Redskins’ Bill Callahan Wants To Stay
Redskins interim head coach Bill Callahan wants to shed the interim label, as Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post writes. Callahan, who took over in October, believes the team has made significant strides under his watch. 
“I look at the fight of our players,” Callahan said. “I look at the resiliency, and [I] tried to bring back a work ethic into the program that I thought was lacking. I thought our players could have been better fundamentally. . . . I saw our players get better and compete for four quarters. I saw our players have stamina through four quarters of play. I thought long and hard about improving the team and what aspects I would really focus on. A lot of that was the second-half finish, and I thought we did that.”
The Redskins were 0-5 under Jay Gruden, but they’ve gone 3-7 under Callahan in the last ten games. Many believe that the Redskins will opt for a splashy hire, rather than staying the course with Callahan, but the 63-year-old isn’t giving up hope.
As Copeland notes, veterans were freelancing outside the scheme under Gruden in an effort to pad their stats. That didn’t necessarily stop under Callahan, but there have been fewer instances of players operating outside of play calls in recent weeks. Still, the Redskins still rank 31st in scoring offense and 24th in scoring defense.
Callahan will reportedly be considered for the gig, but he’s certainly not the frontrunner.
2020 NFL Draft Order As Of Week 17
With one week remaining in the regular season, the 2020 NFL Draft order is starting to take shape. The 1-14 Bengals have locked up the No. 1 overall pick, but the rest of the board will be dependent on the outcome of Week 17’s games.
Here’s a look at where things stand:
1. Bengals: 1-14
2. Redskins: 3-12
3. Lions: 3-11-1
4. Giants: 4-11
5. Dolphins: 4-11
6. Jaguars: 5-10
7. Chargers: 5-10
8. Panthers: 5-10
9. Cardinals: 5-9-1
10: Jets: 6-9
11. Broncos: 6-9
12. Browns: 6-9
13. Falcons 6-9
14. Raiders 7-8
15. Cowboys 7-8
16. Colts 7-8
17. Buccaneers 7-8
18. Raiders (via Bears) 7-8
19. Dolphins (via Steelers) 8-7
20. Jaguars (via Rams) 8-7
21. Eagles 8-7
22. Titans 8-7
23. Bills 10-5
24. Vikings 10-5
25. Dolphins (via Texans) 10-5
26. Chiefs 11-4
27. Seahawks 11-4
28. Packers 12-3
29. Patriots 12-3
30. Saints 12-3
31. 49ers 12-3
32. Ravens 13-2
Cardinals Considering Staff Shakeup
With a 5-9-1 record heading into the season finale, the Cardinals are understandably planning some changes in the offseason. Those plans may include a shakeup of the coaching staff, as head coach Kliff Kingsbury tells the team website. 
Kingsbury will sit down with GM Steve Keim and chairman and owner Michael Bidwill to discuss the futures of his coaches. From the sound of it, those decisions will not be entirely up to the first-year coach.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever worked with a GM on that side of things,” Kingsbury said. “With Michael and Steve, (we’ll) sit down in a room and talk about each position group and be brutally honest with ourselves and each other and come to a good place. That relationship to me has been vital, with Steve, where we are very upfront with each other, with what he sees and what I see. Michael has the final say. I like where the relationship is at, and we’ll find out after the season.”
Kingsbury – an NFL neophyte – leaned heavily on Keim’s suggestions to find assistants with pro experience. After one season in the league, Kingsbury admits that he still doesn’t know a ton of coaches in NFL circles.
As of this writing, the Cardinals are slated to pick No. 9 overall in the draft. They’ll finish up the 2019 season on Sunday when they take on the Rams in Los Angeles.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/19
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: QB J.T. Barrett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR River Cracraft
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Dalyn Dawkins
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/19
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: G Colby Gossett
- Placed on IR: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: OT Quinn Bailey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed: DL Jeremiah Valoaga (from 49ers)
Buccaneers Promote Franklin, Mickens
The Buccaneers promoted cornerback John Franklin and wide receiver Jaydon Mickens from the practice squad to the active roster on Tuesday. To make room, the Buccaneers waived wide receiver Ishmael Hyman and tight end Jordan Leggett.
Franklin has been playing cornerback on the Bucs’ taxi squad for the past six weeks, but he also played quarterback in college. After running the scout team offense in practice last week to mimic Deshaun Watson, it’s possible that Franklin could also see time under center in the Bucs’ season finale or at some point next year, if he sticks on the roster.
“Johnathan Franklin did an unbelievable job being Deshaun Watson last week at quarterback,” said head coach Bruce Arians. “He gave our defense a tremendous look. [He] made me think about, ‘Hmm, what do we want to do with him?’ He’s really a corner, but he’s been a quarterback and he’s been a receiver. He’s a really good athlete – it’s just finding a niche for him.”
Four new players have debuted for the Bucs over the last couple of weeks as they take a look ahead towards their 2020 plans. Franklin and Mickens have a chance to join that group. Mickens already has 16 regular season games under his belt thanks to his time with the Jaguars.
Mickens entered the league as UDFA with the Raiders in 2016 and spent his entire rookie season on Oakland’s practice squad. Since then, he’s spent time with the Jaguars (taxi squad and active roster) and had a stay on the Panthers’ training camp roster over the summer. In 16 games for the Jags, he recorded six receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns. He also averaged 8.9 yards on 39 punt returns and 21.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.
The Bucs will wrap up the 2019 season against the Falcons on Sunday.
Bengals Waive OLB Sharif Finch
That was fast. On Tuesday, the Bengals cut outside linebacker Sharif Finch, just hours after claiming him off waivers.
The Bengals claimed Finch off waivers following his release from the Titans. Unfortunately, a failed physical 86’d his Cincinnati stint before it could even begin.
The reason for his failed physical is not known, but it could be tied to the shoulder injury that held him back over the offseason. If it’s not a serious red flag, the Giants and Lions could consider claiming him – both clubs tried to grab him earlier in the week, but they were trumped by the Bengals and their league-worst record.
Finch, 24, appeared in 23 games (three starts) for the Titans between 2018 and 2019. He notched 3.5 sacks in that span – including two sacks this year – and 40 total tackles.
Seahawks Place Carson, Prosise On IR
The Seahawks have officially placed running backs C.J. Prosise and Chris Carson on injured reserve. The move was expected after they suffered hip and arm injuries, respectively, over the weekend. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Sign Marshawn Lynch]
The Seahawks, of course, have already filled the void by signing one-time franchise star Marshawn Lynch and old friend Robert Turbin. Both players will be eligible for Seattle’s Week 17 finale against the 49ers, which will decide the outcome of the NFC West. If they lose, they’ll still be in as a wild card team, and they’ll have Lynch and Turbin on hand to keep the chains moving.
Rashaad Penny recently landed on injured reserve with an ACL injury, so the Seahawks are entering the playoffs with a totally new RB depth chart. Before all of this, Carson was enjoying a strong year. He finished out the season with 1,190 yards on the ground and nine total touchdowns. Penny, in a much smaller sample size, was averaging 5.7 yards per tote. Prosise averaged just 3.1 yards per carry.
Perry Fewell To Interview For Panthers Job
Perry Fewell says he has accepted the Panthers’ invitation to interview for the full-time head coaching job. Fewell, who started the year as the club’s secondary coach, is 0-3 thus far as the team’s interim head coach. 
Panthers owner David Tepper says he’ll cast a wide net in the team’s quest to replace Ron Rivera. On the whole, he’s seeking to blend old school philosophies with modern intel to restore the Panthers to their former glory.
“What I want, just for the organization in general, is a mesh of old and new,” Tepper said in early December. “Old football discipline. Modern processes, modern analytics, statistics, and the rest of that. But I respect old discipline, too. Listen, I was with a team in Pittsburgh that was the epitome of old-school discipline, so I want to see that brought in, I want to see that mesh. And what I want to have more than anything…I want to put the best people in the best positions to be successful. And I want those coaches to put our players on the field in the best positions to be successful, period.
“This whole process – they don’t build Rome in a day. People think if I make a magic change today, it’s going to make the organization better tomorrow… it is not. This is going to be a process.”
Fewell is the second known candidate to schedule an interview with the Panthers. The first, ex-Packers coach Mike McCarthy, chatted with the Panthers on Sunday.
Giants, Lions Wanted Sharif Finch
The Bengals snagged outside linebacker Sharif Finch off the waiver wire, but they weren’t the only team gunning for him. The Giants and Lions also tried to claim him, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Bengals’ league-worst 1-14 record had them at the top of the pecking order, but all three teams were eyeing Finch as a young and athletic pass rusher who could be developed. The Bengals won out, giving them a prospect that can be retained and groomed on the cheap.
Finch, 24, appeared in 23 games (three starts) for the Titans between 2018 and 2019. He notched 3.5 sacks in that span – including two sacks this year – and 40 total tackles.
The former UDFA out of Temple showed promise at times, but injuries held him back in 2019. He was also a healthy scratch for some games, which was odd, given the team’s need in that area following Cameron Wake‘s season-ending injury. Finch missed time in the offseason due to a shoulder injury of his own and that might have hurt his standing in Tennessee. Now, he’ll look to turn the page and stick with the Bengals, who figure to overhaul their roster this offseason.