Rams Go Year-To-Year On Dome Lease
As expected, the Rams have notified the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission that they will shift to a year-to-year lease agreement for their use of the Edward Jones Dome, according to R.B. Fallstrom of The Associated Press. With rumors swirling about a potential move to Los Angeles, it was viewed as a formality that the franchise would transition into this more flexible arrangement in advance of Wednesday’s deadline to do so.
A year-to-year agreement, which allows the team to extend its lease with its home field one year at a time, is currently the arrangement that the Chargers and Raiders have for their respective stadiums. Unlike the Rams though, those clubs don’t have a potential exit strategy in place. Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced three weeks ago that he intends to build an NFL stadium in Inglewood, California, and moving the club’s agreement at the Edward Jones Dome to a year-to-year arrangement gives the Rams the flexibility to relocate to Los Angeles as soon as 2016.
Of course, the city of St. Louis responded to Kroenke’s announcement by unveiling a stadium plan of its own, and there’s certainly no guarantee that the Rams are going anywhere anytime soon. But as Albert Breer of NFL.com writes today, Kroenke’s stadium proposal has created the most viable path to L.A. the NFL has seen for quite some time.
According to Breer, Kroenke’s announcement, which he ran by Roger Goodell and NFL officials in December, was “met with quiet applause at the league office.” The idea that the Rams could be playing in Los Angeles in 2016, and in Kroenke’s new Inglewood stadium by 2018, not only isn’t far-fetched — it’s trending toward becoming a likelihood, per Breer, who adds that the Rams owner is open to the idea of involving a second team – perhaps the Chargers or Raiders – as part of the project.
The next major step for Kroenke and the Rams is to turn in to the city of Inglewood the 8,500 signatures necessary to set up a public vote on re-zoning the land where the stadium will be built, writes Breer, noting the club already has those signatures ready to go.
Cards To Name New DC After Super Bowl
While most teams hiring new defensive coordinators this offseason are making a change due to disappointing 2014 campaigns, that’s not the case in Arizona. Former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who was named Assistant of the Year by the PFWA, had such a strong season that it buoyed him into a head coaching job with the Jets. Now that they have to tab a replacement for Bowles, the Cardinals will try to maintain the status quo as much as possible, and will promote an internal candidate to DC next week, head coach Bruce Arians confirmed today in an appearance on ESPN’s NFL Insiders (link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
“The defensive coordinator will come off our staff,” Arians said. “It’ll be one of the young guys. And we’ll bring in some guys to help him. We’ll wait until the Super Bowl is over but we’ve got everything in place and we’re ready to go.”
The Cardinals’ in-house options include James Bettcher, Brentson Buckner, Kevin Ross, Nick Rapone, and Tom Pratt, and while Arians didn’t specify which of those coaches would be promoted to defensive coordinator, it sounds like he has someone in mind. As Urban writes, the fact that the head coach referred to “one of the young guys” indicates that Bettcher, a highly regarded assistant who currently coaches the team’s outside linebackers, could be the Cards’ man.
As for the guys who will be brought in to “help” the new coordinator, one candidate for such a role was Dick LeBeau, but as we heard over the weekend, he won’t be reconnecting with Arians in Arizona after all. In fact, Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets that it now appears that LeBeau will join the Titans, though that’s not official yet.
NFC Notes: Glennon, Rams, Eagles, Fewell
Assuming the Buccaneers intend to draft a quarterback in April with the first overall pick, that should make Mike Glennon expendable, and this spring could be an ideal time to move him in a trade, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. As Cummings points out, the free agent market for QBs is weak, and there are few viable rookie options besides Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston. For teams looking to add a potential starting quarterback, Glennon may actually be one of the best options available, and should only cost a mid-round pick.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Former Buffalo offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has a second interview lined up with the Rams for their offensive coordinator position this week, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Per La Canfora, the Bills would like to bring back Hackett, who is also drawing interest from Washington and the Jaguars as a potential quarterbacks coach.
- In addition to considering Chris Polian for their front office opening, the Eagles have Dolphins scout Chris Grier and internal candidate Ed Marynowitz at or near the top of their list of targets, reports Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. One source tells Mosher that he believes Grier is coming in to interview for a second time with Chip Kelly.
- Ex-Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has an offer from the 49ers to become their defensive backs coach, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter). However, before he makes a decision on that offer, Fewell is speaking to Washington about a similar role on Jay Gruden‘s staff, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- CFL receiver Duron Carter is expected to make a decision on his NFL team this week, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities, who tweets that the Vikings and a couple other teams remain well-positioned — one of those other suitors is certainly the Colts, who were reported on the weekend to be the frontrunners. Carter can’t officially sign an NFL contract until February 10 unless the Montreal Alouettes release him from his CFL deal.
- Speaking to reporters in Arizona, Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said it was “very tough” to pass up a free agent offer last year from the Bears, who offered him “way more money.” Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the quotes and the details.
- Locking up linebacker Lavonte David to a long-term deal, perhaps in the neighborhood of $7MM annually, should be a priority for the Buccaneers this season, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com.
Potential Suitors Eyeing Nick Foles
Nick Foles appears poised to head into the 2015 season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, but that’s not an absolutely certainty, and a question mark hangs over Foles’ long-term future in Philadelphia. 2015 is the final year of the signal-caller’s rookie contract, and there’s been no indication so far that the team has tried to lock him up to a long-term deal.
There’s also been no indication that the Eagles would trade Foles, but his possible availability was a topic of conversation among coaches and scouts at last week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Parks reports that the Rams would have interest in acquiring Foles if he were made available via trade, while the Titans and Texans could be among his suitors if he reaches the open market a year from now.
Of course, plenty could change between now and next March, when Foles is tentatively scheduled to hit the market. If the Eagles view the 26-year-old as a potential long-term solution, extension talks should happen at some point this year, perhaps with the contracts signed by Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick serving as models — those deals included big long-term money, but small guarantees, allowing their respective teams the flexibility to move on after a year or two if things don’t work out.
Even if the Eagles don’t view Foles as a long-term answer, the team would probably have to identify a replacement before simply letting him walk in free agency, or trading him. Head coach Chip Kelly reportedly has significant interest in Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, but the odds of Philadelphia being able to move into position to draft Mariota are slim. In fact, the Titans, armed with the second overall pick this spring, could take a long look at Mariota themselves, and selecting him would presumably take them out of the running for Foles next year.
At this point, neither a trade nor an extension of Foles looks at all imminent, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Eagles brought him back for the 2015 season before making a decision one way or another. After all, the club may want to see how the former third-round pick bounces back from the collarbone injury that sidelined him for a good chunk of the 2014 season before making any definitive moves.
AFC Notes: Raiders, Colts, Forsett, Burfict
Reports last week indicated that the Raiders may ultimately look to the college ranks as their search for a defensive coordinator continues. While no specific names were mentioned at the time, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington has one for us today, tweeting that Oakland is interested in Louisville DC Todd Grantham. According to Russini (via Twitter), the Raiders have lined up a meeting with Grantham, who is considered a favorite for the position.
As we enter the final week of the NFL season, let’s round up a few more notes from around the AFC….
- The Colts and running backs coach David Walker have “mutually” agreed to part ways, the team announced today (Twitter link via Mike Wells of ESPN.com). Per Football Outsiders, Indianapolis placed just 17th in offensive DVOA this season, in large part due to the team’s rushing rank (27th).
- “I want to have a home and stay there. That’s the plan,” running back Justin Forsett said about the possibility of re-signing with the Ravens. Forsett added that new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep many of the same principles that Baltimore’s run game used in 2014 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict underwent microfracture surgery on his knee, but the surgeon who performed the procedure is optimistic that Burfict could be back to full strength for training camp, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- With new head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Greg Roman expected to install a power running game in Buffalo, the Bills should be careful not to overpay for free-agent-to-be C.J. Spiller, who may not be an ideal fit, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker expects Spiller to land a deal in the range of the ones signed by backs like Ben Tate, Knowshon Moreno, and Darren McFadden a year ago — those players inked short-term deals for $3-4MM per season.
- The Dolphins should do what they can to re-sign defensive tackle Jared Odrick, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap in his preview of Miami’s offseason cap decisions. Fitzgerald views Odrick as a potential $5.5-$6.5MM per year player.
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Cole’s Latest: Murray, Harris, Maxwell
Free agency is still about a month and a half away, but rumors are already starting to swirl about some of the players that could reach the open market on March 10. In his latest video report, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report weighs in on a few of those players, including the top running back eligible for free agency. Here are the highlights:
- Reiterating that the Cowboys will use their franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant if necessary, Cole says that if the team wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, the running back probably won’t come cheap. Cole’s sources expect Murray to command between $7-10MM annually on a new deal, and at this point, Dallas seems unwilling to go that high. Cole echoes a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, which suggests that at last check, the Cowboys’ best offer was worth just $4MM per year, though I’d expect the club to increase that offer before letting Murray walk.
- David Harris is viewed as the top inside linebacker eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and he’s not overly committed to re-signing with the Jets, according to Cole. While a return to New York is possible, Harris would like to play for a contending team, and may be open to taking a little less money to make that happen.
- The Seahawks have locked up impact players like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Michael Bennett, and others, and a big extension for Russell Wilson is around the corner. Given the commitments to those players, the team may have to part ways with cornerback Byron Maxwell. Per Cole, Maxwell is expected to reach the open market and will be a “hot commodity” if he’s available.
Steelers Re-Sign Brad Wing
The Steelers have locked up punter Brad Wing for another season, signing him to a one-year contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. After spending his first full NFL season in Pittsburgh in 2014, Wing had been eligible for exclusive rights free agency, meaning he could only sign with the Steelers, unless the team let him go.
Wing, who turns 24 next week, punted 61 times, recording 43.7 yards per punt and a net average of 38.6 yards. Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly high on the LSU’s performance, ranking him 28th out of the league’s 32 regular punters, with a -7.6 grade (subscription required).
Because he was only an exclusive rights free agent, Wing is unlikely to receive more than the minimum salary, which will be $510K for a player with his experience. There may also be a signing bonus in the deal, but it would be very modest.
Here are Friday’s other minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional minor transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Cowboys have signed defensive end Lavar Edwards and safety Keelan Johnson to reserve/futures contracts, as Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News writes. Edwards spent time on the Cowboys’ active roster and practice squad this season, while Johnson, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month for an aggravated assault charge, last played for the Eagles in 2013.
- Defensive end Sam Montgomery has signed a new deal with the Bengals, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Montgomery spent the entire 2014 season on Cincinnati’s practice squad after being waived by the team at the end of the preseason.
Earlier updates:
- The Jets‘ first free agent signing under new GM Mike Maccagnan is offensive tackle Sean Hooey, who inked a reserve/futures deal, according to the team (Twitter link). Hooey was cut by the Rams at the end of the 2014 preseason, and briefly landed on the team’s practice squad before being released from that unit as well.
Latest On Teams Still Seeking DCs
This morning, we took a look at where the ongoing offensive coordinator searches stand, and this afternoon we’ll shift our focus to the remaining defensive coordinator vacancies.
While the OC openings are fairly clear cut, three potential defensive coordinator positions are still up in the air due to the Falcons’ head coaching search. No matter which head coach they hire, the Falcons will likely be in the market for a new defensive coordinator, and both of their finalists are current DCs for another team — if Atlanta hires Dan Quinn, as expected, the Seahawks will have to find a new coordinator. If their arrangement with Quinn falls through, the Falcons would likely turn to Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, leaving Detroit to find a replacement.
In addition to those clubs, three more clubs are also currently hunting for a new defensive coordinator, so there are plenty of situations to examine. Let’s dive right in, with the help of our OC/DC search tracker….
Arizona Cardinals
After Todd Bowles landed in New York as the Jets’ new head coach, the early word out of Arizona was that the Cardinals would likely promote an internal candidate to replace Bowles, with James Bettcher, Brentson Buckner, Kevin Ross, Nick Rapone, and Tom Pratt as potential options. However, that report was published over a week ago, and there’s been no indication that the Cardinals are much closer to hiring Bowles’ replacement.
The team is reportedly interested in bringing aboard Dick LeBeau, but it appears it would be as a linebackers coach or perhaps as a senior defensive assistant. A report on Wednesday suggested that LeBeau was still interested in a coordinator position, so perhaps that’s why nothing has been finalized with the Cards yet. Arizona has also been linked to Mike Nolan, but it’s not entirely clear what Nolan’s situation is in Atlanta. Presumably, the new head coach will look to replace Nolan, but he remains under contract with the Falcons for now, having signed a two-year extension a year ago.
Atlanta Falcons
Speaking of those Falcons, there’s not much we know about their defensive coordinator job at this point. If Dan Quinn gets the head coaching job – and every indication is that he will – he could bring a coach from Seattle with him, particularly since most of the most attractive outside candidates will have found work by the time Quinn officially comes aboard (after the Super Bowl). It’s possible that Mike Nolan sticks around in Atlanta, but it seems unlikely at this point.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos targeted Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph early in their search. Denver actually interviewed Joseph for its head coaching opening, though it’s not clear if he was ever a viable candidate for that spot — I expect that interview served the dual purpose of ensuring that the Broncos adhered to the Rooney Rule and allowing the team to get a feel for Joseph as a DC candidate. The only problem? While the Bengals were willing to let Joseph interview for a HC job, the club is now unwilling to let him out of his contract for a DC position.
Denver hasn’t given up on its No. 1 target — Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who wrote earlier this week that the Bengals and the NFL should do the right thing and allow Joseph to leave Cincinnati for a promotion, says the Broncos continue to monitor the situation. If the Bengals don’t budge though, the Broncos will have to move on to other options, and that could mean speaking to former head coach Wade Phillips, who has been mentioned as a candidate.
Oakland Raiders
Like the Broncos, the Raiders appear to have a clear preference for the coach they’d like to hire. Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith has been cited as Jack Del Rio‘s top candidate since Del Rio landed Oakland’s head coaching job, and the two sides have been in contact, but it seems Smith isn’t fully sold on the opportunity. If he was, the Raiders would likely have locked him up already.
With Smith no sure thing, the Raiders have former Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker on their radar and have also been linked to Wade Phillips. The club may ultimately turn to the NCAA ranks, as a Thursday report suggested, though no specific college candidates have been reported yet. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wrote that if the Raiders do hire a coach from a college program, that would probably signal that the team was turned down by other candidates, and that Del Rio intends to call defensive plays, meaning that the new coordinator would have less latitude.
Seattle Seahawks
We’re including the Seahawks here rather than the Lions because it looks like a near-lock that Dan Quinn will head to Atlanta, with Teryl Austin returning to Detroit. Still, there’s no indication yet who would replace Quinn for the ‘Hawks. With so much talent on the defensive side of the ball in Seattle, the position could intrigue some big-name candidates who perhaps haven’t been interested in the other openings, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the club ultimately opts for an in-house promotion — of course, that’s assuming that Quinn doesn’t take the best internal candidates with him to Atlanta.
Extra Points: NFLPA, Mayo, Van Pelt, Raiders
The NFL Players Association has formally filed a grievance against the league challenging the NFL’s new personal conduct policy, which was adopted in December despite the NFLPA’s objections, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The union contends that it didn’t have an opportunity to collectively bargain many key points of the new policy, arguing that the policy violates the CBA and that it was adopted “without the consent, and over the objections, of the NFLPA.”
While we wait to see what comes of the union’s grievance, let’s round up several items from across the NFL….
- Injured Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo has been prioritizing his rehabilitation after a season-ending knee injury, and fully intends to get back on the field in 2015, but he has also developed an interest in coaching during his time spent on injured reserve, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I’m just trying to learn as much as I can,” Mayo said. “If I do choose to go down that road, hopefully I can apply some of these principles that I’ve learned from coach [Bill] Belichick in my coaching career.”
- While a previous report revealed the Packers turned down the Rams’ request to speak to Alex Van Pelt about their offensive coordinator job, St. Louis wasn’t the only team rebuffed by Green Bay. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars and Bears were also denied permission to interview Van Pelt.
- The Raiders have officially confirmed a handful of new additions to Jack Del Rio’s staff, announcing in a press release that they’ve hired Todd Downing (QB coach), Marcus Robertson (DB coach), Sal Sunseri (LB coach), and Mike Tice (OL coach).
- The Jets also announced several new assistants in addition to their new coordinators. According to the team, Mike Caldwell (assistant HC/ILB coach), Mark Collins (OLB coach), Joe Danna (DB/S coach), and Karl Dorrell (WR coach) are among the new arrivals.
- Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey isn’t phased by the fact that 2015 could be a make-or-break season for him and head coach Joe Philbin, suggesting that he approaches every season as if it’s make-or-break, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- The Texans have made some front office changes, promoting Jon Carr to director of college scouting and hiring Matt Jansen to the new position of college scouting coordinator, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links).
- We learned yesterday that Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett met with the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl, but Miami is far from the only team to interview Lockett. The wideout, who is generating plenty of buzz in Mobile, tells James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he spoke to 28 NFL teams this week.