Browns Hire Alonzo Highsmith
The Browns’ staff under new GM John Dorsey is starting to take shape. The Browns have hired executive Alonzo Highsmith away from the Packers, as Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette tweets. Highsmith’s title will be Vice President of Football Operations, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Highsmith has served as the Packers’ senior personnel executive since 2012 and, this past season not withstanding, their strong drafts have propelled them to tremendous success. Highsmith has garnered attention from other teams in the past and been made to stay, but it appears that he has either secured permission to go elsewhere or his contract has expired.
“We discussed so many ideas and all kinds of stuff,” Highsmith said to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky in a phone interview. “I was exposed to so much stuff today. That’s why I thought it was as great opportunity. It feels good to go somewhere that you feel like you’re trusted.”
Dorsey is expected to shift the Browns’ front office from a focus on analytics to a concentration on old-fashioned scouting and the hiring of Highsmith is a major push in that direction. With a new lieutenant in town, the team could be one step closer to moving on from former baseball GM Paul DePodesta. Recently, Dorsey ripped into predecessor Sashi Brown as well as the people working underneath him.
Lions To Interview Packers’ Winston Moss
The Lions have secured permission to interview Packers assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Moss’ interview will come after Teryl Austin‘s meeting with the team on Tuesday. 
[RELATED: Lions Sign Players To Futures Deals]
If he lands the job, Moss’ departure will leave another significant hole on the Packers’ coaching staff. This week, the Packers canned defensive coordinator Dom Capers as well as two other defensive assistants.
Moss has been a staple of the Packers’ coaching staff since he was brought aboard in 2006. Prior to that, he spent time with the Saints and Seahawks. He was considered for the Raiders’ head coaching position in 2012, but the team ultimately went with Dennis Allen.
In addition to Austin and Moss, the Lions also intend to interview Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, and Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
Giants To Interview Pat Shurmur
The Giants have requested to interview Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The Vikings have the ability to block the interview, but they are expected to allow him to pursue this vacancy and the many others that he is in line for. 
Shurmur is already a hot candidate as the Bears, Cardinals, and Lions have already submitted requests to interview him. Last month, the league’s NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel listed him as one of 12 recommended head coaching candidates. At this point, it seems likely that the Vikings will have to find themselves a new offensive coordinator for 2018.
Shurmer, 52, served as the Browns’ head coach in 2011 and 2012 and finished out with a disappointing 9-23 record. He was also the Eagles’ interim head coach for one game in 2015. His career win/loss record isn’t exactly a selling point, but he also didn’t have a lot to work with in Cleveland. This year, he’s earned another shot by transforming Case Keenum into a quality QB.
Of course, the Giants and other teams looking to hire Shurmur will have to work around the Vikings’ playoff schedule. Minnesota doesn’t start the postseason until January 14th, so he’ll likely have an opportunity to sit down with GM Dave Gettleman & Co. before the divisional round.
Shurmur joins Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia of the Patriots, Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, and former Broncos assistant head coach Eric Studesville candidates set to interview with the G-Men.
Cardinals To Interview Keith Armstrong
We have a new name in the Cardinals’ coaching search. The Cardinals will interview Falcons special teams coach Keith Armstrong about their vacancy, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter) hears. The interview will take place next week, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. 
[RELATED: Cardinals To Interview DC James Bettcher]
The Falcons interviewed Armstrong for their own head coaching position in 2015, a search that ended with the hiring of Dan Quinn. In the following year, there was speculation that Todd Bowles would try and lure him to the Jets as ST coordinator, but the Falcons were unwilling to allow him to make a lateral move. The Falcons are expected to OK the interview, though it will have to take place after Atlanta’s Wild Card game on Saturday.
Armstrong has more than 20 years of professional head coaching experience and is highly respected in NFL circles, but it’s not often that a special teams coordinator makes the direct jump to HC.
Arizona defensive coordinator James Bettcher will also be interviewed for the position.
Cardinals To Interview DC James Bettcher
The Cardinals will interview defensive coordinator James Bettcher for their head coaching position, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears. Bettcher is getting first crack at interviewing for the vacancy and it could take place as soon as tomorrow, Rapoport adds. 
[RELATED: Bruce Arians Announces Retirement]
The Cardinals’ decision to put Bettcher up at bat first could be an indication that he is a leading candidate to replace Bruce Arians. He might not be the biggest name out there, but he is familiar with the organization after spending the last four seasons in Arizona. He’s spent the last three years as the DC in Arizona and the team has finished no worse than sixth in total defense.
It’s not immediately clear whether offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin will also receive consideration for the job.
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Bill Musgrave To Return As Broncos’ OC
The Broncos have a lot of work to do this offseason, but their checklist will not include finding a new offensive coordinator. On Tuesday, Broncos coach Vance Joseph told reporters that Bill Musgrave will become the team’s full-time OC (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). This jibes with a report from Monday indicating that Musgrave and defensive coordinator Joe Woods will return.
[RELATED: Broncos Shake Up Coaching Staff]
Musgrave was elevated to the position during the season after Mike McCoy was fired from the post.The Broncos went 2-4 after Musgrave took over play calling duties, but the hope is that the offense will perform a lot better next year with a different quarterback and other personnel upgrades.
Musgrave was the Raiders’ offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016 before the team declined to offer him a new contract in January. Under Musgrave’s in 2016, the Raiders had the No. 6 ranked offense in the NFL. Last offseason, Musgrave rejected offers from other teams to be an offensive coordinator. His patience may have paid off as he is now the OC for one of the league’s most storied franchises.
Packers Sign Mike McCarthy To Extension
Mike McCarthy is not a lame duck in Green Bay. The Packers have given the head coach a one-year extension to take him through the 2019 season, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Demovsky hears that the extension was actually signed during the season, but word of the deal did not leak out until today. 
[RELATED: Ted Thompson Out As Packers GM]
The Packers are making some major changes this season as Ted Thompson moves from GM to a different role, but McCarthy has been given some additional security. This year, the Packers missed the playoffs for just the third time since 2006, so the team is not automatically hitting the panic button.
McCarthy owns a 121-70-1 record in his 12-year run as head coach, including a Super Bowl victory in the 2010 season. He’ll look to get the Packers back on track in 2018, though he’ll be doing it with a new defensive staff after the firing of coordinator Dom Capers and other assistants. On the other side of the ball, the Packers are expecting to have a healthy Aaron Rodgers under center and that should help more than anything.
Latest On Texans’ GM Search
The Texans’ GM search is just getting underway, but we’re already getting an idea of the names that could be in play for the job. External candidates expected to receive interest include Nick Caserio and Monti Ossenfort of the Patriots, Brian Gaine of the Bills, and Brian Gutekunst of the Packers (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). 
[RELATED: Browns Ask To Talk With Texans’ Sean Ryan]
Caserio is among this year’s top candidates for a GM position. While he rejected overtures from other teams before, a prime opportunity like the one in Houston could be the one to get him to leave New England. Some have speculated that he could wind up as a package deal with Josh McDaniels as head coach, but it sounds like Bill O’Brien will be retained by the Texans.
The Texans are on the hunt for a new GM after Rick Smith announced he would be taking a leave of absence to care for his wife, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. When Smith does return to the team, he’ll retain his Executive Vice President title, but he indicated that he will not be in charge of football decisions.
“In whatever role that is, I am going to maintain Executive Vice President title. If we hire a GM and have a guy to run the personnel, then we’ll do that,” Smith said. “So, again, it’s a fluid process, but I am absolutely intend on coming back, I will maintain that at least the Executive Vice President title and if Mr. McNair feels like he wants to hire a general manager, then he will hire a general manager and that will be just fine.“
Falcons Place LG Andy Levitre On IR
The Falcons will head into the playoffs without the services of a starting offensive lineman. Left guard Andy Levitre has been placed on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. 
Levitre missed the bulk of December with a partially torn triceps. He attempted to return to action on Sunday against the Panthers, but he lasted only five plays. Ben Garland took over for Levitre in the winning effort against Atlanta and he’ll be the starter for the Falcons on Saturday when they face the Rams.
Levitre, 31, has been one of the NFL’s better guards since entering the league in 2009. This year, he graded out as one of the 20 best guards in the league, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics.
To take Levitre’s spot on the 53-man roster, the team has promoted running back Terrence Magee from the practice squad.
Browns Ask To Talk With Texans’ Sean Ryan
The Browns have requested permission to speak with Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for their vacant offensive coordinator job, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ryan has worked closely with Deshaun Watson and the Browns are looking for someone who can mold a young quarterback in the same fashion.
The Texans still have to formally grant permission to Cleveland, but Houston head coach Bill O’Brien already indicated that he will not stand in the way of Ryan interviewing (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle). Ryan offers a great deal of NFL experience, having been with the Giants for nine years before joining the Texans in 2016. He served as the receivers coach in Houston in his first year before taking on the QB coach job last year. After Watson’s tremendous (yet injury-shortened) season, Ryan could now climb the coaching ladder with an OC opportunity elsewhere.
For the last two years, Browns head coach Hue Jackson has effectively been the team’s offensive coordinator. With just one win since the start of 2016, the team is looking to jumpstart its stagnant offense.