, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle doesn’t believe that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will stick around (via Twitter).
49ers To Make A “Final Push” For Adam Gase
8:06pm: Gase’s interview with the 49ers will take place tomorrow, not tonight, clarifies Rapoport (Twitter link).
5:25pm: Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase is now free to explore other opportunities after being let go by Denver, along with head coach John Fox and the rest of the coaching staff. Although his contract has not officially been terminated, he is able to look for other options, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Though three clubs with head coaching vacancies have interviewed Gase, the 49ers appear to have the most serious interest, and will make a “final push” at a meeting tonight in an effort to hire the 36-year-old as their head coach, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Gase originally interviewed with San Francisco in early January during the Broncos’ playoff bye week.
Though it may seem that Denver letting Gase leave is something of an indictment, Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network notes (Twitter links) that general manager John Elway was simply following protocol, clearing out the entire staff in addition to the head coach. As such, the Broncos’ next HC will be allowed to name his own assistant coaches, and determine whether Gase (and others) is a fit for the new regime. Likewise, in the event that Gase is promoted to head coach, he’ll be able to hire his own staff.
Gase has been Denver’s play-caller for the past two seasons; he’s been on the Broncos staff since 2009, serving as both a quarterbacks and receivers coach. He’s drawn interest from the Falcons, Bears, Bills (before they hired Rex Ryan), and the 49ers. Per Rapoport (on Twitter), Peyton Manning has been calling other teams and acting as an advocate for Gase. San Francisco, meanwhile, has been linked to a number of candidates, interviewing eight, but it seems like they now zeroing in on Gase.
AFC East Notes: Fox, Jets, Schwartz, Bills, Fins
Ex-Broncos head coach John Fox has declined to interview for the Jets’ head coaching vacancy, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). As Schefter notes, Fox probably wouldn’t turn down a chance at a HC job unless he another opportunity already lined up. Such an opportunity might exist in Chicago, where Fox friend Ernie Accorsi is advising the Bears’ head coaching search. The Jets will presumably remain focused on Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is believed to be their top choice. Here’s more from the AFC East…
- Jim Schwartz won’t return as the Bills defensive coordinator, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Schwartz, who led a Buffalo defense that finished second in DVOA, was expected to be offered a spot on the club’s coaching staff by incoming head coach Rex Ryan, but apparently that fell through. The news coincides with Rich Cimini of ESPN.com’s report (Twitter link) that Ryan will look to bring many of his Jets assistants with him, including defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. It’s just my speculation, but two NFC East teams — the Cowboys and the Giants — could be among those with interest in Schwartz.
- Defensive coordinator isn’t the only Bills position that will be filled by a new face in 2015, and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looks at the changes in store for the Buffalo staff next season.
- There aren’t any legitimate candidates for the franchise tag on the Dolphins’ roster, opines James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker points to tight end Charles Clay and defensive lineman Jared Odrick as two options who might be franchised, but ultimately concludes that the price tag ($8.2MM for Clay, $11MM for Odrick) is too steep.
- The Dolphins‘ chain of command following the addition of former Jets exec Mike Tannenbaum is a bit complicated, as Mike Tanier of Bleacher Report writes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.