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Author: Luke Adams

Jaguars Hire Doug Marrone

By | at January 20, 2015 11:50 am

11:50am: The Jaguars have officially announced Marrone’s hiring in a press release.

10:58am: Former Bills head coach Doug Marrone has found a new job with another AFC team, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hired Marrone. Per O’Halloran, Marrone’s title in Jacksonville will be assistant head coach and offensive line coach, so it seems the club is still looking for an offensive coordinator to replace Jedd Fisch.

Marrone, who led the Bills to a 9-7 record in 2014, narrowly missing a playoff spot, opted out of his contract following the team’s final regular season game. Marrone’s agreement with the Bills allowed him to receive his full $4MM salary for 2015 despite the fact that he’s no longer coaching the team.

When Marrone made his decision to opt out, there was some speculation that he may have another opportunity lined up, but it doesn’t appear that was the case. The former Bills coach interviewed with the Falcons, Bears, Jets, and – according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) – the 49ers for their head coaching openings, and also had a meeting lined up with the Broncos before he canceled it. All five teams ultimately went in other directions.

As Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com observes (via Twitter), the Jaguars still technically have offensive line coach George Yarno under contract, in addition to Marrone. However, Yarno won’t coach in 2015, as he continues to battle cancer.

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North Notes: Browns, Martz, Packers, Vikes

By | at January 20, 2015 9:35 am

The Browns‘ search for an offensive coordinator appears to have been one of the league’s more expansive hunts so far, with nearly a dozen candidates linked to the position at some point, though many have since found other jobs. Still, perhaps no name among Cleveland’s candidates is more surprising than the one Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets today. According to Rapoport, former Rams head coach Mike Martz recently interviewed with the Browns for their OC job. A source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that Martz is indeed interested in returning to coaching after essentially being retired since leaving the Bears after the 2011 season.

Here’s more on the Browns and a few other teams from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • It’s not clear if the Browns have requested permission to interview him at this point, but Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements is on the club’s radar, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. While a move to Cleveland’s offensive coordinator job would technically be a lateral move for Clements, he doesn’t currently call the plays in Green Bay, with head coach Mike McCarthy handling that role.
  • In the wake of the Packers’ loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, right tackle Bryan Bulaga wasn’t ready on Monday to speculate about whether or not he’ll be back in Green Bay next season, as Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. “Right now, I’m really not even thinking about it to be honest with you. That’s really the last thing on my mind,” Bulaga said. “It’s a ‘we’ll see what happens’ kind of deal. This just ended yesterday. It’s kind of hard to look at it right now.”
  • With 14 players, including Bulaga, eligible for free agency this offseason, the Packers almost certainly won’t be able to retain everyone, but the “dream scenario” is to re-sign as many of those potential FAs as they can, says Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a look at some of the notable upcoming offseason decisions facing the Vikings, identifying Greg Jennings‘ deal as one worth restructuring, and Adrian Peterson and Chad Greenway as likely cap casualties.
  • In addition to working out Shawn Lemon, who signed a contract, and Delvin Breaux, whose tryout was previously reported, the Steelers also auditioned offensive linemen Brett Jones and Erle Ladson, punter Kasey Redfern, and kicker Jake Rogers, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
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Saints To Hire Dennis Allen, Jeff Ireland

By | at January 20, 2015 8:40 am

8:40am: In addition to hiring Allen, the Saints are also bringing aboard former Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland to do college scouting, a source tells Schefter (Twitter link).

8:16am: When we learned two weeks ago that the Saints intended to retain defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for the 2015 season, one report suggested that Sean Payton wanted to provide Ryan with “better pieces for success” to support him. It’s not clear yet what that means in terms of personnel, but the team has made a notable addition to its defensive coaching staff, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the Saints are hiring Dennis Allen in a senior defensive role.

Allen, who started the 2014 season as the Raiders’ head coach before being replaced by Tony Sparano, served as the Broncos’ defensive coordinator during the 2011 season, and worked for the Saints for several years before that. Beginning in 2006, Allen acted as New Orleans’ assistant defensive line coach before shifting into a secondary coach position in 2008.

Recent reports had linked Allen to the defensive coordinator opening in Chicago, indicating that he was perhaps the frontrunner for the position. If Allen had joined the Bears, he would’ve been reuniting with head coach John Fox, who was coaching the Broncos during Allen’s brief DC stint in Denver, and GM Ryan Pace, who worked in New Orleans’ front office while Allen was with the Saints.

Instead, Allen will be tasked with helping to turn around a defensive unit that ranked fourth overall in Ryan’s first season with the team in 2013, but plummeted to 31st in 2014, both in terms of yards allowed and DVOA (per Football Outsiders).

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Lions Won’t Re-Sign Dominic Raiola

By | at January 19, 2015 4:57 pm

The Lions have informed longtime center Dominic Raiola that they won’t be bringing him back for the 2015 season, a source tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Raiola’s contract with the team is set to expire, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.

Raioala, who turned 36 last month, has been with the Lions since the team drafted him 50th overall in 2001. He became the full-time starter at center in his second year with the club, starting 203 of a possible 208 regular season contests since then. Prior to being suspended and sitting out Detroit’s Week 17 matchup against the Packers this season, Raiola hadn’t missed a game since 2008. As Birkett notes, the veteran lineman indicated at season’s end that he hoped to continue his playing career.

“I’m optimistic,” Raiola said earlier in January. “I think I will be [back], but I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m not. I still want to play, I still think I have a lot to offer and a lot to offer this locker room. If I could go one more go around, I’d be honored.”

Of course, Raiola was referring to the idea of returning to the Lions for one more year, so it’s not clear whether or not he’ll want to continue playing for another team. In Detroit, 2014 third-rounder Travis Swanson appears poised to take over at the center position for the coming season.

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Steelers Sign Shawn Lemon

By | at January 19, 2015 4:27 pm

The Steelers have agreed to terms with former Calgary Stampeders defensive end Shawn Lemon, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Scott Mitchell of the Calgary Sun first reported that Lemon had reached an agreement to sign with Pittsburgh.

Lemon, 26, played for multiple teams in the CFL before breaking out for the Stampeders in 2014. In addition to establishing a new career high with 13 sacks, Lemon also tied a CFL record by forcing eight fumbles during the season, playing a significant role on defense for 2014’s Grey Cup champions. The club released him from his contract today in order to allow him to make things official with the Steeelers.

“Shawn has an agreement in place with an NFL club and we are granting him his release in order to allow him to sign a contract immediately rather than waiting until February,” said Calgary GM/head coach John Hufnagel. “We wish Shawn the best of luck and thank him for his contributions to the Stampeders.”

Lemon’s deal will likely be for the minimum salary with a small signing bonus, but he should get the opportunity to earn a spot on the Steelers’ 53-man roster or practice squad in 2015. A year ago, former Stampeders pass rusher Cordarro Law, whose spot Lemon claimed in 2014, signed with the Chargers and ultimately spent most of the ’14 season on San Diego’s taxi squad.

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Coach Updates: Texans, Tomsula, Bears

By | at January 19, 2015 3:45 pm

The case of Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn exhibits a need for the NFL to change its rules when it comes to head coaching hires, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Because Seattle is playing in the Super Bowl, no team can officially hire Quinn as a head coach until February, at which point most top assistants will have found other jobs. The Falcons still appear willing to wait on Quinn, but it would’ve been much more of a sure thing if Quinn were available immediately.

Here’s the latest on a few more coaching openings around the league:

  • Within La Canfora’s piece, the CBSSports.com scribe notes that the Texans could be in the market for an offensive coordinator since the team didn’t have one under Bill O’Brien in 2014. Doug Marrone is a good bet to resurface in Houston, according to La Canfora.
  • Jim Tomsula‘s salary as the 49ers‘ head coach is believed to be about $3.5MM per year, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). That would put Tomsula amongst the bottom five head coaches in the league in terms of annual salary, which isn’t a huge surprise since he wasn’t a high-profile candidate.
  • The Bears have put in an interview request with the Colts in the hopes of speaking to assistant Rob Chudzinski about their offensive coordinator opening, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
  • Bears general manager Ryan Pace said today that the team has not made a contract offer to defensive coordinator candidate Vic Fangio, but that doesn’t mean Chicago isn’t interested, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Fangio is also considered a strong contender for the same job in Washington.
  • Former Bears special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis is interviewing with the Raiders today and has two other stops lined up after Oakland, per ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright (via Twitter).
  • The Browns‘ offensive coordinator interviews for Anthony Lynn and Al Saunders are expected to take place this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
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Broncos Hire Rick Dennison As OC

By | at January 19, 2015 2:22 pm

Having been officially announced as the Broncos’ new head coach earlier today, Gary Kubiak has already begun to put together his staff, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Two league sources tell Klis that the Broncos have hired Rick Dennison as their offensive coordinator and Brian Pariani as their tight ends coach.

Though there was some speculation that either Dennison or Pariani would remain in Baltimore, perhaps as candidates for the Ravens’ newly-opened offensive coordinator position, it comes as no surprise that both coaches are following Kubiak to Denver. Both men also worked with Kubiak in Houston before joining him in Baltimore this past season.

As Klis writes, the 56-year-old Dennison is “well-schooled in the zone-blocking, play-action offensive system” that Kubiak prefers to use. With the Broncos, the former Ravens quarterbacks coach will either work with Peyton Manning or Manning’s replacement – possibly Brock Osweiler – if the future Hall-of-Famer decides to call it a career.

With Dennison heading to Denver, the Broncos and Ravens could end up essentially swapping offensive coaches, as former Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase is viewed as a top candidate for Baltimore’s OC job. We heard earlier today that Gase figures to land in either Baltimore or Jacksonville.

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84 Underclassmen Declare For 2015 NFL Draft

By | at January 19, 2015 1:48 pm

74 underclassmen who met the NFL’s three-year eligibility rule and formally applied to enter the 2015 draft have been granted special eligibility, the league announced today in a press release. In addition to those 74, another 10 players who have graduated with college football eligibility remaining have also entered this year’s draft class.

This year’s total of 84 early entrants is a step down from last year’s record — in 2014, 98 underclassmen were granted special eligibility and four more were eligible after graduating early, for a total of 102.

Here’s the full list of underclassmen eligible for the 2015 draft, in alphabetical order:

  1. Nelson Agholor, WR (USC)
  2. Jay Ajayi, RB (Boise State)
  3. Kwon Alexander, LB (LSU)
  4. Javorius Allen, RB (USC)
  5. Arik Armstead, DL (Oregon)
  6. Deion Barnes, DE (Penn State)
  7. Malcom Brown, DT (Texas)
  8. Alex Carter, CB (Stanford)
  9. B.J. Catalon, RB (TCU)
  10. Sammie Coates, WR (Auburn)
  11. Tevin Coleman, RB (Indiana)
  12. Jalen Collins, CB (LSU)
  13. Landon Collins, S (Alabama)
  14. Amari Cooper, WR (Alabama)
  15. Xavier Cooper, DE (Washington State)
  16. Christian Covington, DT (Rice)
  17. Zach D’Orazio, WR (Akron)
  18. DaVaris Daniels, WR (Notre Dame)
  19. Ronald Darby, CB (Florida State)
  20. Mike Davis, RB (South Carolina)
  21. Stefon Diggs, WR (Maryland)
  22. Lorenzo Doss, CB (Tulane)
  23. Mario Edwards, DE (Florida State)
  24. Durell Eskridge, S (Syracuse)
  25. George Farmer, WR (USC)
  26. Max Flores, LB (Northern Colorado)
  27. Ereck Flowers, T (Miami)
  28. Dante Fowler, DE (Florida)
  29. Devin Funchess, WR (Michigan)
  30. Charles Gaines, DB (Louisville)
  31. Jacoby Glenn, CB (UCF)
  32. Eddie Goldman, DT (Florida State)
  33. Melvin Gordon, RB (Wisconsin)
  34. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Oklahoma)
  35. Deontay Greenberry, WR (Houston)
  36. Randy Gregory, DE (Nebraska)
  37. Todd Gurley, RB (Georgia)
  38. Chris Hackett, S (TCU)
  39. Eli Harold, DE (Virginia)
  40. Chris Harper, WR (California)
  41. Dee Hart, RB (Colorado State)
  42. Braylon Heard, RB (Kentucky)
  43. Gerod Holliman, S (Louisville)
  44. D.J. Humphries, T (Florida)
  45. Brett Hundley, QB (UCLA)
  46. Danielle Hunter, DE (LSU)
  47. David Irving, DT (Iowa State)
  48. Jesse James, TE (Notre Dame)
  49. Duke Johnson, RB (Miami)
  50. Matt Jones, RB (Florida)
  51. Nigel King, WR (Kansas)
  52. Tyler Kroft, TE (Rutgers)
  53. Marcus Mariota, QB (Oregon)
  54. Ellis McCarthy, DL (UCLA)
  55. Benardrick McKinney, LB (Mississippi State)
  56. Patrick Miller, T (Auburn)
  57. Tyler Moore, G (Florida)
  58. Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT (Southern Mississippi)
  59. Andrus Peat, T (Stanford)
  60. Breshad Perriman, WR (UCF)
  61. Marcus Peters, CB (Washington)
  62. Jordan Phillips, DT (Oklahoma)
  63. Darius Philon, DT (Arkansas)
  64. Bradley Pinion, P (Clemson)
  65. Jaquel Pitts, WR (Trinity International)
  66. Jeremiah Poutasi, T (Utah)
  67. Darien Rankin, LB (North Carolina)
  68. Shane Ray, DE (Missouri)
  69. Josh Robinson, RB (Mississippi State)
  70. James Sample, S (Louisville)
  71. Jean Sifrin, TE (UMass)
  72. Donovan Smith, T (Penn State)
  73. Jaelen Strong, WR (Arizona State)
  74. Tacoi Sumler, WR (Appalachian State)
  75. Shaq Thompson, LB (Washington)
  76. Max Valles, LB (Virginia)
  77. Easton Wahlstrom, LS (Arizona State)
  78. Trae Waynes, CB (Michigan State)
  79. Leonard Williams, DE (USC)
  80. Maxx Williams, TE (Minnesota)
  81. P.J. Williams, CB (Florida State)
  82. Trey Williams, RB (Texas A&M)
  83. Jameis Winston, QB (Florida State)
  84. T.J. Yeldon, RB (Alabama)
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2015 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker

By | at January 17, 2015 10:05 pm

While seven NFL teams are making head coaching changes this offseason, the number of clubs replacing offensive and/or defensive coordinators figures to be much higher than that. In addition to all those teams hiring new head coaches, who will want to bring in their own assistants, several clubs also figure to make changes on one side of the ball or the other after getting disappointing results in 2014.

With reports about potential candidates, interview requests, and actual meetings circulating throughout January, we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on all the latest updates on teams hiring new offensive and/or defensive coordinators. This post, which will be updated daily, can be found under the “PFR Features” menu on the right-hand side of the site.

Here’s the latest:

Updated 2-12-15 (2:16pm CT)

Offensive coordinators

Defensive coordinators

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Texans Promote Brian Gaine

By | at January 17, 2015 9:02 pm

9:02pm: Right on cue, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle confirms (via Twitter) that Gaine’s new title will indeed be director of player personnel. Gaine receives a new contract and a raise from the Texans, per McClain.

9:00pm: The Texans will give director of pro personnel Brian Gaine a promotion within the team’s front office, according to a report from SportsRadio 610 in Houston (link via CBS Houston). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has since confirmed (via Twitter) that the team is promoting Gaine, with the intention of keeping him from joining the Eagles’ front office.

Gaine had been one of the Eagles’ targets for a general manager type role in Philadelphia, having interviewed with the club earlier this week. Rapoport suggests (via Twitter) that Gaine had already interviewed twice with the Eagles, though the CBS Houston report indicates that the promotion is coming before Gaine can meet with the Eagles for a second time.

Following Philadelphia’s front office shuffle, head coach Chip Kelly has been tasked with bringing aboard an executive for a GM-like position, though the executive wouldn’t have the power of a traditional general manager, since Kelly has the final say on roster decisions for the Eagles. It would still likely represent a promotion for Gaine from his current director of pro personnel role though, so the Texans are giving him a promotion of his own to ensure that he remains in Houston.

It’s not immediately clear what Gaine’s new title will be, though director of player personnel seems like a logical next step. That would be a promotion similar to the one that Eliot Wolf received from the Packers earlier this month. Wolf had been another potential target for Kelly and the Eagles.

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