Coaching Updates: Bowles, Kubiak, Austin
The 49ers may have lost head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but they are very interested in Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. Bowles interviewed for their vacancy on Friday, and although nothing has been scheduled officially, he is expected to be asked back for a second interview (via Twitter).
Here are some more updates on potential head coaches this Sunday:
- New Bears general manager Ryan Pace’s first task is to find a new head coach, and he plans on pursuing Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, writes Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com. Kubiak had not interviewed for any jobs with the team’s season continuing, but now could be an option to fill vacancies. Reports had it that Kubiak may elect to stay in Baltimore.
- The Bears are scheduled to interview Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin for their head coaching position on Tuesday, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN (via Twitter).
- The Raiders have expressed interest in Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, and after the team was eliminated from the playoffs earlier today, the process of landing the former Jaguars head coach may have accelerated, writes Jerry McDonald of the San Jose Mercury News.
- For the 49ers, only two of their potential head coaching candidates are still in playoffs, in Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Torrey Smith, Forsett Hope To Re-Sign With Ravens
The Ravens suffered an excruciating divisional round loss to the Patriots last night, and could see their offensive coordinator leave for a head coaching position in the next few weeks. However, a pair of key free agents have expressed their desire to remain in Baltimore — both receiver Torrey Smith and running back Justin Forsett‘s contracts are expiring, but both indicated today that they’d like to re-sign with the Ravens.
Smith, 25, said he would prefer to not even reach free agency, meaning that he’d like to sign an extension before the start of the new league year (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun). Smith, a Virginia native, says Baltimore now feels like home after spending four years with the Ravens. For his career, Smith has averaged 53 receptions for nearly 900 yards and eight touchdowns; he didn’t meet those catch or yard marks in 2014, but did haul in 11 touchdowns. The Maryland alum is also the best receiver at drawing defensive pass interference — this season, he drew 12 PI calls, which led to 261 yards in field position for Baltimore.
The free agent receiver market is interesting in that in contains four elite options in Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, Randall Cobb, and Jeremy Maclin, a second-tier choice in Smith, and then a dramatic dropoff. Thomas and Bryant are increasingly unlikely to reach free agency, as they’ll either be extended or franchised by the Broncos and Cowboys, respectively. But for WR-needy clubs that miss out on Cobb or Maclin, Smith presents a fine alternative, especially for a team looking for a deep threat.
Smith, who graded as the league’s 37th-best receiver among 110 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), might not be in the Ravens’ plans despite his intentions to stay. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in December that the club could let Smith walk in free agency, and given the other options mentioned above, he might not find a strong market for his services. PFR’s Rory Parks examined Smith’s contract case before the season, writing that Antonio Brown‘s five-year, $42.5MM deal with the Steelers could act as a benchmark. After something of a lackluster season, Smith probably won’t be able to match those years or that AAV.
Forsett, meanwhile, sounds a little less certain that he will be retained by the Ravens. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to show what I can do,” Forsett told Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “It’s been a long time coming and I just want to build on it. I would love to stay here and be a Raven, but there’s a business part of that. I’ve experienced a lot of the business side of it, but hopefully we can get something done.” Forsett, 29, played 2014 under a one-year, $730K deal after being released by the Jaguars. Because he was on a minimum salary benefit contract, he isn’t eligible to sign a multi-year deal with Baltimore until free agency begins in March.
Forsett, a veteran of seven NFL seasons, enjoyed a career year in 2014, rushing for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns, adding another 263 yards on 44 receptions — he also graded as PFF’s sixth-best running back. He’ll join an impressive free agent RB class that also boasts DeMarco Murray, Mark Ingram, Frank Gore, and Ryan Mathews, so although Forsett doesn’t have the wear-and-tear that other veteran RBs do, the abundance of options and his advanced age could limit his market. Still, he’s probably the best option for Baltimore in 2015 (especially if zone-blocking aficionado Gary Kubiak stays on as OC), and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com predicted in November that the team would reward Forsett with a two- or three-year deal with a modest signing bonus.
Sunday Roundup: Austin, Ravens, Steelers
Let’s take a look at some links from around the league as Day 2 of the Divisional Round gets underway:
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets that Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is also on the Bears‘ radar.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com provides an offseason outlook for the Bears.
- Manish Metha of the New York Daily News tweets that the Jets, despite their heavy interest in Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, still want to interview Kubiak for their head coaching vacancy.
- Rapoport tweets that Dick LeBeau‘s departure took the Steelers by surprise, and he adds (via Twitter) that LeBeau likely wanted to leave Pittsburgh with Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor, with whom he had established a close relationship.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, reiterating what he passed along yesterday, tweets that Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler, whom the Titans attempted to hire last season, is the most likely candidate to be elevated to defensive coordinator.
- In a series of Baltimore items, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun writes that Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee is expected to cash in on the free agent market and Steve Smith has no plans to retire.
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer describes how the departure of Kyle Shanahan might impact the Browns‘ quarterback situation.
- Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes that, with the Bills‘ hiring of Rex Ryan and the emergence of Dan Quinn as the frontrunner for the Jets head coaching vacancy, Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich may stay put in San Diego.
- Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News tweets that, had the 49ers hired Ryan, Vic Fangio was likely to stay as the team’s defensive coordinator. However, now that Ryan has been hired by the Bills, Inman believes Fangio will be promoted to head coach. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, though, tweets that San Francisco will conduct a second interview with Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
Extra Points: Draft, Ravens, Eagles, LeBeau
USC running back Javorius ‘Buck’ Allen has decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the 2015 draft, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports reported today (via Twitter). The redshirt junior ran for 1,489 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Trojans in 2014, adding another 458 yards through the air on 41 receptions. For the most part, draft experts are in agreement on Allen’s stock, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, and CBSSports.com all ranking the USC back between eighth and 10th among 2015’s running back prospects — that makes him a likely third- or fourth-round pick.
Here’s more from around the NFL, in the midst of the league’s divisional playoff weekend:
- Now that the Ravens have been eliminated from the playoffs, Baltimore will have to make free agent decisions on Justin Forsett and Torrey Smith, shore up its secondary, and add a pass-catching tight end, among other things, writes Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider-only link).
- In the view of Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), the Ravens should at least give Forsett a one-year deal worth the $3MM that Ray Rice had been scheduled to earn in 2015.
- Chip Kelly‘s interview with Chris Polian of the Jaguars for the Eagles‘ general manager position has taken place, a source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link).
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears from a source close to Dick LeBeau that the longtime coach would still like to be a defensive coordinator, after resigning from his Steelers position today. Cole points to the Cardinals as a possible match for LeBeau if current DC Todd Bowles lands a head coaching job elsewhere.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines the upcoming offseason for the Bears and new general manager Ryan Pace, writing that while Jay Cutler may have made a “convenient scapegoat” in 2014, the team’s problems ran much deeper than Cutler.
- A pair of 49ers defenders, cornerback Perrish Cox and outside linebacker Dan Skuta, played large roles for the club in 2014 after spending most of their respective careers in backups. With Cox and Skuta both facing potential free agency, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at what’s next for the duo.
AFC Coaching Notes: McDaniels, Kubiak, Jets
We have already looked at some of the NFC’s biggest coaching stories, and to follow up here are some of the most important AFC rumors:
- The early game today features a pair of offensive minds that could have head coaching opportunities this offseason, in Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, writes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). McDaniels has drawn interest from the Falcons and 49ers, while Kubiak has ties to both the Jets and Bears.
- Kubiak has not interviewed yet, choosing to wait until the team’s season is over. However, even if Baltimore is eliminated, Kubiak may not interview for a head coaching job. He loves the Ravens and has friends with the organization, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
- As former Jets head coach Rex Ryan interviews for potential head coaching jobs, one question teams are curious about is who he plans to bring in as an offensive coordinator. Ryan is pitching a potential union with former Bears coach Marc Trestman, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
- Trestman and Raiders quarterback coach John DeFilippo are in the running to replace Kyle Shanahan as the Browns‘ offensive coordinator, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Fowler writes that the most important qualities Cleveland is looking for in an offensive coordinator are the ability to work with Johnny Manziel and scheme flexibility in case the team moves on from its young quarterback.
- The Browns have also asked for permission to interview Raiders assistant coach Al Saunders, who has experience as an offensive coordinator and head coach during his 30 years in the NFL, reports Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury News.
- If former Bills coach Doug Marrone cannot land another head coaching job this year, he would likely be welcome to join the Texans’ staff as a consultant, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). Marrone is close with Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
- The Jets could be waiting for Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but owner Woody Johnson should be worried about his ability to get the in-demand Seahawks assistant, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. If the Jets wait on Quinn and loses him to another suitor, it could leave the team in a bad spot.
AFC Mailbags: Ravens, Dolphins, Jets, Jags
It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags to answer questions from readers. Let’s first take a look at some of the rumbling coming out of the AFC…
- The Ravens can’t realistically expect rookie defensive back Rashaan Melvin to continue exceeding expectations. As a result, Jamison Hensley believes the team should still draft a defensive back, forcing Melvin to compete with Asa Jackson for the fourth cornerback spot.
- If the Dolphins struggle next season, James Walker expects the organization to “clean house.” This would allow new executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum to bring in his own staff.
- When asked which Jets coaches could ultimately stick around for 2015, Rich Cimini points to defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, quarterbacks coach David Lee and running backs coach Anthony Lynn.
- Meanwhile, Cimini has no interest in paying Jets wideout Percy Harvin his $10.5MM salary next season, with the writer suggesting a more reasonable $6MM deal.
- When it comes to some of the notable free agents, Michael DiRocco would support the Jaguars pursuit of wideout Randall Cobb or safety Devin McCourty. However, the writer isn’t as high on Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
AFC Links: McCourty, Chargers, Titans
Ravens wideout Steve Smith will be facing off against the Patriots this weekend, and the veteran acknowledged that he was pursued by New England during the offseason.
“Yeah, I talked to [Bill Belichick] and it was a great opportunity as well,” Smith told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “Anytime you have an opportunity to go to some teams, it’s always good. When your phone stops ringing, you need to start thinking about if I’m in the right profession.”
Let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…
- Following news that Patrick Chung signed an extension with the Patriots, Albert Breer of the NFL Network says (via Twitter) there’s been no movement on fellow safety Devin McCourty. The writer suggests that the All-Pro defensive back could be “destined” for the franchise tag.
- ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes that the Chargers should bring back veteran Jarret Johnson if it makes sense financially. The linebacker is set to make $5MM next season, but Williams points out that the 33-year-old has already shown that he’s willing to take a pay cut.
- John Glennon of The Tennessean examines the Titans‘ most expensive players in 2015, and the writer suggests that guard Andy Levitre, tackle Michael Oher, tight end Craig Stevens, running back Shonn Greene and safety Bernard Pollard could all be cap casualties.
AFC North Notes: Harbaugh, Browns, Maualuga
When John Harbaugh was originally interviewing for the Ravens head coaching position, he received a bit of help from one of his colleagues. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gave owner Steve Bisciotti a call, endorsing the former Eagles special teams coach for the opening. Harbaugh eventually got the job, and as Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes, the coach still appreciates the recommendation from his upcoming playoff opponent:
“It meant everything. As far as probably getting the job, it didn’t hurt. You have to ask Steve and Ozzie [Newsome] if it made the difference or not. But the fact that he was willing to do that at the time, I was stunned when I heard the story much later.
“I would describe the relationship as very good, great admiration for coach. I’ve never worked with him, specifically, but for whatever reason he has been always willing to kind of take me under his wing in a way and give me time and insight and things like that.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC North…
- Former Bears quarterback coach Matt Cavanaugh is on the Browns “radar” for the offensive coordinator opening, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cavanaugh previously worked with coach Mike Pettine at the University of Pittsburgh, and they reunited again in the NFL with the Ravens and Jets.
- Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com takes a look at some other potential candidates for the Browns offensive coordinator opening. His list includes Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, former college coach/NFL coordinator Charlie Weis, former Bears coach Marc Trestman and Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan.
- Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther believes upcoming free agent linebacker Rey Maualuga will ultimately return to the Bengals. “I believe he does,” Guenther said (via ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey). “You saw when he came back the effect he had on us.”
- Harvey also focuses on five major questions surrounding the Bengals entering the offseason, including the future of tight end Jermaine Gresham.
AFC Notes: Chargers, Roethlisberger, Ravens
The notion of the Rams moving west to Los Angeles gained some steam with this week’s announcement that Rams owner Stan Kroenke intends to build an NFL stadium in Inglewood. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) says he was told Monday that Chargers owner Dean Spanos will attempt to block the Rams if they try to move to L.A., and believes he has the nine votes necessary to stop a move. We’re a long way from arriving at that point, but I’d be surprised if Kroenke attempted to move forward with a move if he didn’t believe he had the votes from ownership to approve it.
- As they look to make additions to their offseason roster, the Chargers worked out two CFL players, offensive lineman Ben Heenan and defensive back Delvin Breaux, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link via ESPN’s Eric Williams). Heenan auditioned for the Lions on Saturday, while Breaux has now tried out for five clubs since December.
- Asked about his contract status as he prepares to enter a contract year, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said today that he’d like to get an extension done sooner rather than later, but he’ll leave that up to his agent and the Rooney family (Twitter links via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
- With New England and Baltimore prepared to square off in Saturday’s divisional playoff, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com revisits the Ravens‘ offseason decision to pursue and sign Steve Smith rather than fellow free agent receiver Julian Edelman.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Yates looks back on an offseason decision of his own, exploring the Bills‘ move to trade their 2015 first-rounder to move up and snag wideout Sammy Watkins. Recent reports have indicated former head coach Doug Marrone wasn’t too happy about that deal, and Yates concludes that Marrone was right to be upset.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Coaching Rumors: Marrone, Phillips, Del Rio
As the carousel continues to spin, we’ll get you caught up on all the latest coaching rumors right here..
- The Jets will formally meet with Doug Marrone today, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips will interview for Washington‘s defensive coordinator opening this week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- The Raiders asked for permission late last night to speak to Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and an interview could come as soon as today, according to ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson (on Twitter). Del Rio, he adds, has to be considered a favorite in Oakland (link).
- Gary Kubiak is generating interest, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). When the Ravens’ season is over, Rapoport expects the 49ers and Jets to talk with him. Of course, if the Ravens’ season extends to February, there’s no guarantee those teams will wait for him.
- The Bills will interview Mike Shanahan and it could take place as early as this weekend, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Facebook).
- Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is interviewing today with the Bills for their head coaching job, according to Rapoport (on Twitter).
- The Bills will interview Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich on Sunday and the Jets will speak with him on Monday, according to NFL.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter).
- The Bills requested permission to interview Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, a team source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).