Cardinals Closing In On Steve Sarkisian For OC
The Cardinals are nearing a deal to make Steve Sarkisian their new offensive coordinator, according to Chris Moretensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
New Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury was hired — in large part — due to his offensive acumen, and he’ll be calling plays in 2019. Therefore, Sarkisian is likely to serve in a more administrative role that will probably include game planning and offensive install.
Sarkisian wasn’t the only candidate Kingsbury and the Cardinals had in mind for offensive coordinator. Initial reports suggested Texas State head coach Jake Spavital could be in line for the position, while the 49ers denied Arizona’s request to interview run game coordinator Mike McDaniel. Former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo will also interview for an offensive job with the Cardinals, and could still presumably be hired down the line.
Sarkisian, a former collegiate head coach at both Washington and USC, was fired by the Falcons last month along with defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong. Offense was hardly the problem in Atlanta, as Sarkisian’s unit ranked top-10 in scoring, yards, and DVOA.
Now that he’s in Arizona, Sarkisian will be tasked with helping the development of second-year quarterback Josh Rosen. He’ll also work with an offense that includes assets such as David Johnson, Christian Kirk, and — if he’s re-signed — veteran wideout Larry Fitzgerald.
Bears Interview Ed Donatell For DC, Have Interest In Chuck Pagano
The Bears on Thursday interviewed defensive backs coach Ed Donatell for their vacant defensive coordinator position, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago also has interest in former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano.
After losing ex-DC Vic Fangio — who became the Broncos’ head coach — earlier this week, the Bears attempted to land former Jets head coach Todd Bowles as their new defensive play-caller, but he ultimately followed Bruce Arians to Tampa Bay. Fangio led a defensive unit which ranked first in nearly every defensive metric, and is so well-stocked with talent that, as Biggs notes, general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy shouldn’t have trouble generating interest in the open position.
Donatell has been a Fangio disciple since 2011, following the longtime DC to both San Francisco and Chicago as a defensive backs coach. He’s also served as a defensive coordinator for the Packers (2000-03), Falcons (2004-06), and Redskins (2008). Per Biggs, Donatell’s contract with the Bears has run out, and if he’s not promoted to DC in Chicago, he’s likely to leave to join Fangio in Denver. Donatell has already had two stints as the Broncos’ defensive backs coach.
Pagano, 58, didn’t coach last season after being fired by Indianapolis, but he’s generated plenty of interest during the 2019 hiring cycle. He interviewed for both the Packers and Broncos head coaching positions, and has since been mentioned as a DC candidate for the Jets, Browns, and Cardinals. Just today, Pagano interviewed for a defensive backs coach position with the Panthers.
Jets May Shop DT Leonard Williams?
The Jets may place defensive tackle Leonard Williams on the trade block in the coming months with the hope of receiving at least a second-round pick, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.
If Gang Green does shop Williams, it appears the club’s motives would be mostly financial in nature. As a former first-round pick, Williams is under contract in 2019 via a $14.2MM fifth-year option. That figure alone would rank Williams ninth among all NFL interior defensive lineman, and he’d only get more expensive in the following years.
New York could potentially reach a long-term extension with Williams at some point in the next year-plus, but a franchise tag could also be in the cards. If he’s franchised in 2020, Williams would collect 120% of his 2019 salary, meaning he’d earn roughly $32MM over the next two seasons combined. A $16MM average annual value would rank sixth among defensive tackles on a league-wide basis.
Thus far, the Jets haven’t had any extension negotiations with Williams, although those talks are expected to occur in 2019. Williams, who has acknowledged New York’s head coaching change will affect his decisions going forward, doesn’t sound interested in giving the Jets any sort of hometown discount. “It’s one of my goals to be one of the best players, one of the best defensive linemen,” Williams said in June. “When that comes, then I think the money comes with it.”
Williams is still only 24 years old, and has never missed a game during his NFL career. In 2018, Williams managed five sacks and tied for 18th among defensive lineman with 20 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus ranked Williams as the 31st-best interior defender among 121 qualifiers.
Coaching Rumors: Panthers, Packers, Giants
Eric Washington will return as the Panthers‘ defensive coordinator in 2019, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. Head coach Ron Rivera took over defensive play-calling late last season and will continue with those responsibilities next year, but Washington will be back as DC. Carolina is interviewing former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and former Jaguars defensive backs coach Perry Fewell, but neither of those potential hire would affect Washington’s standing on the Panthers’ staff.
Here’s more from the 2019 hiring cycle:
- The Cardinals will retain special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers, tweets Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com. Kliff Kingsbury convinced Rodgers to stay even though he was fielding offers from other clubs, per Darlington. Meanwhile, the Cardinals received permission to interview Packers wide receivers coach David Raih for the same position, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Green Bay wasn’t planning to retain Raih, who coached alongside Kingsbury at Texas A&M in 2013.
- Former Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers was thought to be following Todd Bowles to the Buccaneers, and while that union may still occur, Rodgers today interviewed for a senior defensive position with the Giants, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. If Rodgers does end up in Tampa Bay, he’ll be the club’s new defensive line coach, but it’s unclear what exactly his role would be with New York. Per RapSheet, the Giants would actually create a new position for Rodgers if he were to come on board.
- Rodgers’ status with the Buccaneers is still up in the air, but Tampa Bay and new head coach Bruce Arians are well on their way to formulating a staff. In addition to a few hires which were reported yesterday, the Bucs will hire former NFL offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen as quarterbacks coach, reports Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Additionally, former Cardinals defensive backs coaches Kevin Ross and Nick Rapone will join Arians in Tampa Bay. Wide receivers coach Kevin Garver is also making the Arizona-to-Tampa trek, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.
- The Falcons have made of number of small changes to their coaching staff, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Dave Brock will move from running backs coach to assistant wide receivers coach, while Bernie Parmalee will switch from running backs coach to assistant special teams coach.
Packers Notes: McDaniel, Hackett, Zook
The Packers have inquired on 49ers run game coordinator Mike McDaniel in their search for a new offensive coordinator, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. However, San Francisco already denied permission for the Cardinals to interview McDaniel for their OC job, and it’s likely the Niners will do the same if Green Bay officially comes calling. McDaniel, who is extremely familiar with the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay offense, served as an offensive assistant for the Falcons from 2015-16 while new Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was Atlanta’s quarterbacks coach.
Here’s more from Green Bay:
- While McDaniel may not be an option for the Packers, he’s not the only option LaFleur are considering. Former Jaguars offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is also on Green Bay’s radar, per Tim Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). The Packers could have competition within the NFC North, as Hackett is reportedly also in the mix for the Lions’ open offensive coordinator position. Hackett called plays in Jacksonville for parts of three seasons before being fired in November.
- The Packers will not retain special teams coordinator Ron Zook, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Zook, a former collegiate head coach at both Florida and Illinois, joined Green Bay in 2014 and took over as the club’s ST coach the following year. 2018 wasn’t a banner year for the Packers’ special teams crew, as the unit ranked 28th in Football Outsiders‘ special teams ratings, including dead last on punt returns. Bengals assistant special teams coach Brayden Coombs could potentially be a candidate to replace Zook, a source tells Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link).
- The Vikings have “vetted” Packers offensive line coach James Campen for the same position, according to Silverstein (Twitter link). Campen finished his playing career in Green Bay and has been a coach there since 2004. At this point, it’s unclear if LaFleur wants to retain Campen, but he’s expected to have offers if he’s not kept on the Packers’ staff. Minnesota also received permission to interview former Packers interim head coach Joe Philbin for their offensive line gig.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/10/19
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2019 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Bryant Mitchell
Atlanta Falcons
Chargers Sign K Nick Rose
The Chargers are signing kicker Nick Rose ahead of their upcoming Divisional Round matchup against the Patriots, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Rose will handle kickoffs while incumbent kicker Michael Badgley will continue to manage field goals and extra points.
Badgley has been immensely successful on field goals, as he ranks fifth in the NFL with a 93.8% conversion rate. Additionally, he’s only missed a single extra point on 28 attempts. However, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com notes, Badgley has turned only nine of his 54 kickoffs into touchbacks, which translates to an NFL-worst 16.7% touchback rate.
Badgley’s problem on kickoffs could lead to issues against the Patriots, who deploy former All-Pro special teamer Cordarrelle Patterson on kick returns. This season, Patterson averaged 28.8 yards per kick return (tied for fifth in the league), while New England as a whole ranked fifth in Football Outsiders‘ kick return metric.
Rose, 24, split time between the Chargers and Redskins in 2017, appearing in 10 total games. During that time, he made 11-of-14 field goal attempts while converting 23-of-26 extra points. Most recently, Rose signed on to play for the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football, which debuts in the spring.
Jaguars Will “Move Forward” With RB Leonard Fournette
The Jaguars intend to “move forward” with running back Leonard Fournette after he met with executive Tom Coughlin and the rest of Jacksonville’s decision-makers in order to “clear the air,” according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
To say Fournette had a tumultuous end to 2018 would be an understatement. First, he was suspended one game by the NFL after taking a swing at Bills defender Shaq Lawson. Next, Coughlin ripped Fournette and fellow running back T.J. Yeldon — calling them “selfish” and “disrespectful” — after they sat on the bench instead of on the sidelines during Week 17. Finally, the Jaguars used Fournette’s ban as reason to void the remaining guarantees on his rookie deal.
As a former No. 4 overall pick, the entirety of Fournette’s contract had been guaranteed. It’s still not evident if the Jaguars would have gotten away with voiding Fournette’s guarantees without facing a grievance from the NFLPA, but that no longer appears to be an issue if Jacksonville plans on retaining the 23-year-old back.
Fournette topped 1,000 rushing yards (but still failed to manage four yards per carry) during his rookie campaign in 2017, but he was hampered by injuries last season. In total, he appeared in only eight games, rushing for 439 yards and five touchdowns. On an efficiency basis, Fournette ranked just 32nd among running backs in Football Outisders‘ DVOA and 26th in success rate.
Cardinals, Browns Interested In Chuck Pagano
Both the Cardinals and Browns are interested in hiring former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano as defensive coordinator, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Pagano may indeed be the favorite for the Arizona job, per Somers.
Pagano, 58, didn’t coach last season after being fired by Indianapolis, but he’s generated plenty of interest during the 2019 hiring cycle. He interviewed for both the Packers and Broncos head coaching positions, and has since been mentioned as candidate to take over as the Jets’ defensive coordinator under new head coach Adam Gase. Just today, Pagano interviewed for a defensive backs coach position with the Panthers.
The Cardinals are looking for a veteran defensive coordinator to pair with rookie head coach Kliff Kingsbury, and Pagano — who’s been coaching the NFL for nearly two decades — would certainly fit that bill. He also runs a 3-4 defense, the same scheme which Arizona prefers to deploy. Thus far, the only other candidate that’s been linked to the Cardinals’ DC gig is longtime NFL coach Dom Capers.
Like Arizona, Cleveland also hired a first-time head coach. Freddie Kitchens was a positional coach to open the 2018 season and had never ever served as a coordinator until midway through last year, so he could use an experienced defensive play-caller at his side. After installing Kitchens as their head coach, the Browns parted ways with former interim head coach/DC Gregg Williams and a number of defensive assistants. Cleveland is set to interview former Broncos’ head coach Vance Joseph for their defensive coordinator position on Friday.
Bengals Likely To Hire Zac Taylor As HC
The Bengals’ “preferred choice” for head coach is Rams’ quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor, according to Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Taylor, who interviewed for the position last week, can’t be hired until Los Angeles is eliminated from the postseason. The Rams are preparing for a divisional round game against the Cowboys, and could potentially be tied up into February if they reach the Super Bowl. But Cincinnati’s head coaching job is reportedly Taylor’s to lose, per the ESPN scribes. As of yet, the Bengals have not held any negotiations with Taylor, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Given that he’s only 35 years old, Taylor would mark a departure for the Bengals, who had relied on veteran coach Marvin Lewis since 2003. But Cincinnati’s entire coaching search, which involved interviewing numerous young offensive minds such as the Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy and Taylor’s Rams colleague Shane Waldron, represented a stark change for the club.
Taylor has only called offensive plays at the NFL level for a half-season: in 2015, he was promoted to offensive coordinator in Miami after the Dolphins fired Bill Lazor (who coincidentally is currently the Bengals OC). The following year, Taylor spent time in the Queen City, serving as offensive coordinator at the University of Cincinnati before joining the Rams as QBs coach in 2016.
Taylor’s decision to take the Rams’ job proved to be fortuitous, as Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay‘s disciples are quickly claiming head jobs around the NFL. Matt LaFleur, who served as the Rams’ OC in 2016, just landed the Packers’ head coaching gig. And other young coaches with offensive backgrounds (Kliff Kingsbury, Freddie Kitchens) also received HC jobs.
In Cincinnati, Taylor will be tasked with improving an offense that ranked just 19th in DVOA a season ago. Andy Dalton is likely locked in as the Bengals’ starting quarterback for at least one more season, but Cincinnati could draft another signal-caller for Taylor to develop. Elsewhere on offense, the Bengals have a solid set of weapons that includes wide receivers A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd, plus running back Joe Mixon. 2017 first-round receiver John Ross, meanwhile, could represent something of a rehabilitation project for Taylor.
Reports earlier this evening indicated the Bengals were likely to hire an external candidate after interviewing a group of incumbent staffers that included Lazor, special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, and special assistant Hue Jackson. Cincinnati also began dismissing some of its assistant coaches, which could be a sign Taylor has told the club which staffers he’d like to retain.