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Don Martindale, Brian Callahan Out Of Colts HC Pursuit

February 10th, 2023 at 10:33am CST by Sam Robinson

10:40am: Callahan has also been informed he is no longer in the mix for the Indy job, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Although the Cardinals interviewed Callahan as well, he is not believed to have advanced to the finals of that race. These developments will keep Callahan in Cincinnati for a fifth year as the AFC contender’s offensive coordinator.

Only one of the 10 HC-seeking teams last year (Denver) interviewed Callahan, and he was a late entry into both the Arizona and Indianapolis searches this year. Keeping Callahan for another season will continue to ensure continuity for a rising Bengals team, which has seen its Joe Burrow-led offense ignite over the past two seasons.

10:33am: As the Colts move closer to ending their long-running search for a head coach, Don Martindale is no longer believed to be in the running. The Giants’ defensive coordinator is out of the mix, Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.

The 2022 Giants DC hire is staying in New York, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes (via Twitter). Martindale remains attached to a three-year Giants contract. This represents a positive development for Brian Daboll‘s staff, which still risks losing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. The young play-caller remains in the race for the Cardinals’ head coaching job. Kafka did not receive a second Colts interview.

One of eight Colts candidates to have gone through a second interview, Martindale joins Ejiro Evero among that lot in no longer being in contention for the position. Evero was one of the first names to be connected to a second Indianapolis meeting, but he accepted Carolina’s DC offer. The Colts are also now unlikely to bump Jeff Saturday up to their full-time HC.

Martindale took over a Giants defense that featured gaping holes at linebacker and cornerback, and while DVOA viewed the Giants as a bottom-tier defense (29th), the group fared well in spots the help Daboll’s team to key wins during one of the more surprising runs to the divisional round in recent memory. Dexter Lawrence‘s breakthrough under Martindale certainly looks like a seminal development, with the former first-round pick now squarely on the radar for a monster extension.

Should Saturday and Martindale indeed be out of the running, it would leave Rich Bisaccia, Brian Callahan, Aaron Glenn, Raheem Morris and Shane Steichen left in the race. With the Colts likely waiting until after Super Bowl LVII, Steichen — finishing up his second season as Eagles OC — remains a name to watch here. Many around the NFL believe Jim Irsay is targeting Steichen, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports tweets.

Lou Anarumo, Mike Kafka Set For Second Cardinals HC Interviews

February 4th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The first known finalists for Arizona’s head coaching vacancy have emerged. The Cardinals are set to meet for a second time with Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (Twitter links via Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

Anarumo, 56, has been in Cincinnati since 2019, a spot which gave him his second career DC opportunity. His role in helping the Bengals emerge as AFC heavyweights over the past two seasons has increasingly been brought to the attention of the NFL community, as the 2023 coaching cycle continues. Anarumo’s unit surrendered the sixth-fewest points in the regular season in 2022, earning him and Bengals OC Brian Callahan interviews with the Cardinals this past week.

Most of the candidates named in Arizona’s search to date have a background on the defensive side of the ball. The Cardinals fielded the league’s second-worst scoring defense in 2022, and its roster turnover this offseason will include future Hall of Fame edge rusher J.J. Watt not returning. Immediately following the announcement of Kliff Kingsbury‘s firing, DC Vance Joseph was mentioned as a serious candidate to replace him. Several external candidates have been interviewed since, however, including Anarumo. The latter will meet virtually with new general manager Monti Ossenfort on Friday, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link).

No timetable is yet known for Kafka’s interview, though it too will take place via Zoom. The 35-year-old took on an OC position for the first time in 2022, when he joined Brian Daboll‘s first Giants staff. His work as a QBs coach in Kansas City put him on the coordinator radar, though it still came as a surprise when he was given play-calling duties. That move paid dividends for Big Blue, as the Giants shattered expectations en route to a run to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Kafka has interviewed with four of the five teams which entered this offseason in need of a new coach, underscoring his perceived value around the league. He met with the Texans for a second time last month, though Houston has since made the expected move of hiring DeMeco Ryans as their new bench boss. With a second interview now on tap with Arizona, though, the possibility remains that he could land a HC job to cap off his noteworthy rise.

With the second round of their HC search set to begin soon, here is the updated breakdown of the Cardinals’ interview process:

Coaching Notes: Texans, 49ers, Bengals, Panthers

February 4th, 2023 at 12:38pm CST by Ben Levine

DeMeco Ryans was a popular name on the head coach market before ultimately landing with the Texans. The now-former 49ers defensive coordinator also generated strong interest from the Broncos, but the coach admitted that his choice to join Houston instead of Denver wasn’t all that difficult.

“When it came down to it, there was no place I wanted to be any more than H-Town,” Ryans said earlier this week (via NFL Network’s Bridget Condon on Twitter). “…It was a no brainer.”

While Ryans’ comments could certainly be interpreted as shade being thrown at the Broncos, his comments were more about his connection to Houston and the Texans organization. Ryans was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2006 draft, and he proceeded to spend six years with the organization. While the Texans were able to lure their favorite for the job, the Broncos had to pivot to Sean Payton, who was ultimately dealt from the Saints to Denver.

With Ryans now in the building, the focus shifts to the rest of the coaching staff. Naturally, the coach will be looking to some of his former peers for positions, as we previously heard that 49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik as well as 49ers defensive quality control coaches Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Stephen Adegoke are candidates to join Ryans in Houston. Matt Barrows of The Athletic adds another name to the list of targeted 49ers coaches, noting that Ryans leaned heavily on safeties coach Daniel Bullocks when he was in San Francisco. Barrows described Bullocks as Ryans’ “eyes in the coaches’ booth,” so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the head coach recruits his confidante to Houston.

More coaching notes from around the NFL…

  • Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher interviewed for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator job before Cincinnati ultimately signed him to an extension. However, the new contract hasn’t stopped teams from inquiring on his availability. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor indicated that “there’s still interest from other teams” in adding Pitcher to their staff, per ESPN’s Ben Baby on Twitter. Pitcher became the club’s quarterbacks coach in 2020, and his work with 2020 No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow over the past few years is starting to pique the interest of other organizations.
  • It’s been a bit since we heard that the Commanders requested an interview with 49ers assistant head coach/running backs coach Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancy. Earlier this week, Josina Anderson passed along (via Twitter) that Lynn had follow-up and informal conversations with the Commanders to determine “if there is mutual interest.” It’s uncertain if the two sides decided to move on with a formal interview.
  • Commanders defensive backs coach Chris Harris interviewed for the 49ers defensive coordinator vacancy earlier this week. If Harris doesn’t land the gig, he’s most likely going to end up on the Titans coaching staff, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). We heard last month that Harris was set to join the Titans as their their defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. However, no deal was finalized, and Harris was clearly waiting out the 49ers’ search before fully committing to Tennessee.
  • The Panthers are searching for new coordinators on both sides of the ball, but it sounds like their special teams coordinator will be sticking around under new head coach Frank Reich. According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, general manager Scott Fitterer and owner David Tepper encouraged head coaching candidates to retain ST coordinator Chris Tabor and offensive line coach James Campen for next season. Following a four-year stint as the Bears special teams head, Tabor joined the Panthers last offseason, with Reich describing the unit as “really strong.” Campen has bounced around a bit in recent years before landing in Carolina for the 2022 campaign.

Misdemeanor Menacing Charge Against Bengals RB Joe Mixon Dropped

February 3rd, 2023 at 6:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Bengals running back Joe Mixon had a misdemeanor menacing charge against him dropped earlier today, marking a notable turn of events for his case, which may not be over yet. The warrant for the 26-year-old, which alleged that he pointed a gun at a woman’s head last month, was dismissed by a Hamilton County (OH) judge, as detailed by Sharon Coolidge and Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The original investigator for the case was initially instructed to begin a “cursory review” of the matter, which allegedly took place on January 21, before proceeding with charges. Since that failed to take place, the case has since been reassigned, per a statement from the Cincinnati Police Department. The woman in question has remained cooperative with the investigation to date, including the decision to drop the charge at this time.

Mixon’s agent was confident that would take place today, writes ESPN’s Ben Baby. However, the possibility still remains that charges could be refiled in the future, as the investigation into the matter remains ongoing. “The evidence will guide CPD’s investigation and actions, and newly obtained evidence has since been recovered,” per the police statement. “Once all evidence is fully examined, criminal charges can be refiled at a later date.”

Pointing a gun – which Mixon is accused of doing as part of a road-rage incident – is a first-degree misdemeanor in Ohio. The alleged incident took place shortly before the Bengals headed to Buffalo for their Divisional Round game against the Bills. Cincinnati’s season came to an end the following week, leaving Mixon with two years remaining on his current contract.

As the investigation is still ongoing, more will no doubt be announced in the near future with respect to evidence collected and whether or not Mixon will ultimately face criminal charges upon its conclusion.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 2nd, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:

  1. Chicago Bears: $90.91MM
  2. Atlanta Falcons: $56.42MM
  3. New York Giants: $44.28MM
  4. Houston Texans: $37.56MM
  5. Cincinnati Bengals: $35.55MM
  6. New England Patriots: $32.71MM
  7. Seattle Seahawks: $31.04MM
  8. Baltimore Ravens: $26.87MM
  9. Las Vegas Raiders: $19.78MM
  10. Arizona Cardinals: $14.47MM
  11. Kansas City Chiefs: $13.96MM
  12. Detroit Lions: $13.83MM
  13. Indianapolis Colts: $12.59MM
  14. Denver Broncos: $9.07MM
  15. San Francisco 49ers: $8.28MM
  16. Washington Commanders: $8.24MM
  17. Philadelphia Eagles: $4.24MM
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.03MM
  19. New York Jets: $1.31MM over the cap
  20. Dallas Cowboys: $7.18MM over
  21. Carolina Panthers: $8.94MM over
  22. Los Angeles Rams: $14.19MM over
  23. Cleveland Browns: $14.64MM over
  24. Miami Dolphins: $16.45MM over
  25. Green Bay Packers: $16.48MM over
  26. Buffalo Bills: $17.88MM over
  27. Los Angeles Chargers: $20.38MM over
  28. Jacksonville Jaguars: $22.35MM over
  29. Minnesota Vikings: $23.43MM over
  30. Tennessee Titans: $23.67MM over
  31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $55.03MM over
  32. New Orleans Saints: $60.47MM over

These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.

While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.

The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.

The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).

Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.

Latest On Texans’ Coordinator Searches

January 31st, 2023 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have secured their new head coach, as the organization agreed to a six-year contract with DeMeco Ryans earlier today. Now, the organization is shifting the focus to coordinators, and the Texans have already starting compiling a list of candidates for both roles.

[RELATED: Texans Hire DeMeco Ryans As HC]

It sounds like Ryans will presumably bring in his own staff, meaning incumbent offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton will likely be on the outside looking in. The Texans have already started reaching out to potential candidates, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting (via Twitter) that the organization has requested an interview with 49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik for the OC job. Meanwhile, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter) that the Texans have also requested permission to interview Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters for the gig.

Slowik would be a natural fit if Ryans is hoping to implement some of San Francisco’s offensive philosophies. Slowik has been with the 49ers since 2017 and actually started on the defensive side of the ball. He moved to offense in 2019, became an offensive pass game specialist in 2021, and earned the promotion to offensive passing game coordinator in 2022. The 49ers, of course, dealt with a number of injuries at quarterback this past season, but the team still got 29 passing touchdowns (vs. only eight interceptions) from Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Brock Purdy.

It’s not a huge surprise that Walters is getting a look for an offensive coordinator job. While the Bengals organization has invested plenty of resources into the receiver position, Walters has still gotten the most out of the trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. The 46-year-old coach doesn’t have much of an NFL coaching resume, but he previously served as offensive coordinator at UCF and Nebraska.

The 49ers didn’t have a defensive coordinator in 2022, with head coach Lovie Smith mostly being responsible for defensive play-calling. With Smith now out of the picture, it sounds like Ryans will be looking for someone to help guide the defense. According to Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com (via Twitter), the Texans have interest in Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel for the defensive coordinator job.

Following an eight-year playing career, Manuel joined the coaching ranks as an assistant special teams coach with the Seahawks in 2012. He worked his way up to become the Falcons’ defensive coordinator from 2017-18, but following a top-10 performance during his first year, Atlanta finished in the bottom five in 2018, leading to his ouster. After a one-year stint as a DBs coach with the Eagles in 2020, Manuel joined Robert Saleh‘s first Jets staff in 2021 and has served as Gang Green’s safeties coach over the past two seasons. The Jets allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game and the third-fewest passing yards per game in 2022, leading to him also garnering an interview for the Panthers’ defensive coordinator job.

The Texans also have interest in 49ers passing game specialist-secondary coach Cory Undlin for the defensive coordinator job, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Besides having worked extensively with Ryans over the past two years, Undlin has experience as a defensive coordinator, having served in the role with the Lions in 2020. Of course, that stint ended with his firing, but Undlin has seemingly rehabilitated his image following two successful seasons in San Francisco. The long-time coach won Super Bowl rings with the Patriots and Eagles, and he’s also head coaching stints with the Browns, Jaguars, and Broncos.

Undlin isn’t the only 49ers defensive coach that Ryans is considering. According to Wilson, the Texnas also have interest in 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. However, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is “expected to work to keep his staff intact” following Ryans’ move to Houston. Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets that Ryans could also recruit 49ers defensive quality control coaches Stephen Adegoke and Andrew Hayes-Stoker to Houston (but presumably not for the DC job).

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/31/23

January 31st, 2023 at 7:23pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s reserve/futures contracts handed out:

Cincinnati Bengals

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Colts To Conduct Second HC Interview With Brian Callahan

January 30th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan had drawn the interest of only one team needing a new head coach until earlier today. Now, though, he is set to be a finalist with the first squad to reach out to him.

The Colts are reaching out to Callahan to conduct a second interview with him, reports Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link). He adds that the sit-down could take place as soon as this Wednesday. In that event, it would precede his (first) interview with the Cardinals by one day.

Callahan, like Cincinnati DC Lou Anarumo, has put himself on the HC radar with his unit’s performances in recent years in particular. Part of head coach Zac Taylor‘s first Bengals staff in 2019, Callahan joined the AFC North squad following stints as the quarterbacks coach of the Lions and Raiders.

His first career OC gig began with underwhelming numbers, to say the least. The Bengals ranked 30th, then 29th in scoring in 2019 and 2020, as the team struggled during the opening campaigns of the Taylor era. Things started to change dramatically last year, however, as quarterback Joe Burrow began to turn into the MVP-caliber player he has since become. The Bengals ranked seventh in the league in points for each of the past two seasons, which has seen the franchise play in consecutive AFC title games and make one Super Bowl appearance.

Much of Cincinnati’s success has come through the air, with the team ranking top-10 in passing yards over that span but outside the top 20 in the NFL on the ground. That comes as little surprise, given the formidable presence of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd as wideouts. Callahan’s tenure has also seen strong play at the running back position, though, with Joe Mixon enjoying a career year in 2021.

Callahan interviewed for the first time with the Colts earlier this month as part of their lengthy search for their full-time bench boss. Controversial interim hire Jeff Saturday remains in the running despite the nature in which his brief tenure unfolded. Callahan represents one several other staffers being seriously considered alongside him, however.

Here is an updated look at the Colts’ search:

Cardinals Request HC Interviews With Lou Anarumo, Brian Callahan, Mike Kafka

January 30th, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

2:45pm: In addition to Anarumo and Callahan, the Cardinals are set to meet with Giants OC Mike Kafka, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). That makes Arizona the fourth team to show interest in him, a testament to how quickly he has risen up the ranks in league circles despite his relative lack of experience. The 35-year-old’s time as a coordinator began this past season, his first with the Giants. His success in leading the team to the divisional round to the playoffs may not be enough to land him a HC gig this year, but it will keep him squarely on the radar for years to come. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets that Kafka’s interview will take place tomorrow.

12:08pm: The Bengals’ success in 2022 led to increasing calls for each of the team’s top assistants to receive head coaching interest. One day after their loss in the AFC title game, both of Zac Taylor‘s most well-respected lieutenants have received requests for interviews.

The Cardinals are seeking an interview with both defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan (Twitter links via Peter Schrager and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). The former began his NFL coaching career in 2012 as a DBs coach with the Dolphins. He held that role throughout his six-year tenure there, operating as interim DC in 2015.

That led him to the Giants for a single season, then his first full-time coordinator gig with the Bengals in 2019. Like Taylor’s rookie campaign as a bench boss, that season saw the team put up underwhelming numbers. However, Cincinnati’s defense showed improvement from one year to the next in terms of both yards and points allowed. In 2022, the Bengals ranked 16th and sixth, respectively, in those categories.

Given their continued improvement under Anarumo, eyebrows were raised in the early part of this year’s head coaching cycle that no interest was shown in him. Teams have, traditionally, slanted towards offensive candidates though a number of highly-regarded defensive assistants have represented exceptions to that general rule. Anarumo could become the latest such example, as the Cardinals look for a significant step forward defensively in 2023 and beyond.

Callahan, likewise, has flown under the radar relative to several other candidates with an offensive background. The 38-year-old was installed as Cincinnati’s OC as part of Taylor’s initial staff in 2019, following time spent as an assistant with the Broncos, Lions and Raiders. His first coordinator role has been marked by a slow start in terms of production, but a sharp turnaround in recent years with the Bengals assembling one of the top offenses in the league.

Callahan has seen his unit deliver top-10 scoring performances for each of the past two seasons; the Bengals also had an elite showing in terms of yardage in 2022, ranking eighth in that department. Callahan has helped guide the development of the team’s young nucleus on offense, a group led by quarterback Joe Burrow, wideouts Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and running back Joe Mixon. Their shared success earned Callahan a HC interview with the Colts earlier this month.

It was reported yesterday that the Cardinals are narrowing their list of candidates for second interviews in the event Sean Payton is not acquired. That makes the inclusion of Anarumo and Callahan somewhat surprising, given how late in the process the team appears to be. Nevertheless, the pair are free to interview with Arizona – or any other interested team – at any time.

Here is an updated look at the Cardinals’ HC search:

Bengals Extend QBs Coach Dan Pitcher

January 29th, 2023 at 11:10am CST by Rory Parks

Dan Pitcher will be sticking with the Bengals. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Cincinnati has signed its quarterbacks coach to a lucrative contract extension that will take him through at least the 2023 season.

Pitcher, 36, interviewed for the Buccaneers’ open offensive coordinator position on Friday, which was the first time in his career he had been connected to a coordinator post. Rapoport says that the Ravens also inquired on Pitcher, but rather than risk losing him to another club, the Bengals made a proactive move to reward one of their most important staffers.

Pitcher broke into the professional coaching ranks in 2016 as an offensive assistant on the staff of former Cincinnati HC Marvin Lewis. When Zac Taylor took over as the Bengals’ head coach in 2019, he retained Pitcher and promoted him to assistant quarterbacks coach. Pitcher became the club’s top quarterbacks coach the following year, and his work with 2020 No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow over the past three seasons is starting to pique the interest of other organizations.

Burrow, of course, has become one of the league’s best signal-callers and could be in line for a market-topping extension this offseason. He has the Bengals on the cusp of their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, and assuming the team continues to thrive in 2023, Pitcher will likely garner more OC looks.

Of course, the Bengals’ own offensive coordinator, Brian Callahan, has generated some HC buzz, and Pitcher could fill Callahan’s seat in Cincinnati if the latter should land a job as a bench boss elsewhere.

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