Redskins Pursued Gregg Williams
The Redskins went hard after defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). However, Adam Gase and the Jets wanted Williams more and they landed him on Tuesday. 
Williams didn’t have teams knocking down his door with head coaching offers, but he did draw interest from multiple clubs with DC vacancies. He’ll forever be associated with the Saints’ Bountygate scandal, but teams are clearly not bothered by his role in that fiasco. And, in time, it’s not hard to envision Williams getting a crack at head coaching jobs if things go well in New York.
Lost in the midst of the Williams talk is that the Redskins actually have a defensive coordinator. Greg Manusky is still under contract, but it’s sounding more and more like they’ll be making a change before the start of the 2019 season. Manusky, 52, has been with the Redskins since 2016 and has served as their DC since 2017.
Jets To Hire Gregg Williams As DC
The Jets are finalizing a deal with former Browns’ interim head coach Gregg Williams to become their defensive coordinator, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Williams was the defensive coordinator the Jets were targeting no matter who their head coach was, Schefter adds.
The Jets have denied pushing certain assistants on candidates Matt Rhule and Mike McCarthy. Whether you choose to believe the Jets on that front is up to you, but it appears that they had a heavy hand in marrying new head coach Adam Gase and Williams.
Williams was widely mocked during the year for his assertion that several teams wanted him as a head coach. He may have been pumping himself up a bit, but things improved on both sides of the ball during his eight-game run as the Browns’ interim coach in 2018. Ultimately, the Browns chose interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens as the man to run things going forward, but Williams managed to boost his stock a bit in the latter half of the year.
With the Jets, Williams inherits an iffy defense, but one that has potential in the secondary and a solid defensive lineman in Leonard Williams. The Jets have no real pass rush to speak of, but they hope to change that with upwards of $100MM in cap room.
Saints To Sign DT Tyrunn Walker
The Saints have agreed to sign defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Walker will provide support in the wake of Sheldon Rankins’ season-ending torn Achilles. Rankins has been formally placed on IR.
Walker first broke into the league with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He made the roster in his first year, but was a healthy scratch throughout his first pro season. He finally saw the field in 2013 and managed 2.5 sacks in ’14 as a nose tackle for New Orleans. Since then, he’s had stints with the Lions and Rams, but did not see live action in the 2018 season.
Walker, in all likelihood, will not see time in the NFC Championship Game unless he is absolutely needed. Instead, the Saints figure to use interior defenders such as Tyeler Davison, David Onyemata, and Taylor Stallworth to make up for Rankins’ absence.
Rankins, 24, played the most snaps of any Saints defensive tackle in 2018, managing 40 tackles (12 for loss), eight sacks, and 15 quarterback hits in the process. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, graded Rankins as the No. 23 interior defender among 119 qualifiers.
Ravens, C.J. Mosley Begin Contract Talks
C.J. Mosley is scheduled for free agency in March, but the Ravens have opened up contract talks to try and keep him off the open market, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Mosley is also a franchise tag candidate (and probably the team’s only viable option for the tag), but the team would prefer to work out a long-term deal to tamp down costs in 2019. 
[RELATED: Marty Mornhinwheg Leaves Ravens Staff]
The franchise tag would cost the Ravens upwards of $15MM. That’s a huge hit, particularly for an inside linebacker who struggles in coverage.
Still, Mosley is one of the Ravens’ best defenders and the team historically has not allowed its best defensive players to get away. A long term deal would allow the Ravens to stay the course at a key position while leaving enough flexibility to build around Lamar Jackson on the other side of the ball.
Mosley, 27 in June, finished out the regular season with 105 tackles, five passes defensed, and one interception in 15 games.
Jaguars To Interview Mike McCoy For OC Job
Former Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy will interview for the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator job on Tuesday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). McCoy’s candidacy in Jacksonville is a bit surprising considering how poorly his 2018 run in Arizona turned out. 
McCoy hooked on with Arizona in January of 2018, marking his third different offense in three years. McCoy ran the Chargers’ offense from 2013-16 as head coach and began the 2017 season as the Broncos’ OC before getting fired midway through the season. In October, after the Broncos walloped the Cards and held them to just 10 points in the process, McCoy was shown the door.
Clearly, McCoy’s reputation has taken a beating. Once considered one of the NFL’s brightest offensive minds, McCoy has not been on the coaching radar since his October dismissal. Still, the Jaguars are at least open to the idea of giving McCoy another shot at an OC position. If hired, McCoy will endeavor to restore his good name and actually make it through a complete season.
As shown in PFR’s Offensive Coordinator Tracker, the Jags have also interviewed former Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and ex-Vikings OC John DeFilippo.
Cardinals To Interview Jim Bob Cooter
Former Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter will interview for the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator vacancy on Tuesday, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Cooter has been on the market since Jan. 1 when the Lions informed him that his contract would not be renewed. 
Cooter recently interviewed for the Browns’ offensive coordinator position, but that gig ultimately went to former Buccaneers OC Todd Monken. The Cardinals job, in some respects, would be similar. He wouldn’t have had much in the way of play-calling responsibility under Freddie Kitchens and the same goes in Arizona where the offensively-focused Kliff Kingsbury is in charge.
Of course, the jobs differ in terms of appeal. The Browns were viewed as one of the most intriguing OC destinations in this cycle thanks in large part to Baker Mayfield‘s upside. The Cardinals have a young quarterback of their own in Josh Rosen and the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but there are also serious holes that need to be addressed.
Under Cooter, the Lions had the NFL’s No. 7 scoring offense in 2017. This past season, however, Matthew Stafford regressed.
Adam Vinatieri Wants To Re-Sign With Colts
Adam Vinatieri hasn’t made a firm decision either way, but the kicker seems to want to continue his career with the Colts. The 46-year-old kicker has pretty much done it all, but he says he’d have a hard time saying no to a new deal. 
“If they’re wanting, I can’t imagine (I’d) not keep playing, you know?” Vinatieri said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star). “I haven’t made the decision yet. I’ll spend a week or two and just kind of see where we’re at.”
Vinatieri could certainly pack it in now and be proud of his career. He’s spent more than two decades in the league, collected four Super Bowl rings, and eclipsed Morten Andersen for the league’s all-time records in key kicking categories.
Then again, he still has plenty in the tank after a strong 23rd season in the NFL. In 2018, the old man nailed 23 of 27 field goals, giving him an 85.2% conversion rate that is clip that is higher than his career average of 84.3%. He also sank four field goals from 50 yards or more, so his power hasn’t gone anywhere either.
Last year, Vinatieri earned $3.625MM on a one-year deal with the Colts.
Colts GM On Possible Jacoby Brissett Trade
The Colts have a potential trade chip in backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. However, they also value him highly and aren’t inclined to trade him for cheap. 
“I think he’s a starter in the league,” GM Chris Ballard said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “It would take somebody doing something that would blow me away, and it has to be the right thing for the kid, too. I’m not just sending him anywhere.”
Last year’s free agent QB crop was uniquely strong, but this year’s group doesn’t offer nearly as many viable options. Between Brissett’s 2017 performance and the dearth of quality signal callers out there, Brissett could fetch a high price if he’s dangled to other teams.
The Colts went just 4-12 without Andrew Luck under center in 2017, but Brissett did well from an individual perspective. He completed 58.8% of his throws that year for 3,098 yards with 13 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Those aren’t MVP numbers, but he was playing behind a porous offensive line that allowed him to be sacked 52 times.
Coaching Rumors: Colts, 49ers, Dolphins
The Colts are letting offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo go elsewhere, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Even though the Colts’ OL improved greatly in 2018, head coach Frank Reich wants to bring in his own guy, Garafolo hears. DeGuglielmo, who was originally selected by would-be coach Josh McDaniels, is being recommended by Reich to other coaches around the league.
The move comes as a surprise given the results that DeGuglielmo was able to get out of his group last season. However, Reich and DeGuglielmo were not on the same page. You can expect a healthy market for DeGuglielmo’s services and he shouldn’t be unemployed for long.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods will interview with the 49ers on Tuesday, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Woods is not expected to return under new head coach Vic Fangio, but he’s not receiving DC interest from other teams either. In addition to the SF interview, Woods has also spoken with the Redskins and Cardinals about positions on their staff.
- New Jets coach Adam Gase says he did not ask for control of the 53-man roster (via Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald). He also says that he never requested that power with the Dolphins; rather, it was something offered up to him during negotiations with Miami.
- Terry Robiskie is expected to become the Jaguars‘ new running backs coach, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter). Robiskie has played and coached the position before at the NFL level and the Jags apparently believe that he can get the most out of star rusher Leonard Fournette.
Chiefs Activate LDT, Cut Parker
The Chiefs activated guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif in advance of Sunday’s AFC Championship tilt against the Patriots (Twitter link via Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star). To make room for him on the roster, the Chiefs cut safety Ron Parker. 
Duvernay-Tardif was forced to go on injured reserve in early October with a fractured fibula. In late December, however, he was designated for return.
Andrew Wylie has been Kansas City’s primary starter in Duvernay-Tardif’s absence. Things have gone well enough with Wylie in the front five, but the Chiefs’ best offensive line configuration has LDT, a recent medical school graduate, in the mix.
Parker, 31, has been with the Chiefs since 2013, although his KC run was briefly interruped in the offseason when he was released from a five-year, $30MM deal and later brought back at a lesser rate.
In the 2018 regular season, Parker wound up starting 14 of his 15 games and amassed 77 tackles, two interceptions, and a sack.