Bengals Want To Keep DC Paul Guenther
On Wednesday morning, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis confirmed that defensive coordinator Paul Guenther will interview with the Raiders for their defensive coordinator job under a yet-to-be-named head coach (whom we’re pretty sure is Jon Gruden). However, Lewis says the Bengals hope to have a chance to bring him back, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
It was previously reported that Guenther would be leaving the Bengals, but there’s apparently interest in keeping him on board. Guenther is a free agent, so he is free to pursue opportunities with the Raiders, Redskins, or any other team looking for a DC.
It appears that both Gruden brothers have their eye on Guenther. Redskins head coach Jay Gruden worked with Guenther in Cincinnati and tried to lure him to D.C. a season ago before the Bengals blocked his request. Clearly, Jon also took notice of his work.
If the Bengals and Lewis parted ways this offseason – as was rumored for weeks – it was said that Guenther would have been a strong internal candidate to take over as head coach. That opportunity is no longer on the table, so Guenther could be looking for a change of scenery. In the coming days, we’ll find out whether Lewis’ own lengthy history with Guenther can persuade him to stay.
Buccaneers’ T.J. Ward Arrested
Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward was arrested on Wednesday on a misdemeanor court of possession of marijuana (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times). Ward is already out of jail on bond.
[RELATED: Bucs Sign Several Players To Futures Deals]
Ward’s agent, Josh Arnold has now released a statement, which conflicts with the original report regarding Ward’s arrest (via Albert Breer of Sports Illustarted on Twitter).
“Reports from various sources revolving around my client, T.J. Ward, and an incident nearly 3 months ago are inaccurate. We dispute the claims being reported and TJ adamantly denies these allegations. IT was our understanding that the matter had been resolved in October and my client was never arrested at that time. Nor was he even at the residence when the police allegedly located marijuana. TJ never received a notice to appear or any other otice of a court date regarding this matter in October or subsequently thereafter. TJ is uncertain as to why this coming up now given the fact it was revolved months ago, but nonetheless he looks forward to resolving the issue as expeditiously as possible.”
Given the conflicting reports, we’ll have to just wait and see how this situation will unfold.
Nonetheless, the news comes at a particularly bad time since Ward is scheduled for free agency in March. This isn’t a particularly serious charge, but GMs won’t be thrilled about this in light of his 2014 assault charge which was later dropped. At the time, it was alleged that Ward threw a glass mug at a strip club bartender after she told him outside drinks were not allowed. The NFL later suspended him for one game in 2015.
It should be noted that Ward was with the Broncos in early September. In Colorado, marijuana is legal for recreational purposes.
Ward’s on-field play will likely be a bigger issue as he looks for his next contract. In 12 games (five starts), Ward graded out as the No. 58 ranked safety in the NFL per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. That’s a big dropoff from where he was from 2013-2015 when he made three straight Pro Bowls.
Bill Lazor To Return As Bengals’ OC
Bill Lazor will return as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator in 2018. On Wednesday, the Bengals announced that they have signed Lazor to an extension, though they did not specify the length of the deal. Prior to the accord, Lazor was slated to be out of contract this offseason. 
“We have a lot of talent on this roster and I am excited for the opportunity to build the high-powered offense we have the potential to be. This offseason will give us the chance to continue the success we had at the end of the year as we develop into a dynamic offense in 2018,” Lazor said in a statement.
Lazor took over as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator in September after the team failed to score a touchdown in the first two games under Ken Zampese. The Bengals didn’t necessarily set the world on fire with Lazor in command either as they finished dead last in total offense. On the plus side, his unit did occasionally show promise, including two high-scoring wins over the Lions and Ravens in the final games of the season.
The Bengals will have both head coach Marvin Lewis and Lazor on the sidelines this year, but they are in search of a new defensive coordinator following Paul Guenther‘s departure.
Bears To Interview Vikings’ George Edwards
The Bears have put in a request to interview Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It seems the interview has already been OK’d as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press hears that it will take place this week. 
The Vikings meeting marks Edwards’ first head coach interview. It stands to reason that he’ll get at least one more given the way his defense has performed this season. However, it seems like he does not have as much hype as Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur because he does not call plays. For what it’s worth, head coach Mike Zimmer doesn’t think that should preclude him from consideration.
“George does everything,” Zimmer said recently. “He helps with the game plan. He runs a lot of the meetings, the defensive meetings. Him and I really sit down and talk about all the different things that are going on. He studies the game just like he’s calling the game. So he’ll come in and talk to me about second down-and-whatever. ‘They’re doing this,’ or, ‘they’re doing that.’ Really, he does everything other than call the game on Sunday.”
As shown on PFR’s Head Coaching Tracker, Shumur and Josh McDaniels will interview with the Bears on Friday. The team may look to fit Edwards in on Saturday. Others up for consideration in Chicago include Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFillippo, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, and Panthers DC Steve Wilks.
Giants Cooling On Jim Schwartz?
UPDATE: The Giants submitted a request to interview Schwartz on Wednesday afternoon.
Late last month, it was reported that Jim Schwartz was among the favorites (or possibly the favorite) to become the next head coach of the Giants. It now seems possible that the Giants have cooled on him. To date, the Cardinals are the only team to have formally requested an interview with Schwartz, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via PFT). 
[RELATED: 2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
The Eagles defensive coordinator was thought to be among this year’s hottest coaching names. He was listed as one of the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel’s top candidates and he was quickly linked to the G-Men after Ben McAdoo was handed a pink slip. For one reason or another, the Giants may be having second thoughts about Schwartz.
It’s possible that the Giants fear fan backlash related to Schwartz’s rough tenure as the head coach of the Lions. It’s also possible that new GM Dave Gettleman isn’t as big of a fan of him as others in the organization. Whatever the case may be, it’s a situation to keep an eye on. Logic dictates that the Giants probably won’t consider him at all if they do not submit a request to speak with him in the coming days.
Jon Gruden: “Good Chance” I’ll Be Raiders’ Next Coach
This is as close as we’ve gotten to a confirmation. On Wednesday, Jon Gruden told Mike Golic and Trey Wingo of ESPN (video link) that “there’s a good chance” he’ll accept the Raiders head coaching job, if it is offered to him. 
[RELATED: 2018 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
The Raiders are one of six teams in the NFL in search of a new head coach, but unlike the Cardinals, Bears, Lions, Colts, and Giants, the Raiders have not reached out to multiple candidates. As far as we know, Gruden is the only candidate on their radar. It’s quite possible that the the two sides have a handshake deal and the only thing standing in the way of a signed contract could be the Rooney Rule. If the Raiders interview a minority candidate today or tomorrow, they could finalize Gruden’s return to Oakland.
it was previously reported that Gruden would be receiving a piece of team ownership in the deal, but Gruden adamantly denies that being the case.
“[There’s] no ownership; that’s for sure,” Gruden said.
If there is no ownership stake included in the deal, then it is safe to assume that Gruden will be among the league’s highest paid coaches when he puts pen to paper.
Bengals, Marvin Lewis Agree To Extension
Marvin Lewis isn’t going anywhere after all. On Tuesday, the Bengals announced that they have agreed to a two-year extension that will take him through the 2019 season. 
“Marvin Lewis has been an important member of the Cincinnati community and the Bengals family for the past 15 years, and we are happy to have reached this agreement,” said Bengals President Mike Brown. “Marvin has made significant contributions during his time here. While recently we have fallen short of our expectations, we have full confidence in Marvin to re-establish winning football in 2018.”
For a while, it appeared that Lewis and the Bengals were on a direct path to divorce. In December, it was reported that Lewis would leave Cincinnati to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Meanwhile, he admitted that he would be intrigued by an opportunity to be a GM. Apparently, that’s all ancient history.
“My family and I are very grateful for the opportunity to stay in Cincinnati and continue my career with the Bengals,” said Lewis. “My job is to win a World Championship. We have a talented roster full of veteran leaders and emerging young stars, and I am committed to making the necessary improvements to put this team in the best position to win.”
Had Lewis left, it was said that Browns head coach Hue Jackson and Redskins head coach Jay Gruden would have been leading candidates to replace him. Both men served as offensive coordinators in Cincinnati, which underscores the importance the team places on organizational familiarity. Although things were rocky between Lewis and the Bengals this year, the team has opted to bring him back for (at least) a 16th season.
The Bengals finished out 7-9 this year, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. However, under Lewis’ leadership, the Bengals have made the playoffs seven times, including five consecutive appearances from 2011-2015. Of course, Lewis has never gotten the Bengals past the Wild Card round.
Cardinals QB Carson Palmer Retires
Carson Palmer is calling it a career. One day after Cardinals coach Bruce Arians announced his retirement, Palmer has done the same. 
“Over the years, I’ve had teammates who decided to hang it up and I would ask them how they knew when it was time to walk away,” Palmer wrote on social media. “The answer was almost always the same: You just know. For me that time is now. Why? Quite simply, I just know.”
Palmer, who turned 38 at the end of December, had one more year to go on his contract but instead decided to hang ’em up. After 14 years in the NFL, multiple serious knee injuries, and tons of grueling battles, few can blame Palmer for walking away. The 2017 campaign wasn’t the sendoff he was hoping for – a broken arm ended his season in October – but he leaves the game with plenty of accomplishments and roughly $175MM in career earnings.
Palmer is third in franchise history with 38 wins as the Cardinals’ starting QB, an impressive feat considering all of the time he missed in 2014 and 2016. He also ranks high in major statistical categories for QBs including passing yards (11th), touchdown passes (11th), and completions (10th).
The retirement of Palmer leaves the Cardinals without QBs under contract for next season with Blaine Gabbert, Drew Stanton, and Matt Barkley all scheduled for free agency. Arians indicated that Gabbert could be the team’s successor to Palmer, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him re-signed before he hits the open market in March. Then again, the team’s next head coach could alter the team’s plans. There will be a handful of interesting signal callers in free agency and the Cards also have the No. 15 overall pick at their disposal.
The retirement of Arians and Palmer may lead Larry Fitzgerald to a similar choice. The wide receiver is said to be leaning towards ending his playing career even after a strong 2017 campaign. Despite being the league’s oldest wide receiver, Fitzgerald hauled in a career-high 109 passes with 1,156 receiving yards and six scores.
Seahawks’ Chancellor, Avril May Retire
Seahawks veterans Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril might not be able to take the field in 2018. Their respective health issues could force both of them to retire, head coach Pete Carroll says, though Carroll indicated that the choice will be up to each player. 
“Cliff and Kam are going to have a hard time playing football again,” Carroll said (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times).
Chancellor, a Pro Bowl safety, missed nearly half of the season’s games with a neck injury. Avril, a defensive end, appeared in only four contests thanks to a serious back issue.
Chancellor has been a fixture of the Seahawks’ defense, but it may be time for him to depart from the Legion of Boom. If this is the end, Chancellor can reflect on a tremendous career which includes four Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl ring following the 2013 season. Avril earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2016 and was also a part of the ’13 championship.
Chancellor is set to earn a guaranteed $6.8MM if he remains on the roster by February 10, so the Seahawks will be keeping a watchful eye on his condition. There’s next to no chance of Avril returning on his current deal, however. The Seahawks can save $7.5MM if he retires or if he is released. If he deems himself fit to play, Avril could theoretically return on a cheaper contract.
Chiefs’ Tamba Hali Leaning Towards Retirement
This could be the end of the line for Tamba Hali. The Chiefs outside linebacker hasn’t made a formal decision, but he sounds like he’s inclined to retire this offseason. 
“I don’t want to speak on it, and then I don’t want to run away from the question,” Hali said (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). “I don’t want to say I’m not gonna play, because the way I feel two weeks out of football, I’ll probably be ready to play. But I would say I’m leaning more towards (being with) my family.”
Hali has spent his entire 12-year career with the Chiefs, but there’s no guarantee that he would be back with the team next year even if he wanted to continue playing. He’s slated to carry a hefty $9.7MM cap hit next year – an exorbitant amount of money for a player who missed most of the year due to injury. By releasing Hali, the Chiefs can (and will) save $8MM of that total.
If Hali were to play elsewhere, he says he would first have to secure the blessing of his family. Although he would like to reach 100 career sacks (he currently has 89.5), he might not want to start anew in order to make it happen. Instead, he may move on to the next phase of his life, which includes the making of Dance/African/ Caribbean music.
Before Hali thinks about his next great beat, however, he has bigger fish to fry. The Chiefs face the Titans on Saturday for the right to advance to the divisional round.