Demaryius Thomas Wants To Continue Playing
Demaryius Thomas has undoubtedly declined in recent years, but the veteran wide receiver says he is not interested in retirement at this time. Instead, Thomas says he would like to return to the Texans, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. 
“My main priority right now is getting back healthy. I can still play, man. I’m not thinking about retirement. I just don’t know where it will be,” Thomas said. “I told them I would love to finish my career here, but we’ll see…This is what we have to deal with as players and guys in the locker room. I hope my appearance and being around the guys and talking to a couple of guys helped. I don’t want to say I helped that much play-wise, but leadership-wise, I think I helped.”
Thomas’ assessment of his on-field performance is pretty accurate. In seven games with Houston, he caught 23 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also dealing with a surgically repaired torn Achilles that could complicate matters.
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien was also asked about Thomas’ future this week, but was largely non-committal.
“I had a long talk with Demaryius the other day,” O’Brien said. “He’s a great guy. We’ll see how the rehab goes. That’s a tough injury. He knows that. He’s 30 years old. That’s not easy to come back from, but he’s going to work hard. He wants to play again. He made that statement to me, and we’ll see how it goes moving forward.”
Browns, Jaguars Talk With Todd Monken
Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken will interview with the Browns for their vacant OC job this weekend, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Monken also spoke with the Jaguars about their OC vacancy, so it appears that he is only focused on those jobs at the moment.
Monken was in the running for the Packers’ and Jets’ openings, but those positions have since been filled by Matt LaFleur and Adam Gase, respectively. He also interviewed for the Bengals’ job, which is still vacant, but his move to talk OC jobs with the Jags and Browns is probably an indication that he won’t be getting the gig in Cincy.
For what it’s worth, Rapoport hears that Monken impressed in his head coaching interviews with the Jets, so he should be positioned as a strong candidate for these OC openings. The Browns job may be especially appealing to Monken and other offensive specialists, though they’ll have to weigh the fact that new head coach Freddie Kitchens will probably hold the keys on play calling.
Jets Interested In Gregg Williams, Chuck Pagano
Former Browns interim head coach Gregg Williams is in consideration for the Jets’ defensive coordinator position under new head coach Adam Gase, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Jets’ list also includes Chuck Pagano, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
The Browns went 5-3 under Williams in the second half of 2018, but the Browns gave most of the credit for that to offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, who was promoted to the role of head coach this week. After Kitchens was bumped up, the Browns and Williams parted ways.
Williams was widely mocked for last year’s assertion that several teams wanted him as a head coach, but there’s no denying that he is a highly-respected defensive mind. The Jets have serious holes on defense – specifically, their pass rush – but there is an opportunity for Williams to thrive in New York with players like safety Jamal Adams and $100MM+ in expected cap room to address areas of need.
Pagano’s name has surfaced again in the latest coaching cycle and he interviewed for the Packers’ and Broncos’ top jobs. At this stage, he’s realistically only in the running for lower staff positions. Aside from the Jets’ reported interest, the Panthers are set to meet with him to discuss their defensive backs coach position, according to Mike Florio of PFT.
Cardinals To Interview Vance Joseph
Former Broncos head coach Vance Joseph will meet with new Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury on Thursday to discuss the team’s defensive coordinator position, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). As the first candidate to speak with Kingsbury, it appears that Joseph has a good opportunity to land the job.
Of course, Joseph is still in the mix for the Bengals’ head coaching search, which also includes Eric Bieniemy, Hue Jackson, Bill Lazor, Todd Monken, Darren Simmons, Zac Taylor, and Shane Waldron. Despite Joseph’s lack of success in Denver, he’s believed to have a real chance of becoming Cincinnati’s next head coach.
Kevin Stefanski To Return To Vikings
After the Browns chose Freddie Kitchens as their new head coach, runner-up Kevin Stefanski has decided to return to the Vikings as their offensive coordinator, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Stefanski has been involved in meetings with Mike Zimmer throughout the interview process, so it appears that the Vikings were his fallback option all along.
The Vikings announced the decision.
As shown in PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, Stefanski was not under consideration for any head coaching vacancy outside of the Browns. However, if the Vikings can take full advantage of their offensive weapons in 2019, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be in the mix for HC jobs next offseason.
Stefanski’s contract with Minnesota recently expired, so he theoretically could have made a lateral move and signed on as an OC elsewhere. But, with serious potential in Minnesota and a good working relationship with the people there, it made little sense for him to flee.
Stefanski, 36, was the youngest candidate involved in John Dorsey‘s search. Just last year, he was passed over for the Vikings’ OC job by John DeFilippo, but Stefanski impressed after his in-season promotion to the role.
Only Three NFL Head Coaching Vacancies Remain
Eight NFL teams were in search of a head coach to start the New Year, but five clubs have already found their man. Let’s quickly run down the jobs that are off the table and check in on where things stand for the three remaining vacancies:
“No Vacancy”:
Arizona Cardinals
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (USC): Hired
Cleveland Browns
- Freddie Kitchens, offensive coordinator (Browns): Hired
Denver Broncos
- Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator (Bears): Hired
Green Bay Packers
- Matt LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Titans): Hired
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Bruce Arians, former head coach (Cardinals): Hired
Jobs Still Open:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed on 1/5
- Hue Jackson, special assistant to the head coach (Bengals): Interviewed on 1/2
- Vance Joseph, former head coach (Broncos): Interviewed on 1/3-1/4
- Bill Lazor, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed on 1/1
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed on 1/5
- Darren Simmons, special teams coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed on 1/1
- Zac Taylor, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed on 1/4
- Shane Waldron, passing game coordinator/tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed on 1/4
Miami Dolphins
- Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator (Saints): Interviewed on 1/5
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed on 1/3
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed on 1/4
- John Harbaugh, head coach (Ravens): Dolphins considering trade
- Kris Richard, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Interviewed on 1/6
- Darren Rizzi, assistant head coach/special teams (Dolphins): To be interviewed
New York Jets
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed on 1/2
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed on 1/7
- Adam Gase, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed on 1/4
- Mike McCarthy, former head coach (Packers): Interviewed on 1/5
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed on 1/8
- Matt Rhule, head coach (Baylor): Interviewed
- Kris Richard, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Interviewed on 1/6; No longer in running?
The Bengals, so far, have cast a wide net, but the recommendation of Marvin Lewis and the club’s history with Jackson could lead to the ex-Browns coach landing on his feet. They’re also considering another recently fired head coach in Joseph and the group lacks general star power, so Jackson’s chances cannot be dismissed.
The buzz is slowly building around Richard in Miami, even though he is not believed to be a serious candidate in New York. From a pure knowledge standpoint, Allen may be the best bet of the free agent bunch. Overall, the Dolphins’ top choice could be Harbaugh, but he won’t be an option for them if he signs an extension with the Ravens. Even if he doesn’t, the Dolphins might not want to part with significant draft capital and shell out big bucks to land him.
The Jets never really had a chance at Kliff Kingsbury, but Jets fans probably won’t lose sleep over seeing the inexperienced young coach go to Arizona. What’s left is a mishmash of head coaching retreads (Caldwell, Gase, McCarthy), coordinators and assistants (Monken, Richard, Bieniemy), and one more college-to-pros candidate (Rhule). Some believe that Rhule, the head coach at Baylor, is the Jets’ No. 1 target.
The list above, derived from the 2019 Head Coaching Search Tracker, was edited to omit candidates that are no longer in consideration or have taken jobs elsewhere.
Todd Bowles To Choose Between Bears, Bucs
Todd Bowles to the Buccaneers is not a done deal. The former Jets head coach was said to be on board as the Bucs’ new DC, but he is now deciding between that job and the same position with the Bears, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune hears.
Bowles and Matt Nagy have spoken multiple times, Biggs writes, and their longstanding relationship could lead him to Chicago. Then again, Bowles also has serious ties with new Bucs head coach Bruce Arians.
Nagy’s father coached Bowles in high school, but Arians coached Bowles when he played at Temple. Years later, Bowles served as Arians’ defensive coordinator in Arizona.
Friendships and history aside, the Bears might offer Bowles’ quickest ticket back into the head coaching ranks. With a defense led by superstar Khalil Mack and a 2018 record of 12-4, the Bears are in prime position to win and potentially vault their next DC up the NFL’s ladder.
If the Bears do not hire Bowles, in-house secondary coach Ed Donatell could be a consideration. Donatell is out of contract, however, and Biggs hears that he’ll likely leave if he does not get the promotion.
Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury Eyeing Jake Spavital
If you thought the young and green Kliff Kingsbury would automatically surround himself with a grizzled coaching staff, think again. The Cardinals’ new head coach is eyeing Texas State head coach Jake Spavital as an offensive coordinator candidate, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic (on Twitter).
Spavital and Kingsbury coached together at Houston, so they have history together. It’s fair to assume that Kingsbury will be calling the plays in Arizona regardless of who the OC hire is, but there’s no official word on that front yet. Assuming Kingsbury wants to call the plays, the 33-year-old Spavital would fit the mold of someone who would accept an OC gig with lessened responsibilities.
From Spavital’s perspective, this could be an opportunity to take a major step up the coaching ladder. He might not call plays as the Cards’ OC, but other coaches such as Matt LaFleur have used similar setups as a stepping stone to head coaching positions.
Broncos To Hire Gary Kubiak As OC
Gary Kubiak is back in Denver. After hiring defensive guru Vic Fangio to run the team, the Broncos reached agreement on a deal to bring Kubiak back as the team’s offensive coordinator, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Fangio offers defensive coordinator experience with five different clubs, but he has never served as a head coach in his ~40 years on the sidelines. With Kubiak in the fold, Fangio can put the bulk of his focus on the defense and day-to-day tasks while allowing Kubiak to manage the offense and aid him in the transition to the new job.
This arrangement has likely been in the works for a while. Earlier this month, the Broncos blocked other teams from interviewing Kubiak for OC jobs and Kubiak’s preference was to remain in Denver under any circumstances. Prior to the Broncos’ block, the Bengals and Falcons requested interviews with the 57-year-old.
Following his brief but successful stint in Baltimore, Kubiak returned to Denver to accept his “dream job” as the Broncos’ head coach. But, after two years as sideline general, health issues forced Kubiak into an executive role. He was actually rumored to be a viable OC candidate last offseason, but GM John Elway expanded Kubiak’s front office responsibilities in order to keep him in the fold. This offseason, they’re putting him back on the sidelines to prevent him from being poached.
Kris Richard In Lead For Dolphins Job?
The Jets don’t have Kris Richard high on their list, but the rival Dolphins might. League sources believe that the Cowboys defensive backs coach will come away with the top job in Miami, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter). 
This is far from definitive word on the matter, but it sounds like Richard at least has a real shot at being the ‘Fins next head coach. For now, he’s in a fairly limited candidate pool that includes Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Patriots DC Brian Flores, in-house assistant head coach Darren Rizzi, and possibly Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, assuming that he does not sign an extension with Baltimore.
Speaking of Rizzi, his interview is scheduled to take place on Friday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). So, barring something unexpected, we won’t see the Dolphins hire Richard or anyone else before the end of the week.