Vance Joseph Hasn’t Talked With Broncos Yet
As shown in PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has already been linked to a number of jobs. However, we may need to pump the brakes on one potential gig. Joseph told reporters today that he has not talked to the Broncos during this cycle (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s James Walker). 
[RELATED: PFR’s 2017 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Here’s what we do know: the Bills, Rams, Chargers, and 49ers have all requested interviews with Joseph. The Broncos did interview Joseph two years ago before hiring Gary Kubiak, but they have yet to loop him into the discussion this time around. Recently, Broncos GM John Elway said there are three or four candidates the team is “excited about,” but it’s not clear whether Joseph is a part of that exclusive group.
So far, Denver has booked interviews with Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub, and Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn.
Ryan Tannehill Won’t Start For Dolphins
Ryan Tannehill has been ruled out for this week’s game, according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (on Twitter). In his place, Matt Moore will get the start. 
This week, coach Adam Gase said that the team would only have to get Tannehill on the field for one practice session in order for him to start, at the same time, he admitted they were running out of time to make that happen. Today’s news was somewhat expected for Miami, but it’s still disappointing. This year, Tannehill bounced back from a slow start and performed like a top ten quarterback once he got into a rhythm. In his 13 games this season, Tannehill completed a career-high 67.1% of his passes with 19 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He finished out the year as Pro Football Focus’ No. 13 ranked QB, several spots ahead of Sunday’s opposing signal caller, Ben Roethlisberger.
Moore, 32, has 28 regular season starts on his resume. In his five games and three starts this year, he has completed 55 of 87 passes (63.2%) with eight touchdowns against three interceptions.
Cowboys Sign Jonathan Cooper
The Cowboys have signed guard Jonathan Cooper and cut fellow guard Ryan Seymour in a corresponding move. Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram reported earlier Wednesday that Dallas and Cooper had agreed to terms (Twitter link).
Cooper, who was recently cut loose by the Browns, worked out for the Cowboys this week and made a solid impression on coaches. The former No. 7 overall pick hasn’t come close to living up to expectations, but the advanced stats indicate that he was pretty decent in his short stint with Cleveland.
The Cowboys are still waiting on the return of La’el Collins, but Cooper can help shore things up on the interior line until he gets back. Cooper figures to slot in as a depth piece behind starters Ronald Leary and Zack Martin and reserve Joe Looney.
The Cowboys have a first-round bye before getting started in the divisional round.
Latest On Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill
Dolphins coach Adam Gase says Ryan Tannehill won’t practice today (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com). If he gets one day of practice, that will be enough for Miami to play him on Sunday. However, Gase admits the Dolphins “may run out of time this week” (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). 
[RELATED: Dolphins To Release DL Mario Williams]
Miami’s original plan was to bring Tannehill back for Week 17 against the Patriots, but they decided to play it safe since they already had a 92% chance of making the postseason. With the ultra-tough Steelers on the docket, however, the Fins are eager to get their No. 1 QB back.
Tannehill was able to shed the cast on his injured leg some time ago, so he is at least moving in the right direction. Initially feared to be an ACL tear, Tannehill is dealing with an ACL/MCL sprain. That’s no walk in the park, but not as grim as it could be.
In his 13 games this season, Tannehill has completed a career-high 67.1% of his passes with 19 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. If Tannehill is unable to go, quarterback Matt Moore will start in his place.
Draft Rumors: Kaaya, Watt, Conley, Thomas
Here’s the latest NFL Draft news:
- Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya will enter the NFL Draft, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Kaaya has long been expected to go pro this year and take advantage of a weak QB crop. Reportedly, the Bears are among the teams that are fond of him and some say he has the highest football IQ of any QB in this year’s class.
- Wisconsin standout T.J. Watt announced that he is NFL-bound. After tallying 63 tackles and 11.5 sacks in 14 games, Watt stands as one of the very best outside linebackers in this year’s class. The younger brother of Texans superstar J.J. Watt is expected to go within the first two rounds.
- Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley declared for the draft this week. It has been long expected that the fourth-year junior would forego his final year on campus to go pro. Conley is one of the best cornerbacks available this year and projects as a late first-round or early second-round pick.
- Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas announced that he is declaring for the NFL Draft. Thomas could potentially be a first round pick, but he is in competition with an uncommonly stacked defensive end class.
Raiders To Start QB Connor Cook
It’s official. The Raiders will be starting Connor Cook at quarterback when they face the Texans this weekend, coach Jack Del Rio announced. 
The Raiders were hoping to have Matt McGloin under center, but as expected, he will not be able to go on Saturday. Already without Derek Carr, the Raiders are down to their No. 3 QB, a rookie out of Michigan State. The fourth-round pick has talent, but he is not completely polished and this could be too much, too soon for the youngster.
Some said that Cook dropped in the 2016 draft due to concerns about his attitude and leadership abilities, but Del Rio praised Cook’s character in the offseason.
“I think he’s been outstanding,” Del Rio said. “He comes in, had a tremendous career and is very humble. Obviously he is intelligent. He asks good questions. He’s got arm talent. It’s a matter of getting familiar [with] what we do and how we do it. . . I think he’s off to a great start.”
The Raiders, of course, aren’t the only playoff team with QB troubles. The Texans are starting Brock Osweiler after Tom Savage suffered a concussion. The Dolphins could also be without Ryan Tannehill this weekend.
Jaguars Expected To Interview Anthony Lynn
Put another one on the board for Anthony Lynn. The Bills’ interim head coach is expected to interview with the Jaguars, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). As shown on PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, Lynn is also in the mix for the Bills, Rams, and 49ers. He doesn’t have an interview scheduled with the Broncos just yet, but that is expected to go down at some point. 
Lynn was reportedly a “virtual lock” to take over as the next coach of the Bills, but there’s now buzz that Lynn might not even want the gig. Lynn, 48, appears to have several options if he doesn’t want to remain in Buffalo. After Doug Whaley‘s bizarre press conference this week, it’s hard to blame Lynn for exploring other possibilities. The Bills have talent to win right away, but Lynn could find more stability in one of the other openings out there.
The Jaguars fell apart this year, but in the offseason they were picked by some to win the AFC South. On offense, Blake Bortles is something of an unknown after a down year and, once again, the Jags will have to figure out what to do at running back. Chris Ivory was brought in to hold down the position, but health issues limited him severely this year.
Coaching Rumors: Lynn, 49ers, McDaniels
The latest news on the league’s coaching vacancies:
- For a complete rundown of every interview scheduled for the teams in search of a new coach, check out PFR’s 2017 NFL Head Coaching Tracker.
- Anthony Lynn‘s interview with the 49ers will take place today (Wednesday), according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will interview with the Rams, Jaguars, and 49ers all on the same day, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes. McDaniels will huddle up with all three teams on Saturday in separate rooms at a hotel near Gilette Stadium. Those three teams will be permitted to interview McDaniels again in the week after the AFC title game, if the Pats make it to the Super Bowl.
- The Chargers won’t force assistants on a new head coach, but they value their offensive staff, Rapoport tweets. There’s a good chance offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and his fellow offensive coaches stay put.
- The Broncos are expected to talk to Lynn at some point and will interview Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph as soon as the rules allow, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets.
- Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin is scheduled to meet with the Rams on Thursday and the Bills on Saturday, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.
- Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub will interview with the Broncos on Friday and then he has the Chargers on Sunday, Rapoport tweets.
Lions To Bring Back Jim Caldwell In 2017
There’s a lot on the line for the Lions this weekend, but the outcome won’t impact Jim Caldwell‘s immediate job security. The team announced today that Caldwell will return as head coach in 2017, win or lose. 
The Lions were rolling this year before dropping their final three games of the season and ceding the NFC North crown to the rival Packers. That slide made some folks around Allen Park worry about Caldwell’s status, but the Lions have put those concerns to rest before the biggest game of the year, so far.
If the Lions do well in the postseason, it might not be long before the team and Caldwell start discussing a new deal. Right now, he is entering the final year of a four-year deal.
In his three years with the Lions, Caldwell is 27-21. Combined with his Colts record, Caldwell is 53-43 lifetime as a coach. Next up is a playoff showdown with the Seahawks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/17
Tuesday’s minor moves:
- The Lions have signed offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds and promoted cornerback Adairius Barnes from the practice squad, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets. They’ll replace offensive tackle Corey Robinson (foot) and cornerback Asa Jackson (ankle), who were put on IR. To fill Barnes’ vacated spot on the practice squad, the team signed O-lineman Jason Weaver, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Chiefs have signed outside linebacker Victor Ochi off the Jets’ practice squad and placed linebacker Dadi Nicolas on IR, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Ochi will now go from a team whose season is over to one with a first-round playoff bye.
- The Seahawks have signed long snapper Tyler Ott, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Ott will take over for Nolan Frese, who’s done for the season because of an ankle injury. Elsewhere on the roster, Seattle will waive safety Tyvis Powell to make room for new addition Devin Hester, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).