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Seahawks Schedule Second HC Interview With Ben Johnson; Team To Meet With Mike Macdonald

January 29th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders and Seahawks saw a number of the top remaining candidates for their head coaching vacancies become available via their team’s respective losses on Sunday. Washington’s intentions remain clear, but Seattle will also speak with the names most frequently connected to its own opening.

The Seahawks are set to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson tonight along with Ravens DC Mike Macdonald tomorrow, SI’s Albert Breer reports. In the former’s case, this summit will be a second interview which comes amidst expectations he is the top choice of the Commanders. The latter, meanwhile, has not yet taken part in a Seahawks meeting.

In spite of that, it was reported during the weekend that the Seahawks were interested in speaking with Macdonald. The Ravens and Lions were eliminated on Sunday, leaving their staffers free to interview with and accept offers from teams prepared to offer a head coaching position at any time. Both Johnson and Macdonald have been amongst the most sought-after candidates in this year’s cycle, and their futures could become clear in the coming days.

The Panthers were prepared to (once again) make a push to land Johnson, one of the top young offensive minds in the league. He was tapped as Carolina’s top choice, but the same is true of Washington. With the Panthers having moved on to Dave Canales, the Commanders are in pole position to land the 37-year-old.

Johnson would be a welcomed addition to any staff, but the Seahawks will have other options if he does take the Commanders gig. Macdonald, like Johnson, has only been an NFL coordinator over the past two years, but his work with Baltimore’s defense has quickly upped his head coaching stock. Prior to tomorrow’s sit-down with the Seahawks, he will meet today with the Commanders.

Of course, another name looming over the Seattle vacancy is Dan Quinn. The current Cowboys defensive coordinator has elected to turn down HC interest in the past, but a chance to succeed Pete Carroll in Seattle could await him. Quinn is among the staffers to have already conducted a second interview with the team, and Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes Quinn could presently be considered a “slight favorite” for the job. However, Seattle is high on Macdonald, he adds.

Indeed, NBC Sports’ Peter King confirms Quinn’s history with Seattle (having previously served as the team’s DC) is unlikely to represent a deciding factor in the team’s ultimate decision. Plenty is still to be determined as the Seahawks enter the next phase of their coaching search. Both they and the Commanders will be worth watching closely as the HC cycle approaches its end.

Seahawks Showing HC Interest In Ravens’ Mike Macdonald

January 27th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks are one of two teams still with a head coaching vacancy. They have generated a healthy list of candidates given the number of staffers they have already met with, but at least one other coach is on the team’s radar.

Seattle is interested in Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Brady Henderson report. That is noteworthy since the Seahawks have not yet spoken to Macdonald as part of their ongoing search (although he was floated as a potential candidate earlier this month). In spite of that, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times confirms the Seahawks plan to interview him as soon as possible.

Candidates on teams playing in tomorrow’s conference championship games were not allowed to take part in head coaching interviews this week per the modified league hiring rules. However, staffers who have spoken once with interested teams are allowed to conduct a second interview during the bye between the conference title games and the Super Bowl. Since Macdonald did not speak with the Seahawks at any point during the cycle, though, he would not be able to be interviewed or hired until after the Ravens’ season comes to an end.

Like Washington, Seattle is poised to wait out the upcoming games before progressing further in its HC search. The Seahawks established a five-man list of staffers to conduct a second interview with, including Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The former Seahawks DC was immediately named as a serious candidate to replace Pete Carroll, and Dallas’ decision to retain Mike McCarthy could leave a return to the Emerald City as Quinn’s best path to another head coaching opportunity.

The 53-year-old had a run of five-plus years with the Falcons, making him an experienced option receiving interest from Seattle. The same is true of Mike Vrabel, whose tenure with the Titans came to an end this offseason. Vrabel has been labeled a Seahawks candidate, but the parties have not met at this point. Macdonald contrasts with those options given his thinner resume, but he has seen his rising stock result in notable interest around the league.

The latter is in just his second season as an NFL coordinator, but the Ravens’ performance on defense in 2023 has made Macdonald one of the league’s rising defensive minds. The 36-year-old’s unit has been a central factor in Baltimore’s return to the AFC title game for the first time in 11 years, and he has been connected to six HC vacancies in this year’s cycle. Macdonald is also on the radar of the Commanders, though their search continues to point more firmly toward Lions OC Ben Johnson than anyone else.

If the Seahawks follow through on their interest in Macdonald, they may need to wait until after the Super Bowl to officially hire him, depending on how tomorrow’s action plays out. Seattle could thus run the risk of losing out on another top candidate in the meantime, though the team does only have one remaining competitor on the head coaching front. In any case, Macdonald’s future will be worth watching closely with respect to both vacancies.

Rams, Titans To Meet With Ravens’ Dennard Wilson; Second Giants DC Interview Scheduled

January 27th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of several Ravens staffers who has generated interest around the league, Dennard Wilson remains a popular defensive coordinator candidate. Baltimore’s defensive backs coach is set to interview with the Rams and Titans for the first time, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. In addition, Wilson will meet for the second time with the Giants.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Wilson was New York’s first known interview for the team’s DC vacancy, and that initial summit appears to have gone well. No other second interviews have been lined up for now as the Giants look for a Don Martindale replacement. Wilson had received an interview request from the Titans, but today’s update marks the first interest shown by the Rams.

Martindale initially appeared to be on track to remain with the Giants through 2024 despite reports of a rift between he and head coach Brian Daboll. In the end, though, the former parted ways with the team, creating a significant vacancy on Daboll’s staff. The Titans still have DC Shane Bowen on staff as things currently stand, but he will likely be headed elsewhere once new head coach Brian Callahan brings in staffers of his choosing. The Rams, meanwhile, recently saw Raheem Morris return to the Falcons to take on their HC gig, adding them to the list of teams in the market for a new coordinator.

Wilson has not served as a DC at the NFL level before, but he was a highly-regarded DBs coach during his time with the Eagles. He was a logical internal candidate to replace Jonathan Gannon last offseason, but Philadelphia elected to go outside the organization to fill the role. As a result, Wilson departed for Baltimore in a lateral move. He helped the Ravens post a number of strong statistical showings in 2023; the team ranked sixth against the pass during the regular season allowing 192 yards per game, and finished third in interceptions with 18.

Wilson is the only candidate to be connected to Tennessee’s vacancy for now, and he is the second to have a Los Angeles interview lined up. Having become a finalist with the Giants, though, the Titans and Rams will have competition for his services if they are impressed following their respective first meetings with him.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/27/24

January 27th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the standard gameday practice squad elevations for Championship Sunday:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Ravens Activate TE Mark Andrews From IR

January 26th, 2024 at 10:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Ravens will have Mark Andrews available for this weekend’s AFC title game. The All-Pro tight end was activated from injured reserve on Friday, per a team announcement.

Andrews returned to practice two weeks ago, leaving open the possibility that he could suit up for Baltimore’s divisional round contest. To little surprise, however, he was unable to recover in time for that game. With the Ravens having advanced to the conference championship, though, he will now be able to see game action for the first time since November.

The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a leg fracture and ligament damage in his ankle, and the requisite surgery appeared to mark an end to his campaign. The team has been optimistic about a postseason return, though, and Andrews’ ongoing progress has now made that possible. Today’s move was foreshadowed yesterday when Jeremiah Moon was waived, creating a roster spot for Andrews to take.

The latter was in the midst of another strong season before suffering the injury, posting 544 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. Andrews has drawn at least eight targets in a game three times this season, demonstrating his continued presence as a focal point of the Ravens’ passing game. The team’s re-vamped WR room has helped alleviate Andrews’ absence, but the 28-year-old can still be considered quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s favorite target.

Of course, Andrews’ injury paved the way for fellow tight end Isaiah Likely to take on a starting role late in the regular season and into the playoffs. The 2022 fourth-rounder flashed potential as a complementary option as a rookie, but he was not a signficant factor in the passing game before Andrews went down. With an uptick in usage, however, Likely has posted 40 or more yards five times as a starter; he has also racked up five touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how he and Andrews are used now that both are healthy again.

Today’s move will use up one of the Ravens’ two remaining IR activations. The team will thus have a degree of roster flexibility ahead of the Super Bowl if Baltimore manages to win against Kansas City on Sunday. Having Andrews back in the fold will no doubt help in that regard.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/26/24

January 26th, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor transactions:

Kansas City Chiefs

Pittsburgh Steelers

After missing the Divisional Round matchup with the Bills due to a triceps injury, Nnadi has been placed on injured reserve. This ends the season for another Chiefs starter as the team continues to limp its way through the postseason.

Ravens Waive OLB Jeremiah Moon

January 25th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have made a roster move ahead of this weekend’s AFC Championship game, waiving pass rusher Jeremiah Moon from the 53-man roster. Moon has gone back and forth between the active roster and practice squad this season, and his release will open up a roster spot for a potential big addition this Sunday.

A second-year, undrafted player out of Florida, Moon spent his entire rookie year on the practice squad. This year, Moon was signed to the active roster shortly into the season before ultimately being waived and signed to the practice squad in late-October. Even from the practice squad, though, Moon saw himself elevated enough times to appear in eight games and even start a game this year.

Moon played in last Saturday’s win over the Texans, mostly appearing on special teams before the blowout nature of the game allowed him some defensive snaps, as well. The team likely won’t miss him on special teams, though, as key special teamer Del’Shawn Phillips is hopeful to return from injury. After appearing in every regular season game, the reserve linebacker sat out of the Divisional Round with a shoulder injury.

The real return that Moon’s waiving allows for is that of star tight end Mark Andrews from injured reserve. Andrews has been out since mid-November after suffering a cracked fibula and a high ankle sprain from getting taken down by a hip-drop tackle by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson. The team didn’t have much faith in seeing Andrews play again this year, but as one of the last four teams remaining, the Ravens have stayed alive long enough to grant their leading tight end a chance to play again this season.

Baltimore doesn’t have too long left to activate Andrews in time for this weekend’s game, but waiving Moon seems like the perfect primer for such a move. Moon has fit well over his two years in Baltimore. Expect him to return via a practice squad or reserve/futures contract should he clear waivers.

Titans Request Interview With Ravens’ Dennard Wilson For DC Job

January 25th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Ravens defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson continues to receive interest in defensive coordinator positions around the NFL. Once rumored to be the heir apparent for the job in Philadelphia and having already interviewed for a coordinator position in New York this month, Wilson will add the Titans to his list of teams with interest as, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Tennessee is the latest team to request an interview with Wilson for a defensive coordinator job.

A Maryland native, Wilson had a short stint as a player in nearby Washington, D.C., after going undrafted as a defensive back out of Maryland. It didn’t take long for him to turn to the non-playing side of football, taking a job as a pro scout for the Bears in 2008. Wilson found his way to coaching in 2012 when he joined the Rams as a defensive quality control coach, only taking three years to get promoted to defensive backs coach.

Since then, Wilson has widely been regarded as one of the league’s better defensive backs coaches, spending time with the Jets and Eagles before his role in Baltimore. In both previous locations, he even eventually added the role of passing game coordinator to his title. During his time with the Eagles, Wilson’s unit helped lead the league’s top pass defense and second-overall defense in total yards allowed. First-team All-Pro cornerback James Bradberry, Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay, and converted safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson all flourished in Wilson’s room, with Gardner-Johnson even leading the league in interceptions following the position change from slot cornerback.

For a time, it was thought that Wilson was the clear choice to take over at defensive coordinator for the Eagles whenever Jonathan Gannon moved on to a head coaching job. Unfortunately, the team ended up hiring Sean Desai instead, a decision that reflects poorly a year later. After getting passed up for the gig, Wilson found his way to Baltimore where he has helped yet another defensive unit reach elite status. This year Wilson has guided the blossoming of second-year safety Kyle Hamilton, watched converted cornerback Brandon Stephens take over as a full-time starter after switching from safety, and coached backup safety Geno Stone as he went toe-to-toe with Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland for the interception title.

Now, Wilson will get a chance to interview for the Titans’ job. He will, in fact, be the first to interview for the Titans’ job, just as he was the first to interview with the Giants. This wasn’t technically a job we knew to be open. Technically, Shane Bowen still resides as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, but with head coach Mike Vrabel no longer employed, Bowen and the rest of his staff have been actively interviewing for open positions elsewhere.

Bowen may still get an opportunity to keep his job under new head coach Brian Callahan, but the fact that Wilson has been invited to interview suggests that the position is open. If Bowen is still a candidate, his first competition will be with the position coach coaching in the AFC Championship game this weekend.

Chargers To Bring In Ravens’ Joe Hortiz For Second GM Interview

January 24th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Ely Allen

After landing their desired option at head coach earlier today, the Chargers appear to be moving forward with their hiring process for a new general manager. After hosting Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown today for a second interview, the Chargers are now set to host Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz for a second, in-person interview tomorrow, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Hortiz has worked his way through the ranks in Baltimore’s front office since joining the franchise in 1998. Beginning in the scouting department, he became the team’s director of college scouting and enjoyed considerable success in the role. Hortiz held that position for 10 years before being promoted once again in 2019. He has overseen both pro and college scouting ever since.

The Chargers have been without Tom Telesco at the helm since he was dismissed alongside Brandon Staley midway through the season. The team thus has a vacancy at general manager for the first time since 2013. As is the case for the team’s coaching search, the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert on a long-term deal will likely make the Los Angeles posting an attractive one, but the roster does include a number of veterans on pricey contracts. Plenty of work will need to be done over the short and long term for the new general manager to sustainably set the team up for postseason contention during Herbert’s prime.

Here is an updated look at the Chargers’ GM search:

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