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Coach Notes: Bears, Quinn, Marrone, Ryan

By | at December 31, 2014 10:02 am

The Bears are eyeing a pair of Ravens employees, according to Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report, who reports (via Twitter) that Chicago has expressed interest in Eric DeCosta for the team’s general manager job and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak for its head coaching opening. Both men have drawn interest from the Jets as well, and we detailed yesterday why DeCosta may be reluctant to pursue any GM jobs, given the nice situation he’s in with the Ravens. Still, it looks as if the Bears will kick the tires and try to schedule an interview.

Here’s more on the head coaching searches from around the NFL:

  • Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has interviews scheduled with the Jets and Bears on Friday, and the Falcons on Saturday, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • Most Bills assistant coaches are only signed for one more season, and head coach Doug Marrone would like some more stability from ownership for his staff, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, as of this morning, those Bills coaches aren’t sure whether or not Marrone will opt out of his contract, says Caplan (via Twitter). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com took a look this morning at why Marrone would consider using his opt-out, which has a deadline of today.
  • Refuting an earlier report, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins did not make an offer to Rex Ryan to be their defensive coordinator.
  • Adam Gase‘s interviews with the 49ers, Falcons, and Bears are scheduled to take place this Friday and Saturday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
  • This is our second round-up of coaching news and rumors today — you can find the first right here.
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Minor Moves: Tuesday

By | at December 30, 2014 10:10 pm

We’ll round up Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL right here, including transactions by teams still in the playoffs as well as clubs looking ahead to next year:

10:10pm:

  • The Lions have signed TE Ifeanyi Momah to a 2015 reserve/future contract, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter).

3:57pm:

  • The Chiefs signed former Seahawks tailback Spencer Ware, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
  • Jets quarterback Matt Simms reworked his contract today to avoid becoming an exclusive rights free agent in 2015, according to a team release. The club also added kicker Andrew Furney and running back Daryl Richardson on reserve/futures deals, in addition to the six players whose reserve contracts we heard about yesterday.
  • In addition to confirming reserve/futures contracts for Garrison Smith and Chris Martin, as was reported yesterday, the 49ers announced in a press release that they’ve signed running back Kendall Gaskins, tight end Xavier Grimble, wide receiver Lance Lewis. All five players finished the season on San Francisco’s practice squad.
  • Running back Terrance Cobb announced (via Twitter) that he has signed a futures deal with the Raiders. Cobb initially signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted rookie in May, and was cut in the preseason.
  • The Bears may not have a head coach or GM, but they’re still adding players to their roster — Chicago signed defensive end Jamil Merrell to a reserve/futures contract, the team announced today (via Twitter).
  • Former Canisius College basketball player Chris Manhertz announced (via Instagram) that he has signed a contract with the Bills. According to Joe Buscaglia of WGR550 (via Twitter), the ex-hoopster projects as a tight end. The Bills have since confirmed the signing of Manhertz, and announced a deal for fullback Corey Knox as well.

2:19pm:

  • Offensive tackle Justin Renfrow has been released from the Packers‘ practice squad, creating an opening on the unit, according to the team.
  • The Steelers have also made a change to their taxi squad, signing wide receiver Tim Benford and releasing cornerback Jordan Sullen, per Burt Lauten (via Twitter). The addition of Benford provides some insurance for the receiving corps, after the team cut wideout Justin Brown from its active roster today.
  • The Browns signed a pair of kickers, Travis Coons and Carey Spear, to reserve/futures contracts, the club announced today, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link). The two kickers join seven other players who signed futures deals yesterday with Cleveland.
  • The Jaguars have signed offensive lineman Cody Booth, tight end Marcel Jensen, defensive back Peyton Thompson, and wide receiver Tony Washington to reserve/futures contracts, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. All four players spent time on the club’s practice squad this season.
  • The Saints signed five more players to reserve/futures deals, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune, who lists running back Edwin Baker, kicker Dustin Hopkins, tight end Orson Charles, and offensive linemen Mike Brewster and Andrew Miller as the latest recepients. We learned yesterday that the club also signed wideout Willie Snead and fullback Toben Opurum to futures contracts.
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AFC East Notes: Jets, Lynn, Brady, Bills

By | at December 30, 2014 2:48 pm

As the AFC East’s only playoff team takes a week off before preparing to host its first postseason contest, let’s round up the latest notes from out of the division….

  • We can add an internal candidate to the Jets‘ list of potential head coaches, according to Kristian Dyer of Metro New York, who tweets that Anthony Lynn will interview for the position. Lynn, who has served as the team’s running backs coach and assistant head coach for the last three seasons under Rex Ryan, is likely being interviewed to help the Jets satisfy the terms of the Rooney Rule.
  • When it was first reported yesterday that Tom Brady had agreed to restructure his contract with the Patriots, it was presented as simply a matter of converting guaranteed salaries into salaries guaranteed for injury only, but that’s not the only change that was made to Brady’s deal. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com explains that the Pats also added $1MM to each of Brady’s base salaries for the next three seasons.
  • Brady’s willingness to rework his contract has been presented as a magnanimous gesture that will allow the Patriots to be more flexibility when they negotiate with other players, but Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com doesn’t quite see it that way. As Barnwell outlines, the fact that Brady essentially gave up his guaranteed money makes it easier for the Pats to part ways with the quarterback in the next three years. That could benefit Brady as well, since allowing the club to cut him without swallowing a ton of guaranteed money would allow him the freedom to pick his next destination in unrestricted free agency. Of course, presumably both sides would prefer for Brady to maintain his current high level of play for the next few seasons, allowing him to finish this contract without any drama.
  • With Kyle Orton retiring and E.J. Manuel likely not the long-term answer in Buffalo, John Kryk of the Toronto Sun wonders if the Bills could explore the trade market this offseason. In Kryk’s view, Robert Griffin III would make a better target for the Bills than Jay Cutler.
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Volin’s Latest: McDaniels, 49ers, Reich, Jets

By | at December 30, 2014 1:03 pm

As reports continue to trickle in on the NFL’s five head coaching openings, as well as the GM vacancies in Chicago and New York, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe explores the rumor mill and passes along a handful of interesting tidbits in his latest column. Here are the highlights:

  • One league source tells Volin that without Jon Gruden or Jim Harbaugh in the mix for any of the current openings, there’s a “dearth of superstar candidates.” The source expects most teams to hire candidates with previous head coaching experience.
  • Volin hears from one source the Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be “very careful” about which opportunities he pursues. The source predicts that the Falcons will be the only club McDaniels seriously considers, given his relationship with general manager Thomas Dimitroff and the presence of a solid, risk-free quarterback in Matt Ryan.
  • An internal promotion remains a strong possibility for the 49ers, despite the fact that the team is reaching out to several outside candidates. Volin hears that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is a likelier candidate than defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.
  • According to Volin, Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich is the “most serious” candidate for the Jets‘ head coaching vacancy in the early stages of that search. Reich is also expected to be a top candidate for the Bills if Doug Marrone decides to opt out of his contract, though Marrone is considered likely to stay in Buffalo.
  • One source predicts to Volin that Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin isn’t yet completely safe, in spite of owner Stephen Ross‘ comments earlier this month.
  • Former Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland could get a few interviews this offseason, but he has nothing lined up at the moment, says Volin.
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2015 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at December 30, 2014 10:32 am

Several NFL teams are currently hunting for a new head coach, and amidst reports about interview requests and potential candidates, it’s easy to lose track of the latest updates in the shuffle. So we’ll use this space – which will be updated until every team has hired a new head coach – to keep track of the most recent news and rumors. It can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with current vacancies, along with their current status. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 2-3-15 (2:39am CT)

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

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AFC East Notes: Brady, Jets, Bills, Polian

By | at December 29, 2014 4:57 pm

Shortly after his base salaries for the next three seasons – totaling $24MM – became guaranteed over the weekend, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has agreed to rework his deal so that those salaries are now guaranteed for injury only, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Facebook link). While it doesn’t change Brady’s cap hit, the move allows the Pats to free up some cash, since the team no longer has to put $24MM for Brady in escrow right away, as PatsCap.com explains (via Twitter). That could allow the team to be a little more flexible this winter when discussing extensions with a handful of free-agents-to-be.

Here’s more from out of the AFC East:

  • Earlier today, Jets owner Woody Johnson told reporters that he’d “love” to have Darrelle Revis back in a Jets uniform in 2015. Considering Revis remains under contract with the Patriots, that comment could easily be viewed as tampering, which Johnson must have realized, since he has since backpedaled. Johnson’s latest statement, via the team: “I misspoke today when I commented on Darrelle Revis. I would never interfere in the contractual relationship of a player with another team and should not have used those words. I called [Patriots owner] Robert Kraft this afternoon to emphasize those points” (all Twitter links).
  • According to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter), the more he hears, the more he’s inclined to believe that Bill Polian will indeed return to the Bills. However, Graham cautions that there are no guarantees at this point. On Saturday, Polian refuted a report indicating that he was returning to the organization for which he was once the general manager.
  • On the heels of Kyle Orton‘s retirement announcement, Bills general manager Doug Whaley acknowledged that his team will have to add at least one quarterback, and maybe two. Whaley added that Buffalo will leave all its options open when it comes to acquiring a QB, so as not to put the team in a corner “or show our hand” (Twitter links via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).

 

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Bills Sign 10 To Reserve/Futures Contracts

By | at December 29, 2014 3:36 pm

Today is the first day that teams can begin signing players who didn’t finish the regular season on an NFL roster to reserve/futures contracts for the 2015 season, and the Bills have locked up 10 such players, according to a team release.

Here’s the full list of the players to ink futures deals with the team. Of these 10 players, all but one finished the year on the Bills’ practice squad:

Defensive end Ike Igbinosun was the only player to finish the season on Buffalo’s taxi squad and not receive a futures contract from the team. Meanwhile, Holley was the only one to sign a deal after not being on the practice squad, though he spent time earlier in the season on the unit before being placed on the injured list.

For a refresher on how reserve/futures contracts work, be sure to check out our glossary entry.

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Hughes Not Interested In Hometown Discount

By | at December 29, 2014 1:29 pm

Even after losing Mike Pettine to the Browns a year ago, the Bills’ defense thrived again in 2014, led by a defensive line that featured three Pro Bowlers in Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus, and Kyle Williams. The one member of that defensive line that didn’t earn a Pro Bowl nod is eligible for free agency this offseason, and defensive end Jerry Hughes doesn’t anticipate taking a “hometown discount” to remain in Buffalo, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.

“Yeah, I’ve never heard of that,” Hughes said, laughing. “I guess that’s a nice little deal, kind of throw that out there. But I’ve never heard of a hometown discount in the business world.”

While he may not have received Pro Bowl recognition like his fellow linemen, Hughes had another strong season for the Bills, recording 9.5 sacks in 2014 after racking up 10 in 2013. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Hughes’ overall play dropped off a little this year, from a +19.9 grade last season to +5.7 this time around. However, a significant chunk of that drop-off can be attributed to his trouble with penalties — he received a -9.1 mark in that category.

Justin Houston of the Chiefs is the best pass rusher eligible for free agency this offseason, but it’s unlikely he’ll hit the open market, with a long-term agreement or the franchise tag a more probable outcome. As such, Hughes could be among the top pass rushers available, along with Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Worilds, and perhaps Greg Hardy, if his legal troubles are resolved.

Of course, despite Hughes’ apparent lack of interest in a team-friendly contract, the definition of a “hometown discount” differs from player to player. Last winter, Michael Bennett indicated he wouldn’t take a discount, while Golden Tate said he’d be open to the idea, but it was Bennett who signed with the Seahawks for less than expected, while Tate took a big-money offer from the Lions.

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Kyle Orton Announces Retirement

By | at December 29, 2014 9:06 am

After serving as the Bills’ starting quarterback for most of the 2014 season, Kyle Orton has decided to call it a career, the team announced today in a press release. Orton will retire from the NFL after spending 10 seasons in the league.

“I just have been going at it for 10 years and it’s just a family decision and I’ve decided to get home and be a dad and call it a day,” Orton said.

Orton, 32, flirted with retirement a year ago as well, and his apparent willingness to end his career at that point led to the Cowboys releasing him from his contract, at which point he inked a new deal with the Bills. In this case, he appears to be more committed to ending his career, despite the fact that he has a year remaining on his contract. By retiring, Orton will no longer be eligible to earn his $5.4MM non-guaranteed base salary for 2015, though he’ll still count for $1.5MM in dead money against the Bills’ cap.

Assuming Orton doesn’t play another NFL game, he’ll finish his career with a 42-40 record as a starter, completing 59.5% of his career passes, with 18,037 yards, 101 touchdowns, and 69 interceptions. His best stastical seasons came in 2009 and 2010 for the Broncos, when he topped 20 touchdown passes and 3,600 passing yards for the only two times in his career.

As for the Bills, they’ll likely be on the lookout for a new signal-caller this offseason, since E.J. Manuel is currently the only quarterback on the roster. Unfortunately for Buffalo, the team sent its 2015 first-round pick to Cleveland in this year’s Sammy Watkins trade, so if the team hopes to land a potential starting QB, it’ll have to be either in free agency or later in the draft.

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AFC East Notes: Wallace, Caserio, Bills

By | at December 28, 2014 8:53 pm

Dolphins‘ receiver Mike Wallace was benched during today’s game against the Jets for what was apparently an attitude problem, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (via Twitter). Breer highlights this as a situation to watch going forward into the offseason.

Wallace is signed through 2017, with cap numbers of $12.1MM, $13.7MM, and $13.7MM the next three seasons. The team would only save $2.5MM by cutting him this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC East:

  • The Patriots extended the contract of director of player personnel Nick Caserio earlier today, and one reason for this could be the opinion of head coach Bill Belichick, writes Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. “He contributes in a lot of different ways, and I’m glad I have him. I need him,” Belichick said. “He probably does more than any other person in his position in the league in terms of his amount of responsibility and the number of different things at the coaching and scouting level. He’s really a valuable guy that has great working knowledge of really everything that we do on the scouting end and the coaching end.”
  • Bills‘ CEO Russ Brandon and head coach Doug Marrone both confirmed that they do not have any scheduled meetings with new owners Terry and Kim Pegula, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. “I’m sure at some point we’ll get into some more in-depth meetings,” Brandon said. “There’s nothing scheduled at this point. I talk to Terry all the time, and I have nothing on the books right now for any meetings.” Marrone confirmed that he had not been contacted regarding a meeting.
  • Marrone has three days after the end of the season to opt out of his contract with the Bills due to a change in ownership, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio does not believe Marrone will exercise this clause in his contract.
  • Bills‘ running back Fred Jackson earned an incentive of $150,000 in the team’s Week 17 victory over the Patriots, reports Rodak (via Twitter).
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