West Notes: Shanahan, Gase, 49ers, Fangio
Adam Gase and Mike Shanahan have several striking similarities — both are sharp offensive minds, have been employed by the Broncos, and most newsworthy, will be interviewed by the 49ers for their head coaching vacancy this weekend. According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Gase, Denver’s offensive coordinator, will meet with the Niners and the Falcons on Friday, before interviewing for the Bears’ HC position on Sunday. San Francisco’s decision-makers, owner Jed York and GM Trent Baalke, will also visit with Shanahan, who resides in the Denver area. Here’s more from the West divisions…
- The 49ers have a busy weekend ahead of them, as the club will also interview former Jets head coach Rex Ryan on Sunday, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (via Twitter). Ryan, who is also a candidate for the Falcons job, could have leg up for the SF gig because he “loves” Colin Kaepernick, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
- While their focus is on finding a new head coach, the 49ers could be on the verge of losing several key assistants. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio would like to be a head coach, and could opt to pursue other options if he’s passed over for the San Francisco job, reports Matt Barrows of the San Francisco Bee (via Twitter). Washington is interested in interviewing Fangio for its vacant DC position, but as he’s still in the mix for SF’s top job, they haven’t yet been granted permission to speak with him, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Washington wanted to meet with Fangio last year regarding its HC gig, but didn’t get the opportunity because of San Francisco’s extended playoff run, per Barrows (on Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Washington has been granted permission to speak to two other assistant coaches about its defensive coordinator job, and both are currently employed by West division clubs. Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry and 49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell will meet with Washington as the team looks to replace Jim Haslett, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
- 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is a candidate for the team’s head coaching position, and if he is promoted to the top job, he’ll look to bring in Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver for the same position in San Francisco, reports Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter), who notes that Fangio wouldn’t be interested in remaining on staff under Tomsula.
- Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters, including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, that he doesn’t expect to make any changes to his coaching staff.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
PFR Originals: 12/21/14 – 12/28/14
The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Luke Adams examined the contract situations of some of the more notable Pro Bowlers. In doing so, he noted the abundance of Pro Bowl cornerbacks who have recently signed contract extensions — in fact, all eight Pro Bowl CBs have inked multi-year deals within the past year.
- In the wake of the deluge of Jim Harbaugh news, Ben Levine wondered what the 49ers could get in return if they traded Harbaugh’s rights. About 45% of you believed San Francisco wouldn’t receive any compensation because Harbaugh will be released from his contract (which appears to be the case if he heads to Michigan). Thanks for voting!
- The Trade Rumors app is now available, bringing you content from PFR, MLBTR, and Hoops Rumors. Download it today on iTunes or Android!
Justin Smith Expected To Retire
After wrapping up his fourteenth NFL season later today, 49ers defensive end Justin Smith is expected to retire, reports Alex Flanagan of NBC (Twitter link). Smith, 35, has spent the past seven years in San Francisco after playing the first half of his career with the Bengals.
A first-round pick out of Missouri in 2001, Smith was a fixture on a mid-2000s Cincinnati team that made the playoffs just once during his tenure. In 2008, he joined the 49ers on a six-year, $45MM contract, and became a stalwart of SF’s defensive line, playing at both tackle and end in the Niners’ 3-4 scheme. An extremely durable player, Smith has missed just three games during his career. All told, he’s started 216 games, racking up 87 sacks, 613 tackle, and 16 forced fumbles.
Even in his final season, Smith grades out well according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, rating as the ninth-best 3-4 defensive end among 46 qualifiers (subscription required). Per PFF, he was dominant from 2009-11, when he graded as the No. 1 overall 3-4 DE each season.
Losing Smith will be just blow to the 49ers defense during the offseason. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio are expected to depart, fellow defensive lineman Ray McDonald was released following sexual assault allegations, and most of the club’s reliable cornerbacks are unrestricted free agents.
NFC Notes: 49ers, Bears, Giants, Eagles
Once Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers inevitably part ways at some point this week, the club will need to begin its search to find his replacement as head coach. Appearing on FOX Sports, Jay Glazer (Twitter link via his colleague, Mike Garafolo) listed several candidates that San Francisco will likely interview: Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles, Jim Tomsula, Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, and interestingly, UCLA head coach Jim Mora. Mora, who’s held head coaching positions with both the Falcons and Seahawks, was also mentioned as an NCAA coach likely to jump to the NFL by Albert Breer of NFL.com on Daniel Jeremiah’s Move the Sticks podcast two weeks ago. Here’s more from the NFC…
- Bears assistant coaches believe they will believe they will be fired after today’s game, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who notes that “wholesale changes” could be coming to Chicago. In the same vein, David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune examined what the future holds for the Bears, who are expected to fire head coach Marc Trestman and possibly GM Phil Emery.
- Tom Coughlin hasn’t been made aware of his status for 2015, but the expectation is that he will return to coach the Giants next year, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has been unequivocal in explaining that he won’t give New York a deal when it a comes to negotiations, and today he offered an even stronger, and quotable, declaration of his feelings. “Do you give discounts?” he asked Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter link). “Do you get discounts when you go to Macy’s?”
- Eagles FB/TE James Casey is due $4MM next season, and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter) doubts that he’ll return to Philly next season. Per Berman, Casey signed on with the Eagles in the hopes of getting extensive time on offense, but he’s become more of a special teams player.
- 49ers linebacker Dan Skuta is a free agent at season’s end, and Cam Inman of the Mercury News believes (Twitter link) that he’ll follow current San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to his next stop.
Week In Review: 12/21/14 – 12/28/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Key News:
- Jim Harbaugh is expected to accept the head coaching position at the University of Michigan.
- The Dolphins will retain head coach Joe Philbin for the 2015 season.
- The Browns suspended receiver Josh Gordon for the final game of the season.
- Following an infection, Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton could be out for the rest of the year.
- Vikings fullback Jerome Felton will opt out of his contract.
- Peyton Manning expects to play next season.
Extended:
- Bears – C Roberto Garza (one year, $1.5MM)
- Buccaneers – WR Louis Murphy (three years)
- Patriots – executive Nick Caserio (through 2020)
Restructured:
- Buccaneers – TE Brandon Myers (link)
Signed:
- Browns – QB Tyler Thigpen (link)
Released:
- Bills – WR Mike Williams (link)
- Vikings – RB Ben Tate (link)
Placed On Injured Reserve:
- 49ers – G Alex Boone (link)
- Bears – DE Willie Young (link)
- Browns – QB Johnny Manziel (link)
- Chargers – P Mike Scifres (link) and OL Johnnie Troutman (link)
- Ravens – T Ricky Wagner (link)
- Saints – DE Akiem Hicks and RB Pierre Thomas (link)
- Vikings – LB Anthony Barr (link)
- Washington – DE Jason Hatcher (link) and LB Trent Murphy (link)
Early Draft Entrants:
NFC South Notes: Mike Smith, Saints, Panthers
The Falcons have hired the Los Angeles-based search firm Korn Ferry to assist them in finding head coaching candidates, in the event that current HC Mike Smith is fired, according to Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN (Twitter link). The Jets used the same firm two years ago when they were looking for a new general manager. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) that Atlanta needs to win today and in the playoffs for Smith to keep his job, as owner Arthur Blank has been disappointed with the club’s lack of success. Here’s more from the NFC South:
- If the University of Michigan’s pursuit of Jim Harbaugh is any indication, the school aims high when searching for head coaching hires. In fact, UM pursued Saints head coach Sean Payton for its vacancy in 2011, but nothing ever materialized, tweets Rapoport.
- Ryan Pace, the Saints’ director of player personnel, will be on many teams’ GM short lists, according to Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link), who says losing Pace would be a blow to New Orleans’ front office. In fact, Pace was offered an interview for the Dolphins’ GM position last year, but the Saints declined permission, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (Twitter links). At the time, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said the club denied Pace the opportunity because the club was still in the playoffs, but said he expected Pace to be hired away at some point. Rapoport identified Pace as a candidate for the Jets’ GM post earlier today.
- Even if the Panthers lose to the Falcons today and miss the playoffs, the team is in a better place now than they were when the 2013 season ended, writes Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer. After last year, Carolina had to deal with the loss of key players such as Jordan Gross, Captain Munnerlyn, and Mike Mitchell, as well as maneuver around salary cap trouble. Now, per Sorensen, the club has acquired a stable of young players, and GM Dave Gettleman can use the free agent period to supplement his roster.
Raiders Notes: McKenzie, Sparano, Davis
With reports that Jim Harbaugh is close to accepting the head coaching position at the University of Michigan, the Raiders look like they will miss out on their top candidate. Let’s look at what Oakland might choose to do as it shifts it focus from Harbaugh…
- Owner Mark Davis tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that GM Reggie McKenzie will assist in head coaching interviews, which will begin on Monday. This seems to be a clear indication that McKenzie’s job is safe, something that FOX Sports’ Mike Garafolo agrees with (on Twitter).
- Another reason that McKenzie could be in the clear: he has two years remaining on his original five-year contract, per Rapoport (Twitter link). Oakland would be forced to pay the remainder of his salary in the event it fired him.
- Financial obligation isn’t the only thing working in McKenzie’s favor, tweets Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Per Corry, McKenzie expertly maneuvered the Raiders’ deconstruction, leaving the Raiders with the second-most 2015 cap space, and hit on his 2014 draft picks, though he could afford to find better values in free agency.
- On the coaching front, interim HC Tony Sparano wants to return, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter), and Garfolo tweets the “drumbeat…is strong” for Sparano within the Raiders organization.
- Sparano will be granted the opportunity to interview for the full-time job, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
Jim Harbaugh Rumors: Sunday
There’s been no shortage of news regarding 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh — most recently, Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports reported that Harbaugh’s family is on its way to Ann Arbor, and that Harbaugh has accepted the Michigan job. But until the news is officially announced, we’ll keep track of the latest developments below:
- People at Michigan believe that Harbaugh will be its head coach, and Harbaugh has reportedly reached to out to several assistant coaches to determine their interest in joining him at UM (Twitter links via SportsCenter).
- The 49ers and Harbaugh will definitely part ways, and that may happen as soon as tomorrow, according to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (Twitter links). But nothing is definite between Harbaugh and Michigan, and although university officials are hopeful a deal will be struck, Raiders management still wants a shot at Harbaugh. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN says (via Twitter) Oakland will make a “concerted effort” to convince Harbaugh to lead its club.
- Michigan’s university plane is waiting in California for Harbaugh, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), who notes that if Harbaugh gets on said plane, it will be a clear indication he’s accepted the UM position.
- The university sounds confident that it will reign in Harbaugh, as it is telling incoming recruits that it will have a new head coach by the middle of this week, tweets Schefter.
- In the event that Harbaugh does land in Ann Arbor, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders how long he’ll stay, given that each of his professional coaching stints have been short-lived. After spending two years with the Raiders, three with the University of San Diego, and four with Stanford, Harbaugh is wrapping up his fourth season with San Francisco.
- 49ers assistant coaches are still in limbo, as they haven’t been made aware of any decision by Harbaugh, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- In the unlikely event that Harbaugh declines Michigan’s offer, Rapoport says (Twitter link) to keep an eye on the Bears as a potential destination. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that Chicago doesn’t make sense for Harbaugh, as the club has never paid a coach the salary that Harbaugh is looking for.
AFC East Notes: Rex, Dolphins, Patriots
We’ve already passed along the news of front office executive Nick Caserio’s extension with the Patriots and a batch of Jets notes, but there’s more news from the AFC East…
- As we’ve heard, the Jets are expected to fire GM John Idzik this week, but Rex Ryan might still have a chance to save his job. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Jets are open to letting the club’s next general manager decide Ryan’s fate. Ryan hasn’t been told that he’s fired, but he’s already cleared out his office. And per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk), New York contacted Ryan’s agent to determine the interest of a separate client in the Jets job, so it would be a surprise to see Ryan return.
- Sources tell Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle’s performance will be assessed after season, leading to speculation that he could be let go. Head coach Joe Philbin declined to give Coyle a vote of confidence last week after it was announced that Philbin would return to Miami in 2015. Under Coyle’s leadership, the Fins finished 10th in defensive DVOA, but 19th in weighted DVOA, meaning the unit got weaker as the year progressed. In a separate piece, Salguero speculates that Ryan could be a fit as the club’s new DC.
- As Joel Corry of CBS Sports points out (on Twitter), Patriots quarterback Tom Brady‘s base salaries for 2015-17, which total $24MM, are now guaranteed for injury and skill because he’s on New England’s roster for Week 17.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe lauds the work done by Bill Belichick, noting that Patriots head man has excelled both in his coaching responsibilities and his front office role. While allowing that this year’s draft class hasn’t produced much so far, Volin writes that nearly every free agent signing or trade orchestrated by Belichick has worked out this season.
- Deep into his Sunday notes piece, Volin rounds up the various performance escalators that are on the line for several key Patriots today.
- After speaking with agent Brian Ayrault, Florio reports (via Twitter) that Ayrault won’t be taking a job with the Bills. Florio had speculated as much earlier in the day.
Patriots Extend Nick Caserio
The Patriots have extended the contract of director of player personnel Nick Caserio through the 2020 season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal is thought to be the longest for a front office executive in the NFL. Per Schefter, the pact was finalized weeks ago, but this is the first public report of the extension.
The contract has implications throughout the league, as Caserio was thought to be one of, if not the top, prospective general manager candidates on the market. He was offered the Dolphins GM post last season, but declined, paving the way for Miami to hire Dennis Hickey. He’s been linked to the Jets during this season, and just this morning, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com speculated that Caserio could be a fit with the Texans.
Caserio, 39, has been with New England since 2001, acting first as a coaching assistant, then area scout, and even served as the team’s receivers coach during the 2007 season. The John Carroll grad has been in his current position since 2008. According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, Caserio is a “respected, no-frills negotiator,” and though Bill Belichick and Floyd Reese have dealt with contracts since Scott Pioli left after the 2008 season, Caserio has been handed more responsibility as of late.
While Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Herald wonders (via Twitter) if Caserio”s extension includes a promotion to general manager, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says (Twitter link) that the deal is largely symbolic, an indication on the part of Caserio that he’s committed to the Patriots. Additionally, Tom Curran of CSNNE.com speculates (on Twitter) that the contract could be an indicator of the end of Belichick’s tenure; in other words Belichick is ensuring his top personnel man will be in New England as long as he is.