Coach Notes: Falcons, Gase, Fangio, Callahan
Former Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles officially landed a new job yesterday, and now can add a Professional Football Writers of America award to his list of achievements for the week. The PFWA named Bowles – the Jets‘ new head coach – the Assistant of the Year for 2014 today, as well as recognizing Cards head coach Bruce Arians as Coach of the Year and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as Executive of the Year (Twitter link).
Here’s the latest on a few men who might be vying for those PFWA coaching awards in the 2015 season:
- The Falcons are requesting permission to interview Adam Gase for their offensive coordinator opening, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), and John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link) expects Gase to ultimately end up in Atlanta. According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, part of Teryl Austin‘s pitch during his head coaching interview with Atlanta involved bringing Gase aboard as an offensive coordinator, but the Broncos OC will be a strong candidate for the Falcons’ position whether the team hires Austin or Dan Quinn as its next head coach.
- The 49ers have officially released several of their assistants, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and defensive backs coach Ed Donatell, from their contracts, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. It doesn’t sound like Fangio will have trouble finding work elsewhere — Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that every team with a defensive coordinator vacancy has expressed interest in the former Niners DC.
- As for the Niners, expect Colts assistant Rob Chudzinski to be a legit candidate for their offensive coordinator position, says Maiocco (via Twitter).
- Washington will make a play for former Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan as an offensive line coach, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), who reports that an agreement between the two sides could end up happening quickly. Callahan has reportedly received interest from eight suitors though, so Washington will have some competition.
- The Cardinals have a meeting set for next week to talk to Dick LeBeau about a senior coaching position on their staff, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
NFC East Notes: Washington, Linehan, Giants
There’s still no action on Washington‘s defensive coordinator hunt, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (all Twitter links), who hears that the team does indeed have interest in Vic Fangio, though it remains unclear if an interview is being scheduled. As Jones notes, Washington could still end up hiring Joe Barry, as had been previously reported, but it appears the team has pumped the brakes a little on making a final decision — as more candidates become available, the process of making a hire is perhaps lasting a little longer than expected.
Let’s round up a few more notes from around the NFC East….
- As I speculated earlier today, Scott Linehan‘s new deal with the Cowboys will indeed include the official offensive coordinator title, since Bill Callahan is expected to leave the team, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Linehan, who is signing a three-year contract, essentially played the role of OC in 2014, since he called the club’s plays while Callahan primarily worked with the offensive line.
- Owner Jerry Jones believes the Cowboys are capable of being major players in free agency, but isn’t sure exactly how active they’ll be, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’d love to have the opportunity to improve that pass rush in the range of something that we could afford and make sense logically,” Jones told reporters.
- The Giants have informed Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson that they’re going a different direction with their defensive coordinator hire, a source tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (Twitter link).
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap previews the Giants‘ offseason, examining the team’s cap situation and potential approach to free agency.
Colts Place Josh McNary On Exempt List
10:13am: The NFL has allowed the Colts to place McNary on the exempt list, the club announced today in a press release. Indianapolis promoted wide receiver Griff Whalen from its practice squad to take McNary’s place on the 53-man roster. Defensive end Gannon Conway replaces Whalen on the taxi squad.
10:08am: With linebacker and special-teamer Josh McNary facing criminal charges, the Colts have asked the NFL to place him on the commissioner’s exempt list, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com details. If the league agrees to accommodate Indianapolis’ request, McNary will be ineligible to practice or play for the Colts as they prepare for this weekend’s AFC Championship game.
McNary, 26, has been charged with rape, criminal confinement with bodily injury, and battery resulting in bodily injury. While the Colts linebacker is “unhesitatingly” denying the allegations, a precedent was set earlier this season when Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy were placed on the exempt list while their legal cases were resolved. The league’s new conduct policy calls for the possibility of paid leave if a player is formally charged with a violent crime or sexual assault. That paid leave “may last until the league makes a disciplinary decision and any appeal of the discipline is fully resolved.”
Playing in his second season with the Colts in 2014, McNary logged 272 defensive snaps to go along with his work on special teams, recording 29 tackles and 0.5 sacks. If the league allows the Colts to place him on the exempt list, he’ll be removed from the 53-man roster, allowing the team to sign or promote someone to replace him.
Coach Updates: Linehan, Gase, Rams, Falcons
The Cowboys and offensive play-caller Scott Linehan have agreed to terms on a new contract that will keep him in Dallas, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). On the heels of Jason Garrett‘s extension, Linehan is the second assistant – along with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli – to come to an agreement with the team on a new deal.
What remains to be seen is whether Linehan will keep his current job title — as Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets, offensive coordinator Bill Callahan is exploring potential options with other teams and has “multiple big-money offers,” so if Callahan doesn’t return to the Cowboys, perhaps his OC title goes to Linehan for the 2015 season.
Here’s more on coaching openings around the NFL:
- The Rams have requested permission to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their own OC opening, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Gase has primarily been a head coaching candidate this offseason, but didn’t end up landing with the 49ers, who were viewed as his most aggressive suitor. Gase is reportedly still under consideration as a head coaching option in Denver.
- While Dan Quinn is considered the frontrunner for the Falcons‘ head coaching vacancy, don’t rule out Teryl Austin, who has a “legit chance,” says Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, adding that Austin’s second interview with the club is happening now (Twitter links).
- Speaking of the Falcons, they’re “blocking a raid” on their coaching staff, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution details, having denied the Jets permission to interview special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong and having also turned away the Raiders, who wanted to speak to offensive line coach Mike Tice. Despite not having a head coach in place yet, the club wants to make most of the current staff available to the new coach.
- With Todd Bowles headed to New York, the Cardinals intend to promote one of their current defensive assistants to the defensive coordinator position, though the team isn’t sure yet which assistant will get the job, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Somers adds that the new DC should get some help from Dick LeBeau, whom the Cards want to hire as a senior assistant.
- 49ers players had overwhelmingly positive reactions to news that Jim Tomsula would be promoted to head coach, writes Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group, rounding up the most notable comments from Niners players.
- Candidates for the Giants‘ defensive coordinator opening – including Dennis Allen, Pepper Johnson, Raheem Morris, and Steve Spagnuolo – expect a decision by week’s end, per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Washington Plans To Hire Joe Barry As DC?
THURSDAY, 8:15am: Former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who isn’t returning to San Francisco, is a late entry being considered for Washington’s defensive coordinator position, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While there’s no indication of how serious Washington’s interest is, or whether it’s mutual, the fact that Fangio could be in the mix suggests the team still has yet to make its final decision.
WEDNESDAY, 1:33pm: Echoing what Keim, Jones, and Boyer reported earlier, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 tweets that Washington hasn’t hired Barry yet, and goes a step further, calling the initial report “false,” even though Rapoport didn’t say a deal had been completed. There’s still no indication that Washington is leaning toward another candidate, and Keim tweets that a number of the team’s assistants expect Barry to land the job. However, it definitely doesn’t seem to be a sure thing at this point.
8:53am: Three Washington beat reporters – ESPN’s John Keim, Mike Jones of the Washington Post, and Zac Boyer of the Washington Times – have all tweeted that there’s no agreement in place yet between Barry and the team. However, Rapoport’s report didn’t explicitly say that the two sides had agreed to terms — just that Washington intends to hire Barry. None of the Washington writers have indicated that the team is leaning in any other direction, so it still looks as if Barry will ultimately land the job, even if nothing’s official yet.
8:41am: Washington has decided on a replacement for recently dismissed defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the club will hire Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry to fill the position. Rapoport had indicated yesterday that either Barry or Raheem Morris appeared likely to land Washington’s DC job.
Barry has one previous stint as a defensive coordinator under his belt, with the Lions from 2007 to 2008. Of course, Barry left that position at a low point, following the club’s 0-16 campaign in ’08. Barry’s run in Detroit is perhaps best remembered for prompting one reporter to ask his father-in-law, head coach Rod Marinelli, if he wished his daughter had “married a better defensive coordinator.”
Since leaving the Lions, Barry has worked as an assistant for the Buccaneers, USC, and the Chargers, holding the position of linebackers coach at each one of those stops. His hiring in Washington comes after the team also reportedly interviewed candidates like Morris, Eric Mangini, Ed Donatell, and Wade Phillips. According to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (Twitter link), Morris’ interview with the club was “just okay,” which presumably opened the door for Barry to land the job.
As Washington’s new defensive coordinator, Barry will be tasked with turning around a unit that finished 27th in DVOA in 2014, including 32nd against the pass. The team also allowed 27.4 points per game this season, tied for the third-worst mark in the NFL.
Raiders Hire Jack Del Rio As HC
3:40pm: It’s a four-year deal for Del Rio, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
3:10pm: The Raiders have officially hired Del Rio, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
2:17pm: A person familiar with the Raiders’ coach search told Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group (on Twitter) that a completed deal to hire Del Rio as head coach is “not imminent.” Still, the two sides still working on it.
7:44am: While the Niners pursue Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their head coaching job, the league’s other Bay Area team appears poised to lock up Denver’s defensive coordinator for their own coaching opening. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Raiders are expected to name Jack Del Rio as their new head coach, and an announcement could come as soon as today.
Del Rio’s defense in Denver, where he has been the coordinator since 2012, hasn’t been quite as effective or as heralded as the unit on the other side of the ball. However, after ranking in the middle of the pack a year ago, the Broncos’ defense finished fourth in DVOA in 2014, with Del Rio taking advantage of an influx of free agent talent, including DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, and T.J. Ward.
As our head coaching search tracker shows, the Raiders’ list of candidates and interviewees didn’t include as many notable names as several other team’s lists. The team didn’t target highly-regarded coordinators like Dan Quinn or Teryl Austin, or former head coaches such as Rex Ryan or Doug Marrone. While Oakland tried to interview Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, he passed on the opportunity after receiving plenty of interest from other suitors.
Still, Del Rio, who had a long second interview with the team on Tuesday, had been considered a top option for the Raiders since the start of their search. There was a belief in recent days that the team’s choice would come down to the Broncos’ defensive coordinator or interim head coach Tony Sparano. And according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the club decided late last night not to promote Sparano to the permanent role, opening the door for Del Rio.
Del Rio, of course, has previous head coaching experience, having spent the better part of nine seasons with the Jaguars. That stint included a 68-71 overall regular season record, along with a pair of playoff berths, and a single postseason victory, in the 2007 season.
Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group noted last night (via Twitter) that offensive coordinator Greg Olson and special teams coordinator Bobby April actually remain under contract for the Raiders in 2015. However, it’s possible – or perhaps even likely – that they’ll be released from those deals to pursue other opportunities, with Del Rio bringing in his own coordinators.
Jordan Raanan of NJ.com speculates (via Twitter) that Mike Smith, who was Del Rio’s defensive coordinator for several years in Jacksonville and was recently let go by the Falcons, could be a DC candidate. Meanwhile, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says he wouldn’t be surprised if another Atlanta coach who worked with Del Rio on the Jags – offensive line coach Mike Tice – follows his former colleague to Oakland.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC East Notes: Murray, Giants, Cowboys
While the Professional Football Writers of America’s awards aren’t official, they often foreshadow the results of the AP voting, and if that’s the case this year, that’s good news for Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray. The PFWA selected Murray as the Offensive Player of the Year after a season in which he ran away with the NFL’s rushing title by nearly 500 yards (Twitter link). Murray joins MVP Aaron Rodgers and Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt as today’s PFWA honorees.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- Appearing on WFAN Sports Radio in New York today, Giants co-owner John Mara said he hasn’t discussed a new contract with head coach Tom Coughlin yet, though he expects those discussion to take place “fairly soon.” Mara also identified the Giants’ offensive line as the position most in need of an upgrade (Twitter links via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News).
- The Giants have hired former Rams defensive coordinator Tim Walton as their defensive backs/secondary coach, a source tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- Former agent Joel Corry examines the upcoming offseason decisions for the Cowboys in a piece at CBSSports.com, focusing on the club’s cap situation, along with its two notable free-agents-to-be, Dez Bryant and Murray. While Corry views the franchise tag as a near-lock for Bryant if no long-term agreement is reached, he’s less certain the team will retain Murray, pointing out that while running backs haven’t done well on the open market recently, one of Murray’s caliber hasn’t become available for quite some time. Earlier today, we heard that Murray was a good bet to reach the open market in March.
- Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan will pursue other possibilities so he’s unlikely to re-sign with Dallas during the exclusivity period, according to ESPN.com’s Ed Werder (via Twitter).
Falcons Frontrunners For Dan Quinn
Now that a pair of the Falcons’ head coaching targets – Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles – have landed with AFC East clubs, a path is opening up for Atlanta to land Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and Quinn has emerged as the favorite for the Falcons’ vacancy, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
As Schefter outlines, Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is having a second interview with the Falcons today and will have a chance to impress them, but sources believe that Atlanta is willing to wait for Quinn to become available, and that Quinn is interested in the position. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report agrees that Quinn looks likely to be hired by the Falcons, suggesting that the Seahawks DC preferred Atlanta’s job to the Jets’ position, which prompted New York to move on to Bowles.
While Quinn is viewed as one of the top head coaching candidates available this offseason, the fact that his Seahawks are playing so well has prevented him from fully exploring his options. As Schefter notes, Quinn will be able to interview again after Sunday’s game against the Packers, but if Seattle wins that game, he’ll only be allowed to have second interviews with teams he has already talked to. In that case, Quinn could speak to the Falcons, 49ers, and/or Bears again, if those clubs are still interested, but he wouldn’t be able to interview a first time with the Broncos.
The 49ers and Bears appear headed in different directions, focusing on Adam Gase and John Fox respectively. The Broncos could enter the picture if the Seahawks lose to Green Bay on Sunday, but it looks as if they’re in line behind the Falcons at this point. As for Atlanta, the club has also been linked to Josh McDaniels, but it appears likely that the Patriots offensive coordinator will stick with New England.
Marcus Mariota To Enter Draft
As expected, in advance of tomorrow’s early entry deadline, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota announced today that he’ll enter the 2015 draft, according to the school’s website. Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com first reported (via Twitter) that the redshirt junior would announce his intentions to forgo his final year of college eligibility and turn pro.
Mariota, this season’s Heisman winner, has long been considered the top quarterback – and perhaps the top overall prospect – available, edging out Jameis Winston in the view of many draft experts. This past season at Oregon, Mariota established new career-highs by passing for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns, along with just four interceptions. The 21-year-old added another 770 yards and 15 TDs on the ground.
While he’s certainly not a lock to be selected first overall, particularly after a somewhat disappointing showing in this week’s championship game against Ohio State, Mariota figures to draw significant interest from the Buccaneers with that No. 1 pick. If Tampa Bay passes, the Titans, Washington, and the Jets are among the other teams near the top of the draft that should consider selecting a QB and figure to take a long look at Mariota.
AFC Links: Gase, Broncos, Jags, Browns, Jets
With one team (the Bills) having introduced their new head coach today, and two more clubs (Jets, Raiders) closing in on their targets, there are four head coaching jobs still available, and it appeared coming into today that the 49ers were moving toward locking up Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase. However, nothing’s done between Gase and the Niners yet, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who tweets that the Broncos OC met with John Elway to discuss Denver’s head coaching vacancy today. Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links), it wasn’t a formal interview, but if there’s mutual interest between the two sides, that formal interview could still happen.
As we wait to see whether or not Gase sticks with the Broncos, let’s round up a few other notes from around the AFC….
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter links) have updates on a pair of offensive coordinator searches. Per Rapoport, Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson will interview for the same role with the Jaguars, while Cabot reports that the Browns will speak to their tight ends coach Brian Angelichio about their offensive coordinator opening.
- Steve Smith had a nice bounceback season in his first year in Baltimore in 2014, and remains under team control for 2015, but the Ravens want him to take a little time to decide whether or not he wants to continue his playing career, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. John Harbaugh said yesterday that the team would like Smith, who turns 36 this year, to take three weeks to see how he feels.
- Texans GM Rick Smith praised new Jets GM Mike Maccagnan, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. “He has been a valued and trusted confidant over the years and is an outstanding talent evaluator,” the GM said. Maccagnan previously served as Houston’s college scouting director.
- Maccagnan and the team’s new head coach (now known to be Todd Bowles) will each report directly to owner Woody Johnson, tweets Mehta. Maccagnan, meanwhile, will have final say over the 53-man roster. The setup in Buffalo will be similar, according to Mehta (Twitter links) — new head coach Rex Ryan will report directly to owner Terry Pegula, but GM Doug Whaley has final say on the 53-man roster.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com gave his thoughts on Maccagnan yesterday, prior to the Jets‘ hiring of Bowles as its head coach. While there are question marks about Maccagnan, Cimini is glad to see that the team didn’t hire a bean counter like predecessor John Idzik. Maccagnan is a football man with roots in player evaluation, rather than a cap guru.
- In his second offseason as the Browns‘ general manager, Ray Farmer will have plenty of notable free agent situations to address, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, who identifies six unrestricted FAs and three restricted FAs that will be priorities in Cleveland.