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Coaching Notes: Cards, Kingsbury, Chargers

February 14th, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mentioned as a candidate to reunite with Sean Payton, Mike Zimmer also may be under consideration for another reunion. Jonathan Gannon, one of Zimmer’s original hires with the Vikings back in 2014, appears to have the veteran coach on his radar for his Cardinals staff, Howard Balzer of gophnx.com tweets. Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis also may be on Gannon’s radar to head to Arizona, per Balzer. Gannon spent four seasons on Zimmer’s Minnesota staff, working as the Vikings’ assistant defensive backs coach. Rallis, 29, was on Zimmer’s Vikes staff from 2018-20, before joining the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if Zimmer, 66, has multiple options to return to an NFL post.

As for Gannon’s Cardinals staff as a whole, some of Kliff Kingsbury‘s assistants are in limbo. Vance Joseph and others have not been informed of their future with the Cards, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. Joseph was initially a candidate to replace Kingsbury and interviewed for the job, but the four-year Arizona DC did not reach the finalist stage.

With all five HC positions now filled, here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Back from Thailand, Kingsbury has now met with multiple teams. After interviewing for the Texans’ OC post, the four-year Cardinals HC met with the Ravens. The sides discussed an unspecified staff position, Anderson tweets. This Sunday interview of sorts did not produce an agreement. Kingsbury is still in line to collect considerable cash from his 2022 Cardinals extension, but the Texans and Ravens hired others — Bobby Slowik, Todd Monken, respectively — to run their offenses.
  • Staying in Baltimore, Monken will have input in how the next Ravens offensive staff looks, per Anderson. The Ravens, as should be expected given their situation, followed through with their pledge to involve Lamar Jackson in the OC search as well (Twitter links). Monken, who collected two national titles while at Georgia, last coached in the NFL as the Browns’ OC in 2019.
  • Justin Herbert‘s 2023 brain trust will consist of ex-Cowboy staffers. After hiring Kellen Moore, the Chargers are adding Doug Nussmeier as quarterbacks coach, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Nussmeier, an OC at five college programs from 2008-17, was with the Cowboys for five seasons — the past three as QBs coach. The 52-year-old assistant had multiple offers for 2023 NFL gigs, per Russini (on Twitter).
  • As the Broncos cycled through head coaches over the past several seasons, they kept Zach Azzanni in place. A Joseph hire back in 2018, Azzani stayed on as wide receivers coach under Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett. Azzanni interviewed with both the Bills and Jets for the AFC East clubs’ respective wide receivers coach roles over the past two days, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). While these meetings could signal Payton has other plans for this job, Pelissero adds the Broncos could still retain the highly regarded position coach to work for a fourth HC.
  • The Broncos will lose one of their quality control staffers to the Cowboys. Ramon Chinyoung is leaving Denver to become Dallas’ assistant offensive line coach, per 9News’ Mike Klis (on Twitter). The Cowboys are also hiring Will Harriger as an offensive assistant, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Harriger, who spent last season as a USC assistant, has worked with both Brian Schottenheimer and Dan Quinn. Harriger previously served as the Seahawks’ assistant quarterbacks coach from 2016-18 and later was part of Quinn’s Falcons staff.
  • Shortly after the Broncos interviewed Rex Ryan for their DC job, the ESPN analyst’s son is in the mix for a title bump. The Jets requested an interview with Seth Ryan for their wide receivers coach position, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). A third-generation NFL coach, Seth is currently the Lions’ assistant receivers coach. Just 28, Ryan has an NFL assistant for four seasons. He has been with the Lions for the past two. Although Azzanni is also in the mix for this Jets job, Seth Ryan working for his father’s former team is on the radar.

Ravens Hire Todd Monken As OC

February 14th, 2023 at 9:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Another one of the numerous offensive coordinator searches in the 2023 cycle as been filled. The Ravens announced on Tuesday that Todd Monken has been hired as the team’s new OC.

The 57-year-old is making a return to the NFL after working at Georgia over the past three seasons. He held the joint title of quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator during that span, helping lead the Bulldogs to two straight national championships. His success there led to interest in a new opportunity at the pro level, though ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that the Baltimore vacancy was his priority.

Monken – who previously guided the offenses of the Buccaneers from 2016-18, and of the Browns in 2019 – was among Tampa Bay’s candidates for their vacant position. He interviewed last month as a potential Byron Leftwich replacement, but this news means a reunion will not be possible. Monken was a finalist for the Ravens’ OC gig, having interviewed for a second time less than two weeks ago.

A coach at the NCAA level beginning at age 25, Monken brings plenty of experience to a Ravens team which parted ways with Greg Roman at the end of the 2022 campaign. The latter had been in place since 2019, adding to his reputation as one of the league’s top offensive minds with respect to the running game. Shortcomings in Baltimore’s passing attack were chief among the reasons for the separation taking place, and an area Monken will be tasked with improving in his new position. Roman has emerged on the OC radar of the Commanders.

Much of the Ravens’ success in 2023 will be tied to the play they receive at the quarterback position. Lamar Jackson is a pending free agent; while he will be franchise tagged in the absence of a long-term deal being signed, his future with the team remains up in the air. Presuming the former MVP remains in place next season, Monken will look to glean more consistency from Jackson and an increase in production from the team’s pass-catchers.

“We conducted 21 interviews with 14 candidates throughout a thorough process that had wide-ranging organizational involvement,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “Todd’s leadership and coaching acumen were evident from the beginning. He has a proven track record for designing and teaching offensive systems that allow players to succeed at the highest level. We’re excited to get to work and begin building an offense that will help us compete for championships.”

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

February 13th, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.

The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.

For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:

  1. Chicago Bears: 3-14
  2. Houston Texans: 3-13-1
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  4. Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
  5. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-10
  14. New England Patriots: 8-9
  15. Green Bay Packers: 8-9
  16. Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 9-8
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  21. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
  22. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
  23. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
  24. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  25. New York Giants: 9-7-1
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  27. Buffalo Bills: 13-3
  28. Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
  29. New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
  30. Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3

This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Colts Targeting Shane Steichen As HC

February 12th, 2023 at 10:07pm CST by Rory Parks

The Colts have zeroed in on Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their top head coaching candidate, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It seems Indianapolis is pretty confident it will land Steichen, as the club has told other candidates it is moving in a different direction.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that Jeff Saturday, who finished the 2022 season as the club’s interim head coach, has been told that he is out of the running (Twitter link). That will likely come as welcome news for those within the organization who have attempted to dissuade owner Jim Irsay from removing the interim tag from Saturday’s title.

Irsay’s controversial Saturday hire was the precursor to a long and expansive head coaching search that at one time appeared as if it might lead to a rare third round of interviews. Earlier this week, we learned that the Colts were unlikely to go that route, and that the club had whittled its list to five finalists.

And if Indianapolis can land Steichen, it will be difficult to criticize the result, even if the process leading up to it was a bit unorthodox. Steichen, who also secured HC interviews with the Panthers and Texans in this year’s cycle, has quickly turned into a hot commodity on the head coaching market. The 37-year-old was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2020 — which happened to be Justin Herbert‘s impressive rookie year — and he joined Philadelphia in the same capacity in 2021. Eagles HC Nick Sirianni handed Steichen the play-calling reins midway through the 2021 campaign, and the Eagles’ pivot to a run-heavy offense drove them to that season’s playoff bracket. Jalen Hurts’ progress as a passer this season helped the team secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a trip to today’s Super Bowl.

The Eagles finished the 2022 regular season third in both total offense and points per game, and Steichen’s work with Herbert and Hurts is surely viewed favorably by a Colts outfit that may well add a quarterback in the first round of this year’s draft. Plus, it is clear that Indianapolis wants to retain incumbent defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, and Steichen — who worked with Bradley when both men were on the Chargers’ coaching staff from 2017-20 — would presumably be amenable to that.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, is in danger of losing both of its top coordinators. A report this morning indicated that the Cardinals have requested a head coaching interview with Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon, and given that Arizona has waited until it could interview Gannon before naming a new bench boss, one has to assume that he is the favorite to land the post (interestingly, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Gannon was also on the radar for the Colts’ HC position, though it does not appear as if that is still the case).

If Steichen does indeed become Indianapolis’ new head coach, then Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson would likely become Philly’s OC, as Schefter adds in a follow-up tweet. Johnson interviewed with the Rams and Jets when those clubs were still looking for a new offensive coordinator, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported before the Steichen news broke that the Ravens are expected to speak with him for their own OC vacancy (Twitter link).

Whether or not Johnson speaks with Baltimore in light of today’s developments remains to be seen.

Ravens’ Calais Campbell To Return In 2023

February 12th, 2023 at 2:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the build-up to today’s Super Bowl has obviously been focused on the Eagles and Chiefs. However, an important piece of news emerged on another front today.

While taking part in NFL Network’s pre-game coverage, Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell confirmed that he will continue his career in 2023 (video link). The news sets Campbell up for his 16th season in the NFL, and his fourth in Baltimore. It also puts to rest another offseason’s worth of speculation regarding his playing future.

“I know I’ve got this year in me,” Campbell said this past August when asked about his career plans. “I don’t know if there’s anything left after that, but I’m going to leave it all on the field. Empty the tank. And when it’s all said and done, after this year, I’ll reconvene in the offseason to see where I’m at.”

The 36-year-old contemplated hanging up his cleats prior to signing a two-year deal last spring. As a result of that pact, Campbell is on the books for the 2023 campaign with a salary of $4.5MM but a cap hit of just over $9.4MM. The Ravens would save $7MM in cap space by releasing the six-time Pro Bowler, but his production would be difficult to replace in that event.

Campbell enjoyed a resurgent season in terms of pass rush in 2022. The former All-Pro notched 5.5 sacks, his highest figure during his time in Baltimore to date. He added 36 stops and a pair of forced fumbles while maintaining a starting role on the team’s defensive line. The Ravens’ front primarily consists of recent draftees such as Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington and Travis Jones, but Campbell has remained a key figure amongst that group.

As a result, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic predicts the Ravens will attempt to keep Campbell by re-working his existing contract (Twitter link). Baltimore is in better cap shape than most teams at the moment, but their financial situation will hinge almost entirely on the fate of quarterback Lamar Jackson. The latter’s future remains uncertain, but Campbell’s will entail at least one more NFL campaign.

Lamar Jackson Tag-And-Trade Still Possible?

February 12th, 2023 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 12: In a live discussion of the below report, Rapoport suggests there is a very real possibility that the Ravens deploy the non-exclusive tag and allow another club to do their negotiating for them before ultimately matching an offer sheet (video link). Obviously, such a maneuver would create the risk of another team offering Jackson the fully-guaranteed deal he has been seeking but that Baltimore has been unwilling to authorize.

FEBRURARY 11: Much uncertainty still surrounds Lamar Jackson and the Ravens as the window for using franchise tags approaches. More specifically, the question of whether or not the former MVP remains in Baltimore for 2023 has yet to be answered, and little clarity currently exists.

In the latest breakdown of the situation, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network note that a franchise tag is still a certainty in the (likely) absence of a multi-year extension being agreed upon. They add, however, that there still exists a “possibility” that the Ravens end up trading Jackson for what would amount to a “windfall of draft picks.”

Jackson, 26, played out this past season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. Its $23MM value will be comfortably exceeded regardless of which franchise tag the Ravens choose to use. The non-exclusive one ($32.4MM) would leave Jackson the option of negotiating with another team and signing an offer sheet. In the event Baltimore declined to match it, they would receive two first-round picks as compensation.

On the other hand, the exclusive tag would eliminate the threat of an offer sheet. It would also carry a much larger burden on the Ravens’ books, with a projected value of over $45MM. It was reported recently that Baltimore was leaning towards the exclusive tag; the team must finalize a long-term contract in the very near future for a tag not come into play during the Feb 21-March 7 window.

Jackson’s likeliest location for the 2023 campaign remains Baltimore, even in the absence of a new deal, the NFL Network trio add. Still, the Louisville product would draw plenty of trade (or offer sheet) interest from any number of teams if they felt he would be available. A report from last month indicated just that, though the Ravens have been very public in their support of the former Heisman winner and their intention of retaining him for at least the short-term future.

On another note, the NFLN report adds that Jackson has yet to communicate with any of Baltimore’s offensive coordinator candidates. In the wake of Greg Roman‘s departure, the team indicated Jackson would have a say in the selection process, so that update speaks to how much longer Baltimore’s search could still take until after the Super Bowl. Regardless of the developments on that front, speculation will no doubt continue regarding Jackson’s future.

Ravens Likely To Use Exclusive Franchise Tag On Lamar Jackson

February 8th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said last month he has gone back and forth on the exclusive-or-nonexclusive decision regarding Lamar Jackson‘s imminent franchise tag. A month from the March tag deadline, the sense is the Ravens will be the rare team to unholster the exclusive tag.

The Ravens should be expected use the exclusive tag, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Execs around the league believe the Ravens should use this rarely deployed player-retention tool to cuff their five-year starter, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com adds. The Ravens have until March 7 to tag Jackson.

Nonexclusive franchise tag figures surfaced last week. While it would cost Baltimore more than $32.42MM to use the standard franchise tag on Jackson, an exclusive tag — which prevents other teams from negotiating with players — is expected to come in just north of $45MM. That is uncharted cap terrain for the Ravens, who rostered Jackson on a $23MM fifth-year option in 2022.

The exclusive quarterback tag brings a price hike into historic cap territory, and given Jackson’s path since becoming extension-eligible, the Ravens will likely be forced to carry that number on their payroll for a while. The sides have not made progress since DeCosta and John Harbaugh emphatically endorsed a Jackson return, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Although the Ravens have not given up hope of extending Jackson before free agency, per Zrebiec, everything that has transpired to this point does not suggest that will happen.

A potentially unbridgeable gap in guaranteed money exists here, with the Ravens having offered $133MM fully guaranteed last year and Jackson seeking a number that outflanks Deshaun Watson‘s record-shattering $230MM figure. In a vacuum, Jackson is justified in asking for that. But teams are treating the Browns’ 2022 Watson deal — which came amid a four-team trade sweepstakes — as an outlier. Steve Bisciotti said last year he wished the Browns had not gone to that guarantee place for Watson, and it indeed affected the former Browns franchise’s talks with its passer. The Ravens remain unlikely to offer a fully guaranteed deal, Zrebiec adds.

Jackson skipped the Ravens’ offseason workouts last year. Absent a deal, it should not be expected the five-year veteran will show for Baltimore’s voluntary portion this year. Until Jackson signs his franchise tender, he would not be obligated to attend minicamp or training camp, either. With the Ravens retooling on offense this offseason, Jackson attendance will be more important than it was last year. The Ravens are also involving the pending free agent in their OC search.

Compared to most teams, the Ravens are in good cap place. They hold nearly $27MM in space, sitting within the top 10 leaguewide. That would change once a Jackson exclusive tag enters the picture. The dual-threat star has refused Baltimore’s best offers thus far, and although he must sign the tag to lock in that $45MM, the self-represented player’s unorthodox approach regarding his second contract could certainly lead to him making the Ravens sweat leading up to the season.

A nonexclusive tag stipulates teams can pry tagged performers away with two first-round picks. The Ravens using the exclusive tag would allow them to set a different trade market, and while Rapoport adds a trade remains unlikely, paying the extra $13MM would move the boundary for trade compensation. Watson is the only quarterback to fetch three first-round picks since the 1970s, but Jackson — a three-time Pro Bowler with an MVP honor on his resume — has outperformed the controversial QB. Then again, it would require more adjustments to a team’s offense to build an attack around Jackson’s unique skillset.

Trade calls should be expected, Fowler adds, but this part of the Jackson process does not appear to have ignited just yet. A January report pointed to teams believing the Ravens will, in fact, make Jackson available. But DeCosta and Harbaugh’s strong endorsements push back on that. Though, pivoting to a trade after such statements would not exactly be an NFL first. We do appear headed toward a full-fledged third round of these negotiations, and no end is in sight.

Eric Bieniemy Has Not Taken Any OC Interviews; Commanders, Ravens Remain Interested

February 8th, 2023 at 1:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

1:29pm: Neither the Commanders nor the Ravens have hired an offensive coordinator, and neither team can interview Bieniemy until after Super Bowl LVII. Bieniemy’s statement regarding OC jobs notwithstanding, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes (on Twitter) he remains a prime candidate for both Baltimore and Washington.

A move to either team would not be a lateral shift; both the Commanders and Ravens are looking for their next play-caller. Each team has proceeded methodically here. The Commanders’ job became open on Jan. 10; the Ravens moved on from Greg Roman on Jan. 19.

9:58am: Another team with Eric Bieniemy on its interview wish list filled its offensive coordinator vacancy this week. The Titans promoted from within, elevating Tim Kelly to the post.

Tennessee is not the only franchise to show interest in Kansas City’s OC for a non-head coaching position this year. Baltimore and Washington requested Bieniemy interviews weeks ago, but the 10-year Chiefs staffer — whose inability to land a top coaching job has drawn extensive scrutiny over the past several years — said he has only taken one interview this year. Bieniemy spoke with the Colts about their HC position, but no other teams reached out to him regarding their top sideline gigs.

“I have not taken any interviews for any offensive coordinator positions. I’ve only taken one interview, for a head coaching position. Right now, I’ve interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts. I thought it went great,” Bieniemy said, via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (on Twitter). “We’ll see where that goes. Now, as far as the offensive coordinator stuff, right now I am where my feet are. And right now I’m focusing on helping us win this game this weekend.”

The Colts are proceeding with one of the most thorough HC interview processes in recent history, potentially planning a third round of meetings. Bieniemy not confirming he spoke with the Colts a second time may well point to yet another team bypassing him. The Colts have interviewed eight candidates twice, including Shane Steichen, who is in the same scheduling boat as Bieniemy due to NFL rules regarding Super Bowl assistants. Bieniemy was linked to being a finalist for the Indianapolis job, but that was before the host of second interviews went down.

Heavy Bieniemy HC interest emerged in past offseasons, but it has waned. The five-year Chiefs OC only interviewed for two of the 10 available jobs last year and one of this year’s five openings. Despite the Chiefs leading the league in offensive DVOA after trading Tyreek Hill, Bieniemy has not received too much credit for the team’s success with Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid, understandably, has received the bulk of the praise for best stretch in Chiefs history. Bieniemy’s persistent hurdle has led teams to inquire about his interest in becoming a play-calling OC, in an effort to show he can lead a successful offense independent of Reid. Though, past Reid Kansas City lieutenants Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy secured HC jobs during Alex Smith‘s stay as K.C.’s starter.

Bieniemy has reached agreements to stay in Missouri in each of the past two offseasons. He re-signed via a one-year pact in 2022, Jhabvala adds. While the former NFL running back did not confirm he would be back with the Chiefs in 2023, saying he will “have that conversation with coach Reid at that particular time,” the team would naturally have interest in retaining its OC. The Chiefs may yet again have the opportunity to retain Reid’s right-hand man.

Latest On Ravens’ OC Search

February 6th, 2023 at 5:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

Baltimore is one of several NFL teams slowly working their way through the process of finding a new offensive coordinator. New updates have emerged with respect to who they are targeting to replace Greg Roman.

In a detailed piece breaking down where things currently stand, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec writes (subscription required) that three candidates for the position have interviewed twice with head coach John Harbaugh. Two of those (Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Vikings pass game coordinator Brian Angelichio) have been well known in the search so far, but another name has been added to the mix.

Bobby Engram has met twice to discuss the Ravens’ OC vacancy, per Zrebiec. The 50-year-old is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wisconsin, but he spent considerable time in Baltimore prior to that. Engram was the Ravens’ wide receivers coach from 2014-18, and then worked with the team’s tight ends for three seasons after that. He also has experience with the Steelers and 49ers, but has not been an OC at the NFL level.

Other finalists will also include Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales and Broncos offensive coordinator Justin Outten. Those two are set to interview for the second time this week, which will bring the list of second interviewees to five. As Zrebiec notes, however, Harbaugh could conduct second interviews with other candidates not mentioned here, or he could ever hire a name that has yet to interview for the gig. A number of Chiefs and Eagles assistants could be of interest to the Ravens (Zrebiec specifically calls out Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, senior offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach Matt Nagy and wide receivers coach Joe Bleymaier; and Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson and pass game coordinator Kevin Patullo).

The Ravens wouldn’t be able to talk to any of those coaches until after the Super Bowl. That means the organization could decide to wait at least another week to make a hire, although they may end up moving quickly on one of the existing candidates if they determine he could sign elsewhere.

Ravens To Conduct Second OC Interview With Brian Angelichio

February 3rd, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The list of finalists for Baltimore’s offensive coordinator vacancy continues to grow. Baltimore is set to meet for a second time with Vikings pass game coordinator Brian Angelichio, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link).

The Ravens met with Angelichio last month, as they cast a wide net of internal and external candidates to replace Greg Roman. Their decision to part ways with the latter has left the team in need of a new OC for the first time since quarterback Lamar Jackson became the full-time starter, while speculation continues to swirl about his status in the short-and long-term with the team.

Angelichio, 50, also interviewed for the Cowboys’ OC position yesterday, per Fowler. That role presents a much different job description, as head coach Mike McCarthy will call plays in Dallas in 2023, regardless of who is ultimately tapped to replace Kellen Moore. In Baltimore, by contrast, the incoming coordinator will take charge of the unit and handle play-calling duties.

An NFL coach since 2012, Angelichio has been a tight ends coach at every stop along the way in his pro career. That has included stints in Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Washington and Carolina prior to his most recent tenure. This past season was his first with the Vikings, where he had the pass game coordinator title added to his familiar TEs coach one.

Thanks in part to his guidance, the Vikings ranked sixth in the league in passing yards this season; trade deadline acquisition T.J. Hockenson made his presence felt early and often at the tight end position, putting together a 60-519-3 statline in 10 regular season contests. That speaks to Angelichio’s effectiveness as at least a positional coach, though he has yet to operate as a play-caller at the NFL level.

All-Pro TE Mark Andrews is set to remain the focal point of Baltimore’s passing attack in 2023, so Angelichio would again have a high-end seam stretcher to work with if he were to be hired by the Ravens. Baltimore faces plenty of other questions with respect to their aerial attack, however, so their ultimate choice to lead the offense will primarily be tasked with engineering improvement in that regard.

Here is an updated look at the Ravens’ OC search:

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