West Notes: Shanahan, Gase, 49ers, Fangio
Adam Gase and Mike Shanahan have several striking similarities — both are sharp offensive minds, have been employed by the Broncos, and most newsworthy, will be interviewed by the 49ers for their head coaching vacancy this weekend. According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Gase, Denver’s offensive coordinator, will meet with the Niners and the Falcons on Friday, before interviewing for the Bears’ HC position on Sunday. San Francisco’s decision-makers, owner Jed York and GM Trent Baalke, will also visit with Shanahan, who resides in the Denver area. Here’s more from the West divisions…
- The 49ers have a busy weekend ahead of them, as the club will also interview former Jets head coach Rex Ryan on Sunday, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (via Twitter). Ryan, who is also a candidate for the Falcons job, could have leg up for the SF gig because he “loves” Colin Kaepernick, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
- While their focus is on finding a new head coach, the 49ers could be on the verge of losing several key assistants. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio would like to be a head coach, and could opt to pursue other options if he’s passed over for the San Francisco job, reports Matt Barrows of the San Francisco Bee (via Twitter). Washington is interested in interviewing Fangio for its vacant DC position, but as he’s still in the mix for SF’s top job, they haven’t yet been granted permission to speak with him, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Washington wanted to meet with Fangio last year regarding its HC gig, but didn’t get the opportunity because of San Francisco’s extended playoff run, per Barrows (on Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Washington has been granted permission to speak to two other assistant coaches about its defensive coordinator job, and both are currently employed by West division clubs. Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry and 49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell will meet with Washington as the team looks to replace Jim Haslett, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
- 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is a candidate for the team’s head coaching position, and if he is promoted to the top job, he’ll look to bring in Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver for the same position in San Francisco, reports Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter), who notes that Fangio wouldn’t be interested in remaining on staff under Tomsula.
- Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters, including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, that he doesn’t expect to make any changes to his coaching staff.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Allen, Wayne, Eagles, Bears
Washington GM Bruce Allen held his year-end press conference today and was put in a position where he more or less had to defend his job, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. At the presser, Allen defended the signing of free agent defensive end Jason Hatcher and putting the franchise tag on linebacker Brian Orakpo. Orakpo was given the franchise tag despite a serious injury history and Hatcher was given a lucrative deal despite mild production prior to his walk year. Here’s more from around the league in our New Year’s Eve edition of Extra Points..
- If pressed for a decision, Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne says he’d come back for 2015, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells writes. “If I had to answer that question today, I’d say I’ll be back… as long as the Colts would have me,” he said on his weekly radio show on WNDE-1260 AM in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
- The Eagles released Tom Gamble, their vice president of player personnel, earlier today. The move adds weight to speculation that coach Chip Kelly and general manager Howie Roseman have not seen eye to eye over the last year, ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan writes.
- The Bears have requested to interview five GM candidates, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter): Chris Ballard (Chiefs), Lake Dawson (Titans), Eric DeCosta (Ravens), Brian Gaine (Texans), and Ryan Pace (Saints).
- Colts backup Matt Hasselbeck isn’t under contract for 2015, but he’s also not thinking about retirement, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Neither he nor the Colts have discussed a return just yet, but he sounds very open to the idea.
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The Buccaneers like Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, but they could have competition for his services, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. A source says that Koetter is held in high regard by two other head coaching candidates: Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and San Francisco defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looked ahead at what’s in store for the Titans this offseason.
- Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson declined a plea bargain on an October arrest, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Johnson becomes a free agent in early March and has said that he will seek a multi-year deal.
Coach Notes: Kubiak, Raiders, Giants, Sumlin
Already cited as a candidate for multiple head coaching jobs, Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak told reporters today that he isn’t currently thinking about those opportunities (link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). According to Kubiak, his entire focus is on winning this Saturday’s game against the Steelers.
“I told you guys before that I’m consumed with what I’m doing,” Kubiak said. “It’s not time for stuff like that. It’s always flattering as a coach to be mentioned by any organization in football. My total focus is on our football game and trying to enjoy what I’m doing right now.”
As our head coaching search tracker shows, the Bears and Jets have requested an interview with Kubiak, so perhaps if the Ravens lose this weekend, those two clubs will have a chance to speak to him next week.
Here are a few more coaching-related updates, as we get ready to turn the page on 2014:
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll revealed that his offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, has already interviewed for the Raiders‘ head coaching position.
- Following the departure of quarterbacks coach Danny Langsdorf for Nebraska, the Giants have re-hired a familiar face for the position, bringing back Mike Sullivan, the team announced today in a press release. Sullivan was the club’s quarterbacks coach in 2010 and 2011.
- Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin has informed multiple NFL teams with interest in his services that he’ll remain with the Aggies, sources tell ESPN.com. Will Carroll of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears from a source that Sumlin’s agent was contacted by three NFL clubs.
- Speaking of Texas A&M, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets that Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver was on the school’s radar for the same position with the Aggies. As ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson writes, Tarver’s contract with Oakland is set to expire, so there’s a good chance he’ll be on the move this offseason, especially if the team doesn’t make Tony Sparano its permanent head coach.
George Paton Turns Down Bears, Jets
Despite receiving interest from both the Bears and Jets for their open general manager positions, Vikings assistant GM George Paton has turned down the opportunity to interview with either team, according to Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). It appears Paton will remain in the Minnesota front office for the 2015 season.
Paton “has been a hot commodity and is getting hotter,” according to Pompei (Twitter link), who adds that the Vikings executive is well-respected around the league, and has played a large part in restocking the club’s roster. The Jets also expressed interest in Paton during their last GM search, but he turned them down at that time as well.
With Paton out of the mix, the Jets are set to interview Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan, Browns personnel executive Bill Kuharich, Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller, and Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner. Current Jets senior director of football administration Rod Graves, who is running the team’s football operations during the GM hunt, will also interview for the position today, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
As for the Bears, Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, Giants VP of player evaluation Marc Ross, Titans VP of player personnel Lake Dawson, and Ravens director of pro personnel Vince Newsome have all been cited as potential candidates for their GM job. Both Chicago and New York have also expressed interest in Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, though it remains to be seen whether he’ll be willing to discuss the possibility of leaving Baltimore.
Coach Notes: Bears, Quinn, Marrone, Ryan
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.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
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.
Coach Notes: Jets, Ryan, McDaniels, 49ers
Not long after he was fired by the Jets, Rex Ryan jumped on a plane to Florida to watch his son’s Clemson Tigers play in the Russell Athletic Bowl, as Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post writes. When asked what it was like to speak with his players for the final time, Ryan said, “It was rough, man. But hey, that’s the way it is.’’ With a vacancy in New York and others elsewhere, here’s a look at the latest coaching rumors..
- Charley Casserly, who is now consulting the Jets, inquired about UCLA head coach Jim Mora‘s buyout clause and contract language last week, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter).
- Former Jets coach Rex Ryan has interviews scheduled with the Falcons and 49ers for their openings, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will interview with the Falcons and 49ers this week, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- The 49ers will interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn tonight, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- There may not be a head coaching candidate more sought after this offseason than Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles — according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter), every team with a head coaching vacancy has contacted the Cards about interviewing Bowles. That includes the Raiders and Bears, which hadn’t been previously reported. Since Arizona plays in the Wild Card round, Bowles won’t be able to interview with any teams until next week.
- The Bears are the third team to request permission to speak to Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Falcons and 49ers had previously asked to interview Gase, who can talk to clubs during Denver’s bye week.
- The Titans‘ and Jaguars‘ coaching staffs will participate in the Senior Bowl game, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The 2-14 Buccaneers passed on the opportunity, and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) is curious about the team’s motives, considering the benefits of participating in the game. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that he heard last week from one Jaguars official that the Bucs may pass on the Senior Bowl because they’d be busy looking for an offensive coordinator — of course, as of today, the Jags are in the same boat.
Latest On Jets, Bears GM Searches
Of the five teams hunting for new head coaches, two have an even more daunting task ahead of them, as the Bears and Jets are also on the lookout for new general managers to head their football operations departments. The Jets have tasked two consultants, Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf, with identifying potential candidates, while the Bears hired former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi as an advisor for their search.
Heading into today, we’d heard Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner and Vikings assistant GM George Paton linked to the Jets’ opening, while things had been relatively quiet on the Bears’ front so far. More rumors and rumblings on both positions are starting to surface though, so let’s round up the latest updates:
- The Jets intend to interview their current senior director of football administration Rod Graves for their GM opening, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Mehta, confirming the report, tweets that it’s a “courtesy” on the Jets’ part.
- Costello adds (via Twitter) that the Jets have also asked the Browns permission to interview personnel executive Bill Kuharich.
Earlier updates:
- The Jets are interested in interviewing Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan for their GM vacancy, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. A source confirms to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link) that the Jets have indeed asked Houston for permission to speak to Maccagnan.
- Mehta also reports (via Twitter) that the Jets have requested permission to interview Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller. Mueller has previously worked for the Jaguars and Saints as well.
- The Jets are expected to make a strong push for Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) points out, DeCosta is contractually designated as Baltimore’s GM-in-waiting behind Ozzie Newsome — he’s a strong GM candidate for rival clubs, but is in a good situation with the Ravens and is “highly valued” by the organization. For now, the Jets have asked for permission to interview him, tweets Mehta.
- Four interview targets have emerged for the Bears‘ general manager opening, according to Rapoport, who lists the following candidate (via Twitter): Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, Giants VP of player evaluation Marc Ross, Titans VP of player personnel Lake Dawson, and Ravens director of pro personnel Vince Newsome.
2015 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker
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
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Hired
- Keith Armstrong, special teams coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed twice; was viewed as strong candidate
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Was viewed as strong candidate; hired by Jets
- Adam Gase, offensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed
- Doug Marrone, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed
- Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed
- Rex Ryan, former head coach (Jets): Interviewed; hired by Bills
Buffalo Bills
- Rex Ryan, former head coach (Jets): Hired
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed
- Darrell Bevell, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Adam Gase, offensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed
- Pep Hamilton, defensive coordinator (Colts): Requested interview
- Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed
- Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator (Patriots): Requested interview
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Frank Reich, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed
- Greg Roman, offensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed
- Kyle Shanahan, offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed
- Mike Shanahan, former head coach: Interviewed
- Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed
Chicago Bears
- John Fox, former head coach (Broncos): Hired
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed; hired by Jets
- Adam Gase, offensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed
- Gary Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Declined to interview
- Doug Marrone, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Mike Shanahan, former head coach: Was viewed as possible candidate
- Mike Singletary, NFL executive: He had interest in interviewing
Denver Broncos
- Gary Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Hired
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Lions): Withdrew from consideration
- Adam Gase, offensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed
- Vance Joseph, secondary coach (Bengals): Interviewed
- Doug Marrone, former head coach (Bills): Canceled interview
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Was candidate to interview
- Eric Studesville, running backs coach (Broncos): Was candidate to interview
New York Jets
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Hired
- Tom Cable, assistant head coach (Seahawks): Interviewed; had been viewed as a top candidate
- Gary Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Declined to interview
- Anthony Lynn, running backs coach (Jets): Interviewed
- Doug Marrone, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed
- Sean McDermott, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview cancelled
- Jim Mora, head coach (UCLA): Inquired on UCLA contract/buyout clause
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed; had been viewed as favorite
- Frank Reich, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed
Oakland Raiders
- Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Hired
- Darrell Bevell, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Declined to interview; hired by Jets
- Pep Hamilton, offensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed
- Scott Linehan, passing game coordinator (Cowboys): Requested interview
- Eric Mangini, tight ends coach (49ers): Interviewed
- Mike Shanahan, former head coach: Interviewed
- Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed
- Tony Sparano, interim head coach (Raiders): Interviewed
San Francisco 49ers
- Jim Tomsula, defensive line coach (49ers): Hired
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed; hired by Jets
- Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed
- Adam Gase, offensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed twice; was viewed as top candidate
- Gary Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Team had interest
- Doug Marrone, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed
- Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed
- Jim Mora, head coach (UCLA): Team was thought to have interest
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Rex Ryan, former head coach (Jets): Interviewed; hired by Bills
- Kyle Shanahan, offensive coordinator (Browns): Was viewed as candidate
- Mike Shanahan, former head coach: Interviewed
Extra Points: Suh, David, Accorsi, Draft
Lions star Ndamukong Suh has a chance of winning the appeal of his suspension, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. If Suh can win the appeal, he’ll be in action for Sunday’s playoff game against the Cowboys. While we wait to see how that plays out, let’s take a look at more news from around the NFL..
- Discussing linebacker Lavonte David, Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said the team would “like to lock him up now,” tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, adding that negotiations on a new deal are underway. The 2012 second-round pick becomes extension-eligible this offseason for the first time.
- The Bears announced today that they’ve hired former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi as a consultant as the team searches for a new GM and head coach, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Meanwhile, team president and CEO Ted Phillips confirmed today that besides offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer, whose contract was terminated, all of the other Bears assistants are still with the team (Twitter link). That includes defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.
- Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown and Arkansas defensive tackle Darius Philon may be playing their final college games tonight, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), who says both players are leaning toward entering the 2015 draft. The two players’ teams square off in the Texas Bowl.
- Former star NFL wideout Cris Carter indicated today (via Twitter) that his son, CFL receiver Duron Carter, will visit the Colts on January 5 and the Vikings on January 9.
- According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (all Twitter links), Carter isn’t the only notable CFL player drawing significant NFL attention. Caplan reports that Hamilton Tiger-Cats cornerback Delvin Breaux has 18 teams interested in bringing him in for a visit and/or a workout, including the Eagles, Patriots, Texans, Jaguars, Dolphins, Cardinals, Steelers, Lions, 49ers, and Broncos.
- Utah offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi announced that he will enter the 2015 draft, as Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweets. Poutasi projects as a mid-round prospect.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.