Jets Interested In Baylor’s Matt Rhule
The Jets have expressed interest in Baylor coach Matt Rhule for their head coaching position, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. It’s unclear when or if an interview has been scheduled, however. 
The Jets are scheduled to be in Texas on Sunday to interview Cowboys assistant Kris Richard, so that may be a logical time to chat with Rhule. The Baylor coach lacks real NFL experience outside of his 2012 stint as the Giants’ offensive line coach, but he has been on the professional radar nonetheless. Last year, he was a candidate for the Colts’ opening before the Josh McDaniels fiasco.
Rhule does have vast amounts of collegiate experience, as he’s been working in the NCAA since 1998. Rhule was head coach at Tempe for four seasons before taking over Baylor, where posted a disappointing 1-11 record in 2017. This past season wasn’t a banner year for Baylor either, but the Bears at least finished above the .500 mark.
Latest On Antonio Brown, Steelers
Antonio Brown‘s Week 17 blowup at practice may have been triggered by JuJu Smith-Schuster being voted as the team MVP by Steelers players, Albert Breer of The MMQB hears. The ugly blowup has led to conflicting reports on whether Brown wants to be traded and has teammates questioning his commitment to the organization. 
Whether Brown wants out or not may be immaterial. The Steelers, by all accounts, do not want to trade their star wide receiver, and moving on from him would be an expensive proposition.
Thanks to the $19MM signing bonus he received in his four-year, $68MM extension and the $12.96MM restructuring bonus he later secured, cutting or trading Brown would result in a $21.12MM cap charge in 2019. In theory, a rival club could blow the Steelers away with an offer, but it would set a bad precedent for the team and they would still be facing a future without one of the NFL’s most deadly weapons.
Brown’s 2018 stats were not as gaudy as they were in past years, but the attention paid to him clearly benefitted Smith-Schuster. The youngster took a huge step forward this past season as he averaged 89.1 yards per contest and reeled in 1,426 yards in total. His 1,400+ yards topped Brown’s total (1,297), making it the first time Brown has not led the Steelers in receiving since 2012.
Dan Campbell Not Interested In Dolphins Return
Saints assistant head coach Dan Campbell is not interested in returning to the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets. Campbell served as the Dolphins’ interim head coach in 2015 and is still highly respected by team ownership, but he apparently does not want to go back down that road. 
From the sound of it, the Dolphins wanted to speak with Campbell about their vacancy, but they’ll have to concentrate on other candidates instead. That list includes fellow Saints assistant Dennis Allen, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and maybe even current Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
Campbell, meanwhile, still has a full plate. In addition to prepping for the Saints’ upcoming playoff game, he’ll chat (or has chatted) with the Cardinals, Browns, and Packers.
Raiders To Hire Ryan Grigson
Earlier this week, we heard that the Raiders are considering former Colts GM Ryan Grigson for a front office position. Apparently, it’s already a “done deal,” according to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 
Grigson spent five years as the Colts’ GM and he ultimately failed to give Andrew Luck a proper supporting cast or build up the team’s defense. He could be a very helpful sidekick to new Raiders GM Mike Mayock, however, as he leaves the broadcast booth to run a team with Jon Gruden.
It was previously reported that the 49ers were also interested in Grigson, but that’s simply not true, according to Florio’s source. It’s not clear if the 49ers engaged Grigson in conversations or if Grigson’s camp was simply looking to build leverage by leaking word of San Francisco’s supposed interest.
Grigson is best known for his time with the Colts, but he’s spent time with the Browns and Seahawks since his dismissal. His exact role in Oakland is unclear, but he figures to be heavily involved in draft scouting and player evaluation.
Falcons To Pick Up Keanu Neal’s Option
The Falcons will pick up strong safety Keanu Neal‘s fifth-year option, GM Thomas Dimitroff tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).The exact numbers aren’t in yet, but it should be for about $6.7MM and keep him under club control through 2020. The pact, guaranteed for injury only, will become fully guaranteed on the first day of the ’20 league year. 
The Falcons have until May 3 to give Neal official notice on the option, but they did not need that much time to deliberate. They also aren’t overly concerned about the ACL tear which limited him to just one game last season. All indications are that Neal will be ready for training camp, along with fellowed injured standouts Devonta Freeman and Ricardo Allen.
Neal, 24 in July, made the Pro Bowl in 2017 after making 113 tackles and forcing three fumbles. Neal has forced eight fumbles in his career to date and has two 100-tackle seasons under his belt. He’s one of the more impressive young secondary players in the NFL and the Falcons intend to keep him around for a long time.
Dolphins Request Interview With Dennis Allen
The Dolphins requested permission to speak with Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). This marks Allen’s first known interview for a head coaching job in this cycle. 
Allen replaced Rob Ryan during the 2015 season as the interim defensive coordinator in New Orleans and was retained the following offseason. The Saints’ D has made big strides since then, so it’s no surprise that Allen is in the mix for a move back up the ladder.
In 2018, the Saints’ defense ranked second in the league against the run and tied for fifth in the NFL in sacks. Allen may have to explain what went wrong in Oakland – he went 8-26 in two-plus years – but his recent results are impressive and could vault him into the top job in Miami.
Cardinals Interview Jim Caldwell
Former Lions and Colts head coach Jim Caldwell interviewed with the Cardinals on Thursday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Caldwell now has interviewed with the Packers, Browns, and Cardinals and the Jets have expressed interest in him. 
[RELATED: 2019 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Caldwell, 63, has been fired twice and spent less than five years combined in Indianapolis and Detroit. On the plus side, he has a career record of 62-50 and was the first Lions coach to guide the team to multiple playoff berths in many years.
Caldwell was out of the NFL last year and the Lions sagged without him. After going 9-7 in 2016 and 2017, the Lions dropped to 6-10 in Matt Patricia‘s first year.
As shown in PFR’s 2019 Head Coaching Search Tracker, the Cardinals also have Dan Campbell, Adam Gase, Kliff Kingsbury, and Zac Taylor on the radar. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy declined to interview with Arizona and former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is reportedly not interested in moving far away from his family in Wisconsin.
Coaching Rumors: Gase, Jets, McCarthy
Here’s the latest round of coaching rumors::
- Mike McCarthy is looking to stay close to his two high-school aged stepchildren in Green Bay, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. That would explain why McCarthy is looking into opportunities with the Browns and Jets and is potentially not interested in further destinations such as the Cardinals.
- McCarthy’s interview with the Browns has been rescheduled for next week, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Adam Gase‘s interview with the Jets will take place on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- Hue Jackson to the Vikings is becoming more of a real possibility, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (on Twitter). According to sources, head coach Mike Zimmer could try to hire him if Jackson doesn’t get the Bengals’ head coaching job. Ultimately, however, it will come down to what GM Rick Spielman thinks of Jackson as a candidate.
Josh McDaniels Turns Down Bengals Interview
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels declined an opportunity to meet with the Bengals regarding their head coaching job, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. McDaniels, who famously flip-flopped on the Colts last year, is still in the running for jobs elsewhere. 
Teams will undoubtedly be wary about getting in bed with McDaniels, but the Patriots continually boast one of the NFL’s best offenses and it’s hard to overlook McDaniels’ resume. The Packers are next up to interview McDaniels and the OC figures to have a loaded calendar in between film room sessions.
The Patriots finished fourth in scoring and fifth in total yardage in 2018, despite an uncharacteristically weak year from Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. McDaniels has undoubtedly benefitted from the tools given to him in New England, but teams may be impressed by his ability to keep things afloat when things got tough last year.
The Bengals won’t get to meet with McDaniels, but they will try to speak with Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Given the Bucs’ upheaval and the team’s unwillingness to consider internal candidates for the head coaching vacancy, it’s likely that Monken will be heading elsewhere no matter what. The Bengals may see Monken as the coach to get the most out of the speedy John Ross given the success he has had with DeSean Jackson in Tampa.
Redskins’ Reuben Foster Has Charge Dropped
The misdemeanor charge of domestic battery for Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster has been dropped, as reported by TMZ. Foster remains on the league’s exempt list for the time being, but this could be a step towards an eventual return. 
Foster was arrested in November for allegedly roughing up his ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, at the 49ers’ team hotel in the Tampa area. Ennis also accused Foster of abuse in February but later recanted her story. Shortly thereafter, he was waived by the 49ers and claimed by the Redskins. The move by Washington was widely panned, though the Redskins say they that he will not play for them if the latest round of accusations are shown to have merit.
“The Redskins fully understand the severity of the recent allegations against Reuben. If true, you can be sure these allegations are nothing our organization would ever condone,” Williams said. “Let me be clear, Reuben will have to go through numerous steps, including the full legal process, an investigation and potential discipline from the NFL, as well as meetings with counselors associated with the team, before he will ever have the opportunity to wear the Burgundy and Gold as a player.”
If the league does permit Foster to play again, the Redskins will have a difficult decision on their hands.