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NFL Workout Updates: 1/18/18

By | at January 18, 2018 8:34 pm

Here are today’s workout updates, courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer.

Baltimore Ravens

Jacksonville Jaguars

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Ravens Promote Don Martindale To DC

By | at January 9, 2018 4:09 pm

The Ravens announced that they have promoted Don “Wink” Martindale to the role of defensive coordinator. In related moves, the team moved defensive backs coach Mike MacDonald to linebackers coach. Don Martindale (vertical)

Martindale takes over for Dean Pees, who retired at the end of the 2017 season. After six years on staff in Baltimore, he’s getting his chance to run the show in Baltimore. “Wink” previously served as the Broncos’ defensive coordinator in 2010 and helped coach the team’s linebacker group to its full potential.

The 54-year-old (55 in May) has big shoes to fill. In his first year as Baltimore’s DC, Pees helped the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory over the 49ers. This past year, Pees’ group allowed the sixth-fewest points in the NFL and generated a league-high 34 takeaways.

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2018 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker

By | at January 7, 2018 3:25 pm

While at least six NFL teams are making head coaching changes this offseason, the number of clubs replacing offensive and/or defensive coordinators figures to be much higher than that. In addition to all those teams hiring new head coaches, who may want to bring in their own assistants, several clubs also figure to make changes on one side of the ball or the other after getting disappointing results in 2017. And, of course, the teams whose coordinators landed head coaching jobs will need to replace them.

With reports circulating on potential candidates, interview requests, and actual meetings, we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on all the latest updates on teams hiring new offensive and/or defensive coordinators. This post, which will be updated daily, can be found under the “PFR Features” menu on the right-hand side of the site.

Updated 3-6-18 (5:53pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Harold Goodwin)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Rick Dennison)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Mike Shula)

  • Norv Turner, former offensive coordinator (Vikings): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Dowell Loggains)

  • Mark Helfrich, former head coach (Oregon): Hired

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Bill Lazor, interim offensive coordinator (Bengals): Retained

Cleveland Browns (vacant)

Denver Broncos

  • Bill Musgrave, interim offensive coordinator (Broncos): Retained

Detroit Lions

  • Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Lions): Retained

Green Bay Packers (Out: Edgar Bennett)

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Rob Chudzinski)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Chiefs): Promoted

Miami Dolphins (Out: Clyde Christensen)

  • Dowell Loggains, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Hired

Minnesota Vikings (Out: Pat Shurmur)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Sullivan)

New York Jets (Out: John Morton)

Oakland Raiders (Out: Todd Downing)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Frank Reich)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Todd Haley)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Darrell Bevell)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Terry Robiskie)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: James Bettcher)

  • Al Holcomb, linebackers coach (Panthers): Hired

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Dean Pees)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Eric Washington, defensive line coach (Panthers): Promoted

Chicago Bears

  • Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator (Bears): Retained

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Paul Guenther)

Detroit Lions

  • Paul Pasqualoni, defensive line coach (Boston College): Hired

Green Bay Packers (Out: Dom Capers)

Houston Texans (Out: Mike Vrabel)

  • Romeo Crennel, assistant head coach (Texans): Hired

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Ted Monachino)

  • Matt Eberflus, linebackers coach (Cowboys): Hired

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Gus Bradley, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Retained

New England Patriots (Out: Matt Patricia)

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders (Out: John Pagano)

  • Paul Guenther, defensive coordinator (Bengals): Hired

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Kris Richard)

  • Ken Norton Jr., former defensive coordinator (Raiders): Hired

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dick LeBeau)

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Packers Notes: Wolf, DeCosta, Perry, McCray

By | at January 7, 2018 2:16 pm

Now that the Packers have officially promoted incumbent executive Brian Gutekunst to general manager, Green Bay director of football operations Eliot Wolf is unlikely to ever become GM of the Packers, as Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes (Twitter links). Wolf is expected to garner a GM job elsewhere before the Green Bay position ever opens again, as he’s drawn interested from other clubs in the recent past. However, the Packers will attempt to convince Wolf to remain with the team, per Silverstein. One additional note on the Packers’ general manager search: although Green Bay had interest in meeting with Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta, the Baltimore executive turned down an interview request on Saturday night, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the Packers:

  • Incumbent safeties coach Darren Perry interviewed for the Packers’ defensive coordinator job on Saturday and is viewed as the favorite to land the position, according to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). That news conflicts with a recent report from Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who indicated last week that Green Bay cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt was the frontrunner to be promoted to DC. Perry, 49, began his Packers coaching career in 2009 after spending time in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Oakland.
  • While Perry could be given a promotion in Green Bay, former offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett appears to be moving on, tweets Silverstein. Bennett, who did not call offensive plays for the Packers, was re-assigned last week, but he should be able to find another coaching position given the level of turnover throughout the NFL, per Silverstein. Colts offensive line coach Joe Philbin is expected to be hired for a second stint in Green Bay, and although he may not take Bennett’s old title as OC, he’s likely to handle many of Bennett’s prior duties.
  • The Packers should be expected to add competition for backup quarterback Brett Hundley, writes Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. While Green Bay had originally planned to deal Hundley (and nearly did so during the draft), the former fifth-round pick’s lackluster production while filling in for Aaron Rodgers is likely to hinder those intentions. Indeed, the Packers attempted to sign veteran signal-caller Brian Hoyer in November as the club was trying to keep its postseason hopes alive.
  • Green Bay recently worked out offensive lineman Jordan McCray, the brother of Packers guard Justin McCray, reports Demovsky. Both McCrays were undrafted free agents out of UCF in 2014, but Jordan has yet to appear in an NFL game.
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Ravens Notes: Urban, Maclin, Carr

By | at January 6, 2018 6:54 pm

  • The Ravens announced that they have signed James Urban as their new quarterbacks coach. Urban spent the last seven years in Cincinnati. “Playing the Bengals twice a year, we’ve seen what a good job James does,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “He’s highly regarded around the league, including by Ozzie [Newsome] and Marty [Mornhinweg]. We were all excited when he became available.”
  • Ravens wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is a prime cap casualty candidate, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley writes. In 2017, Maclin had career lows in catches and yards. The Ravens can save $5MM in cap room by cutting him before his $1MM roster bonus kicks in on March 16th. Right now, they’re projected to have just $12MM in cap room in 2018. Other cap casualty candidates include cornerback Brandon Carr ($4MM in cap savings), tackle Austin Howard ($3MM in savings), running back Danny Woodhead ($1.8MM in savings), safety Lardarius Webb ($1.75MM in savings), wide receiver Breshad Perriman ($1.62MM in savings), and linebacker Albert McClellan ($1.25MM in savings).
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Packers Want To Interview Ravens’ Eric DeCosta

By | at January 5, 2018 11:47 am

The Packers are seeking to interview Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, according to Mike Florio of PFT. It’s not immediately clear whether a formal request has been submitted. If the Packers have in fact asked for a meeting, it’s not Ravens or DeCosta himself have consented. Joe Hortiz/Jon Harbaugh/Matt Elam/Ozzie Newsome/Eric DeCosta (Featured)

[RELATED: Packers Request Interview With George Paton, Vikings Say No]

In the past, DeCosta has turned down potential opportunities to become a GM elsewhere. He has been in the Ravens organization for more than 20 years and is widely viewed as the heir apparent to GM Ozzie Newsome.

For now, there are three known candidates for the Packers job, and they’re all in-house. Director of football operations Eliot Wolf interviewed on Thursday, Director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst has his interview today (per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter), and VP of football administration Russ Ball should follow shortly thereafter. The Packers asked to interview Vikings exec George Paton, but the request was denied by their NFC North rivals.

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Ravens To Retain Greg Roman

By | at January 5, 2018 11:33 am

The contract for Ravens assistant Greg Roman expired at the end of the season, leading to speculation that he could hook on with another team as an offensive coordinator. That won’t be the case, however, as Roman has been re-signed to a new deal that will give him the designation of assistant head coach, Alex Marvez of The Sporting News hears. Greg Roman (vertical)

Previously, Roman was with the club as the senior offensive assistant/tight ends coach. Before joining the Ravens in 2017, he served as the offensive coordinator of the 49ers and Bills. With six years of OC experience, he could have waited for play-calling opportunities to arise elsewhere once teams filled their head coaching vacancies. Instead, he’ll stay put, even though OC Marty Mornhinweg will be brought back for 2018.

If the Ravens’ offense sputters in the fall and Mornhinweg gets the axe, Roman will be the leading candidate to put on that headset.

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Ravens Could Lose Greg Roman

By | at January 4, 2018 7:04 pm

  • The Ravens will bring back offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinwheg in 2018, but it’s unclear if senior offensive assistant/tight ends coach Greg Roman will return given that his contract has expired, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Roman, a former play-caller for the 49ers and Bills, could potentially draw interest as an offensive coordinator once head coaching vacancies are filled around the league. Meanwhile, Baltimore may potentially hire a quarterbacks coach to work on Joe Flacco‘s mechanics, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters today, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Mornhinwheg currently holds the QBs coach title in addition to offensive coordinator.
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NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/18

By | at January 4, 2018 6:35 pm

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:

Baltimore Ravens

  • DB Bennett Jackson

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • LS Anthony Kulwa

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

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