Jay Rodgers On Bears, Others' DC Radars
- In hiring Arthur Smith, the Falcons almost certainly have their offensive play-caller in place. But they have identified a Smith right-hand man in Bears passing-game coordinator Dave Ragone. The Chicago assistant has emerged as an early favorite to become Atlanta’s OC, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweeting a Smith-Ragone partnership running the Falcons’ offense has a “good chance” of happening. Ragone has been with the Bears since 2016.
- Now that Chuck Pagano has retired, the Bears are on the lookout for a new defensive coordinator. Defensive line coach Jay Rodgers and safeties coach Sean Desai stand to be the top internal candidates to succeed Pagano, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Rodgers served as D-line coach under John Fox in Denver and followed him to Chicago in 2015. Rodgers’ contract expires next week, and Rapoport notes he is expected to be a DC candidate for other teams as well in the coming days.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/15/21
Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts given out:
Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
- WR Reggie Davis, WR Jester Weah
Detroit Lions
- DB Godwin Igwebuike, DE Robert McCray, TE Hunter Thedford
Green Bay Packers
Las Vegas Raiders
- QB Kyle Sloter
Pittsburgh Steelers
- S John Battle, DT Demarcus Christmas, T Anthony Coyle, FB Trey Edmunds, WR Anthony Johnson, T Jarron Jones, LS Christian Kuntz, T John Leglue, TE Kevin Rader, LB Tegray Scales, DL Calvin Taylor, P Corliss Waitman, T Brandon Walton, WR Cody White, CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- QB Josh Johnson, OL Corbin Kaufusi
Seattle Seahawks
- DT Myles Adams
Tennessee Titans
- T Paul Adams, WR Rashard Davis, TE Parker Hesse, WR Cody Hollister, TE Tommy Hudson, LB Jan Johnson, T Brandon Kemp, QB DeShone Kizer, K Tucker McCann, C Daniel Munyer, DE Nate Orchard, LS Matt Orzech, WR Chester Rogers, LB Tuzar Skipper
Washington Football Team
2021 NFL General Manager Search Tracker
This year’s NFL GM carousel figures to be more active than usual. The Falcons, Lions, Panthers, Texans, and Jaguars are all on the hunt for a new front office leader. And that’s only the official list. The real tally shows six clubs looking for a GM, since the Washington Football Team is expected to install a GM to work alongside head coach Ron Rivera. By mid-January, we could easily see a couple more jobs opening up — that’d put ~25% of the NFL on the market.
We’ll keep track of the GM candidates for each club here, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make general manager changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:
Updated 1-19-21 (7:02pm CT)
Atlanta Falcons
- Morocco Brown, Colts college scouting director: Interviewed
- Terry Fontenot, Saints VP/assistant GM: Hired
- Brad Holmes, Rams director of college scouting: To receive second interview, finalist for position
- Anthony Robinson, Falcons director of college scouting: Interviewed
- Joe Schoen, Bills assistant GM: To be interviewed
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Interviewed; finalist for position
Carolina Panthers
- Mike Borgonzi, Chiefs player personnel director: Rumored candidate
- Nick Caserio, Patriots VP of player personnel: Interviewed
- Ed Dodds, Colts assistant GM: Interviewed; name withdrawn from search
- Scott Fitterer, Seahawks VP of player personnel: Hired
- Champ Kelly, Bears assistant player personnel director: Interviewed
- Omar Khan, Steelers VP of football and business administration: Interviewed
- Jeff Ireland, Saints assistant GM: Interviewed
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Browns VP of football operations: Interviewed
- Monti Ossenfort, Titans player personnel director: To receive second interview
- George Paton, Vikings assistant GM: Rumored candidate; withdrew name from consideration
- Adam Peters, 49ers VP of player personnel: To receive second interview
- Ryan Poles, Chiefs assistant player personnel director: Received second interview
- Jerry Reese, former Giants general manager: Interviewed
- Joe Schoen, Bills assistant GM: Interviewed
- Pat Stewart, Panthers player personnel director: Interviewed
- Samir Suleiman, Panthers director of player negotiations: Interviewed
- Brandt Tilis, Chiefs football administration director: Interviewed
Denver Broncos
- Terry Fontenot, Saints vice president of pro personnel: To receive second interview
- Champ Kelly, Bears assistant director of player personnel: Interviewed
- George Paton, Vikings assistant GM: Hired
- Brian Stark, Broncos director of college scouting: To be interviewed
- Dave Ziegler, Patriots assistant player personnel director: To be interviewed; bowed out of search
Detroit Lions
- Kevin Colbert, Steelers general manager: Rumored candidate
- Thomas Dimitroff, former Falcons general manager: Interviewed
- Terry Fontenot, Saints assistant GM: Interviewed
- Brad Holmes, Rams director of college scouting: Hired
- Jeff Ireland, Saints assistant GM: Interviewed
- Rob Lohman, Lions director of pro scouting: Interviewed
- Lance Newmark, Lions director of player personnel: Interviewed
- Kyle O’Brien, Lions VP of player personnel: Interviewed
- George Paton, Vikings assistant GM: Interviewed
- Scott Pioli, former Chiefs GM/NFL Network analyst: Interviewed
- Louis Riddick, ESPN analyst/former Eagles exec: Interviewed
- John Schneider, Seahawks general manager: Rumored candidate; signed Seahawks extension
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Interviewed
Houston Texans
- Matt Bazirgan, Texans player personnel director: Interviewed
- Malik Boyd, Bills pro scouting director: Interviewed
- Nick Caserio, Patriots VP of player personnel: Hired
- Scott Cohen, Ravens football research director: Interview requested
- Omar Khan, Steelers VP of football and business administration: Interviewed; received job offer
- Trent Kirchner, Seahawks VP of player personnel: Interviewed
- Ozzie Newsome, Ravens executive vice president: Preferred candidate
- Louis Riddick, ESPN analyst/former Eagles exec: Interviewed
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Trent Baalke, interim Jaguars GM: Expected to be hired
- Ray Farmer, former Browns general manager: To be interviewed
- Terry Fontenot, Saints assistant GM: Interview requested
- Jerry Reese, former Giants GM: Interviewed
- Louis Riddick, ESPN analyst/former Eagles exec: Interviewed
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Interviewed
Washington Football Team
- Ryan Cowden, Titans VP of player personnel: Interview requested
- Marty Hurney, former Panthers general manager: Expected to be hired; joined team in non-GM role
- Martin Mayhew, former Lions general manager: Hired
- Nick Polk, Falcons football operations director: Interview requested
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Mentioned as candidate
- JoJo Wooden, Chargers player personnel director: Interview expected
Bears Expected To Retain Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy
The Bears will need to hire a new defensive coordinator, but their power structure is otherwise expected to remain in place.
Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace are expected to stay on in their respective roles, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Pace has been with the Bears since the 2015 season, hiring Nagy in 2018. The results have been mixed, and one fateful draft decision has largely defined this era of Bears football, but it appears ownership is content after a second playoff berth in three seasons.
Pace’s decision to trade up to No. 2 overall and draft Mitchell Trubisky has proven to be one of the modern draft’s premier missteps, with Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson becoming superstars fairly quickly while Trubisky struggled. The Bears declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option, and Nagy benched the embattled starter in September. However, the Bears turned back to their young passer late this season and managed to make the playoffs despite a six-game losing streak. The Saints then dispatched the NFC’s No. 7 seeded-squad in a game that saw the Bears gain just 140 yards prior to a garbage-time drive.
While Pace did well to build a championship-caliber defense — trading for Khalil Mack, signing Akiem Hicks and drafting Eddie Jackson and Roquan Smith — Chicago’s offenses have capped that unit’s relevance. The Bears lost DC Vic Fangio after the 2018 season and will now be searching for a successor to the retiring Chuck Pagano. Chicago’s defense has ranked in the top 10 in DVOA over the past three seasons, but some of its key players — Mack, Hicks, Danny Trevathan and Robert Quinn — are either north of 30 or will be by the 2021 season.
Nagy earned Coach of the Year honors in 2018, with the ex-Chiefs OC elevating Trubisky considerably that year and ending a seven-season Bears playoff drought. The Bears finished fourth in the NFC North in each of the three Pace-John Fox seasons, but their 2018 slate did not prove to be an indication of an imminent ascent. The team has gone 8-8 in each of the past two years and has ranked no higher than 22nd in scoring or total offense in that span, despite the 2020 playoff berth in an expanded postseason.
It is not certain if Nagy will have a new quarterback to work with in 2021, but is does look like the young head coach has done enough to earn a fourth season in Chicago. The team still has Nick Foles under contract for 2021 but will add another starting-caliber passer — via Trubisky extension or via outside acquisition — ahead of next season. The Bears have also featured little in the way of proven weaponry outside of Allen Robinson, who is a free agent. Pace’s work reassembling Chicago’s offense this offseason will go a long way toward determining his and Nagy’s long-term futures.
Bears DC Chuck Pagano To Retire
For a second time in three years, the Bears will need to replace their defensive coordinator. Chuck Pagano is preparing to retire, according to Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns of The Athletic (subscription required).
The former Colts head coach and cancer survivor spent two seasons as Chicago’s DC. The unit ranked in the top 10 in DVOA in each season. Pagano, 60, has been an NFL coach since 2001.
While Pagano’s defenses remained the anchor for offensively limited Bears teams, the group took a step back after Vic Fangio‘s 2019 departure. The Bears dropped from No. 1 in defensive DVOA in 2018 to eighth last season to eighth again this year. Certainly high marks, but with the Bears housing All-Pros in Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and Eddie Jackson — and another below-average offense — the team finished 8-8 and lost a one-sided wild-card matchup in New Orleans.
Pagano coached the Colts for six seasons, leading the team to three playoff berths. Despite a 2012 cancer diagnosis, he returned to the sideline later that season. In 2013, the Colts notched the second-greatest playoff comeback in NFL history — beating the Chiefs after trailing by 28 points — and a year later ventured to the AFC championship game. Pagano’s Indianapolis run began to decline soon after, however, and ended following a 2017 season in which Andrew Luck missed.
A college coach since the mid-1980s, Pagano broke out as a head coaching candidate while with the Ravens in the late 2000s and early 2010s. He coached with the Browns and Raiders as well, working with those franchises and the Ravens as a secondary coach before a one-and-done season as Baltimore’s DC in 2011, and was with the Miami Hurricanes from 1995-2000.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/21
A long list of reserve/futures contracts to pass along:
Chicago Bears
- WR Rodney Adams, DB Marqui Christian, DB Xavier Crawford, OL Dieter Eiselen, TE Jesper Horsted, WR Thomas Ives, DT LaCale London, OLB Ledarius Mack, DB Teez Tabor, OL Badara Traore
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Darius Anderson, S Ibraheim Campbell, CB Andre Chachere, DT Kameron Cline, WR Quartney Davis, G Jake Eldrenkamp, TE Farrod Green, G Sam Jones, T Carter O’Donnell, RB Paul Perkins, P Austin Rehkow, CB Will Sunderland, CB Roderic Teamer, TE Andrew Vollert, DT Chris Williams, DT Rob Windsor
New York Giants
Seattle Seahawks
- OT Tommy Champion, QB Danny Etling, WR Aaron Fuller, WR Penny Hart, DB Gavin Heslop, DT Cedrick Lattimore, C Brad Lundblade, TE Tyler Mabry, QB Alex McGough, DB Jordan Miller, WR Cody Thompson
Tennessee Titans
- OT Paul Adams, WR Rashard Davis, TE Parker Hesse, WR Cody Hollister, TE Tommy Hudson, LB Jan Johnson, T Brandon Kemp, QB DeShone Kizer, K Tucker McCann, OL Daniel Munyer, OLB Nate Orchard, LS Matt Orzech, WR Chester Rogers, OLB Tuzar Skipper
Washington Football Team
- DT David Bada, WR Jeff Badet, DB Jordan Brown, WR Tony Brown, TE Dylan Cantrel, WR Trevor Davis, DE Jalen Jelks, DT Devaroe Lawrence, RB Javon Leake, T Rick Leonard, TE Tyrone Swoopes, K Kaare Vedvik, RB Jonathan Williams
Mitchell Trubisky “Can See” Bears Return
Reigning NVP Mitchell Trubisky is slated for free agency. However, the quarterback says he “can see” a scenario in which he returns to the Bears (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com).
“I think I can definitely see myself back here next year,” Trubisky said. “Obviously, a lot of that is out of my control, but it feels like home and it feels like we have unfinished business. Right now, I’m just bummed about this season being over and how the game went. So, a lot of emotions going on right now, but I can see that. We’ll see. There are a lot of things that have to happen and a lot of decisions that have to be made and that’s out of my control, but I can see that.”
Trubisky, a hit with the ages 6-12 demo, lost his starting job to Nick Foles early in the season. He returned to the starting lineup in Week 12 and helped the Bears to wins over the Texans, Vikings, and Jaguars. However, it was all downhill after that, and Sunday’s loss to the Saints could mark his final game with Chicago.
Despite it all, Trubisky remains confident in his abilities.
“I feel like I got better [after the benching],” Trubisky said. “I feel like I got better this year. I feel like when I was put back in the starting lineup that the offense was better and I gave my team a chance to win, and we did win games, and that is why we were able to get back into the playoffs. It wasn’t just me, but it was the whole unit coming together and the whole team making plays and really getting through that adversity together. But I feel like I was a big part of that.
“So there are some good things that we did toward the end of the season that helped put us in position to be able to play here tonight, but that’s now how we want to finish…I think we have some pieces, but there is a lot more that we need to do better, and we need to figure that out.”
2021 NFL Draft Order
Wild Card weekend is in the books and 75% of the NFL’s 2021 Draft order has been set. Here’s the rundown, thus far:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. San Francisco 49ers
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
GM Notes: Colbert, Patriots, Panthers, Rhule, Bears, Pace
We brought you a new batch of coaching notes earlier, and now we’ve got a new collection of front office bullets to pass along as the Browns and Steelers wrap up wild card weekend:
- Let’s start with the Steelers, who could be in danger of losing their GM this offseason. We heard last week that the Lions were going to pursue Kevin Colbert, and Jason La Canfora tweets their interest in making that happen is still “very real.” While La Canfora’s sources don’t think Colbert would actually make the jump, he says the Lions “continue to gather info and strategize on how to possibly lure him.” Colbert, in the midst of his 21st season in Pittsburgh, has also flirted with retirement recently. Perhaps a first-round exit at the hands of the Browns could convince him to jump ship?
- The Patriots just lost one key exec when Nick Caserio got hired by the Texans, and fortunately for them it doesn’t look like they’ll lose another. Dave Ziegler has pulled himself out of contention for the Broncos’ GM job, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Rapsheet writes that the “organization has committed to Ziegler’s future, and Ziegler has committed to” New England, so it sounds like the Pats gave him an extension and/or raise to stay.
- There was another big withdrawal on Sunday, as Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds removed himself from the Panthers’ search, Stephen Holder of The Athletic tweets. He had interviewed for the job last week. Dodds declined an interview request from the Browns back in January, so he appears to be waiting for the right opportunity to leave Indy.
- Meanwhile as the Panthers’ search chugs along, they’ll take a look at a couple of internal candidates. Carolina will interview Director of Player Negotiations & Salary Cap Manager Samir Suleiman and Director of Player Personnel Pat Stewart for their GM vacancy (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Athletic). The Panthers are conducting an exhaustive search, so it’s possible these are just courtesy interviews.
- One last note on the Panthers for now. No matter who they hire, it looks like it may be Matt Rhule who’s in charge at the end of the day. “Rhule will essentially be running the show in Carolina,” after they replace the fired Marty Hurney, a source told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. That’s not all that surprising after owner David Tepper paid him a fortune to lure him from Baylor and Rhule earned strong marks for his first season with the Panthers, getting a bare-bones roster to fight hard and play a bunch of close games against good teams. Florio writes that whoever gets the gig “surely won’t get the job without Rhule’s agreement.” Rhule seems like a strong coach, but obviously these kind of arrangements can get dangerous, as we’ve seen with the Texans and Bill O’Brien.
- Matt Nagy is going to be back with the Bears in 2021, but GM Ryan Pace’s future apparently isn’t entirely secure. Chicago could target Chiefs exec Mike Borgonzi this offseason, multiple sources told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. As Biggs points out, it would make sense for them to bring in someone familiar with Nagy if they’re going to change GMs but not coaches. Nagy, of course, coached in Kansas City under Andy Reid for a while. The Bears’ blowout loss to the Saints today certainly isn’t working in Pace’s favor, and the drafting of Mitchell Trubisky second overall never worked out. This will be an interesting situation to monitor this week.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/21
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Christian Kirk
- Promoted: DL Stacy McGee, LB Terrance Smith, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: WR Chris Rowland, WR Devin Gray, TE Jared Pinkney
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Nate Brooks, QB Tyler Huntley
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Tyler Kroft; Kroft contracted the coronavirus
- Promoted: TE Nate Becker, CB Dane Jackson, DE Mike Love, RB Antonio Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: LB Clay Johnston, T Aaron Monteiro, QB Tommy Stevens
- Placed on IR: CB Troy Pride
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DB Xavier Crawford
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Mike Daniels
- Promoted: LB Keandre Jones, DT Kahlil McKenzie, CB Winston Rose
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Jets’ practice squad: G Blake Hance
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Karl Joseph
- Promoted: G Cordell Iwuagwu, LB Montrel Meander, T Alex Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DB Steven Parker
- Promoted: DT Walter Palmore, T William Sweet
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: WR K.J. Hamler
- Promoted: LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DT Danny Shelton
- Promoted: C Evan Brown, DT Albert Huggins, S Bobby Price
- Waived: DL Frank Herron
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: David Bakhtiari (story)
- Promoted: G Ben Braden, DL Brian Price
Houston Texans
- Promoted: OL Greg Mancz, WR Steven Mitchell
- Placed on IR: OL Brent Qvale
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Ibraheim Campbell, T Jared Veldheer
- Activated from IR: TE Noah Togiai
- Waived: WR Marcus Johnson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Collin Johnson
- Promoted: WR Terry Godwin, OL Tre’vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: S Jeff Heath
- Promoted: LB James Onwualu, OL Erik Magnuson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DB John Brannon
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: QB Bryce Perkins
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: S Nate Holley, WR Marcus Kemp, QB Reid Sinnett
- Waived: FB Chandler Cox
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: CB Tae Hayes, Cordrea Tankersley, DE Eddie Yarbrough
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: RB Damien Harris
- Promoted: TE/DL Rashod Berry, CB Michael Jackson, LB Cassh Maluia, OL Ross Reynolds, CB D’Angelo Ross
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: FB Michael Burton, RB Latavius Murray, S D.J. Swearinger, RB Dwayne Washington; Murray and Washington are close contacts of COVID-positive Alvin Kamara (story)
- Promoted: LB Andrew Dowell, TE Garrett Griffin, CB Grant Haley, LB Chase Hansen, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey, RB Tony Jones Jr., WR Tommylee Lewis
New York Giants
- Activated from IR: LB Kyler Fackrell, CB Madre Harper
- Promoted: P Ryan Santoso
- Placed on IR: FB Elijhaa Penny
- Waived: QB/WR Joe Webb
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: G Greg Van Roten
- Waived: K Sam Ficken
- Promoted: LB Noah Dawkins, LB Sharif Finch, LB Brady Sheldon, DL Tanzel Smart
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: S Blake Countess, DE Joe Ostman, T Prince Tega Wanogho
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Eric Ebron, LB Cassius Marsh
- Promoted: WR Deon Cain, T Anthony Coyle, TE Kevin Rader, K Matthew Wright
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: G Tom Compton
- Promoted: DT Josiah Coatney, WR Jordan Matthews, K Tristan Vizcaino, OL Isaiah Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: CB Tre Flowers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Damarious Randall, T Brandon Shell
- Promoted: G Alex Boone, RB Alex Collins, WR Penny Hart
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Herb Miller, DL Benning Potoa’e
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Brett Kern
- Promoted: LB Brooks Reed, K Sam Sloman
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Dontrelle Inman