Browns Notes: Front Office, Manziel, Gordon
New Browns front office duo Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta spoke to reporters today at an afternoon press conference, and while the session wasn’t exactly filled with headline-worthy nuggets, Brown and DePodesta made a few comments worth passing along. Here’s a round-up:
- The Browns are looking to fill a crucial spot in their front office, but that position won’t get a general manager title, according to Brown (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). The new addition to the front office will be the vice president of player personnel, and Cleveland intends to make a hire within about a week.
- Brown is confident that the team can attract top candidates for that VP of player personnel role, even though Brown will retain final say over the 53-man roster. However, he acknowledges that teams are reluctant to let their top personnel guys go at this time of year, with the draft coming up (Twitter links via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com).
- The Browns are in no hurry to make a decision on quarterback Johnny Manziel, but Brown says he’ll defer to Hue Jackson if the new head coach decides he doesn’t want Manziel (Twitter link via Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald).
- As for Josh Gordon, the Browns also won’t rush into any decision on the suspended wide receiver. If Gordon is reinstated, the team will sit down with him and see how he’s doing, Brown said today (Twitter link via Ulrich).
- Brown has met with left tackle Joe Thomas and indicated that he’ll “be a big piece of what we do moving forward” (Twitter link via Cabot). Thomas suggested at season’s end that he may ask to be traded if he wasn’t fond of the new head coaching hire and the franchise’s offseason direction.
- DePodesta downplayed the idea that the Browns will be employing any sort of radical analytics, suggesting that his approach is more about a mindset than an algorithm, and the ultimate goal is to make the best possible decision (Twitter links via Ulrich).
Schefter On NFL Head Coaching Searches
While the Browns liked Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, the team recognized the importance of upgrading its offense, which was one reason Hue Jackson was the choice as Cleveland’s new head coach, writes Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, the Browns believe that by hiring Jackson they not only strengthened their own organization, but weakened a division rival, in the Bengals.
Schefter has some details on the rest of the head coaching decisions as well, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….
- The Giants “seriously entertained” the possibility of hiring Mike Smith as their head coach and keeping Ben McAdoo at offensive coordinator, says Schefter. However, when the Eagles expressed legit interest in McAdoo, the Giants knew they couldn’t risk losing him.
- As for those Eagles, they were determined to be more patient this time around than when they hired Chip Kelly, but two of their top candidates – Adam Gase and McAdoo – were hired by other teams while Philadelphia was being patient. Since the club was already familiar with Doug Pederson, it was “completely comfortable” turning to him despite the fact that his initial interview was ordinary, according to Schefter.
- The 49ers viewed Kelly, Mike Shanahan, Tom Coughlin, and Anthony Lynn as viable candidates, and felt they would have been in good shape no matter which direction they went in. The fact that Kelly is the only one of the group without a Super Bowl ring was a factor in San Francisco’s choice, since the club feels he’ll be hungry to get that championship.
- The Buccaneers took a week to hire Dirk Koetter even though most people expected him to be the choice all along, leading to some whispers that the Glazers “attempted a big swing” before officially promoting Koetter, says Schefter.
- Despite a final push from Ray Horton last Saturday, the Titans‘ owners never wanted to get away from Mike Mularkey, who was their top choice all along.
- As for the Dolphins, they entered their coaching search planning to be aggressive, and Gase’s desire to land a head coaching job – after being passed over last year – matched up well with that aggressiveness from the team, making him the first new coach hired this month.
North Notes: Allen, Gordon, Bears, Packers
Asked today during a press conference if he has confidence that cornerback Cortez Allen can be an impact player going forward, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that he’s not convinced of that, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). Since signing a four-year, $24.6MM extension about a year and a half ago, Allen has struggled significantly — he was benched in 2014 and missed nearly all of the 2015 season with a knee injury.
While it’s possible that Tomlin’s comment was a motivational tactic for Allen heading into 2016, it seems more likely that the club simply plans on moving on from the cornerback. Releasing him this winter would only save $1.7MM against the cap, but the club could increase those savings for 2016 to $4.4MM by designating Allen as a post-June 1 cut and pushing some of his dead money to 2017.
As we wait to see what the Steelers plan on doing with Allen, let’s check in on a few more items from out of the NFL’s North divisions….
- Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, who has filed for reinstatement from his year-long suspension, believes he has a “good chance” of having that application approved, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, Gordon has been working out in California and keeping his distant from bad influences as he looks to return to the NFL for the 2016 season.
- With Dowell Loggains ascending to the Bears‘ offensive coordinator job to replace Adam Gase, the club will need to name a new quarterbacks coach. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, wide receivers coach Mike Groh is an in-house candidate for that role. Biggs also identifies former Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone as a potential option for Loggains’ staff, though Ragone may still be under contract with Washington.
- Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com has the details on which Packers players cashed in on per-game roster bonuses this season.
- The Packers brought in wide receivers Kadron Boone and Jimmy Jean for workouts, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
Josh Gordon Files For Reinstatement
Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has filed his application for reinstatement from the suspension that sidelined him for the 2015 season, reports Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. It’s not clear exactly when Gordon submitted his application for reinstatement to the league office, but the rules of the process dictate that he’ll have his answer within 60 days, so we should learn his fate for 2016 within the next month or two.
Since his entry into the league in 2012, Gordon’s NFL career has been tumultuous to say the least. He missed the first two games of the 2013 season following a drug suspension, but then went on to lead the NFL in receiving yards, finishing with 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.
Hopes were high for the 2014 season, but Gordon’s off-the-field issues resurfaced, as he was first arrested for DUI, and then suspended for one year after again violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He was eventually reinstated after only 10 games as part of the NFL and the players’ union agreeing to a new drug policy, which reduced the sentences for some players-in-limbo. The Browns subsequently suspended Gordon for the final contest of the season after he reportedly violated team rules, and then a failed alcohol test resulted in the wideout’s ban of at least a year last February.
“To be reinstated, a player must demonstrate sustained abstinence,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello explained in an email to Grossi. “In support of their applications, players generally put forward verifiable testing records and/or submit to periodic NFL testing during the banishment period.”
While former Browns head coach Mike Pettine indicated in December that the team would welcome Gordon back with open arms, Pettine is obviously no longer involved in making that decision, and neither is former general manager Ray Farmer. So if Gordon is reinstated, it will be up to a group that includes Hue Jackson, Sashi Brown, and Paul DePodesta to decide whether the 24-year-old remains part of Cleveland’s plans.
Since Gordon’s contract tolled in 2015, his free agency has been postponed by a year — he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency a year from now if he’s on an NFL roster for at least six games in 2016. The team suspension that kept Gordon out of the 2014 regular-season finale cost him the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of his contract, since it limited him to five games in 2014. The NFLPA filed a grievance against the Browns on Gordon’s behalf for that suspension, but there has been no indication that the complaint was – or will be – successful.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Browns’ Coaching Staff Targets
9:36pm: The Dolphins wanted to interview Wilson for a running game coordinator position as well, writes Goessling in a full post, but the Vikings blocked Miami’s and Cleveland’s requests with the hope that they could sign Wilson for 2016 and beyond.
9:13pm: Wilson’s Wednesday interview is almost a formality, according to Goessling, who reports (Twitter link) that Wilson is “all but assured” of landing the running game coordinator position.
8:27pm: New Browns head coach Hue Jackson is still working to formulate a coaching staff, and it appears as though several new hires are close to being finalized. Veteran offensive coordinator Al Saunders is expected to join Cleveland as an assistant, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, while former Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson will interview with the club on Wednesday with an eye toward becoming the Browns’ running game coordinator, per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
Jackson and Saunders have a working relationship that dates back to the 2009 season, when both were working for the Ravens (they also worked together on the 2011 Raiders), so it’s no surprise that Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported this morning that Saunders was a “strong candidate” to join the Cleveland staff. The 68-year-old Saunders offers more than thirty years of NFL coaching experience, and while he won’t be calling plays (Jackson will do that), he’ll presumably help design the club’s weekly game plan.
Meanwhile, Wilson’s contract with the Vikings expired today, per Goessling, so he is now free to negotiate with any team. Previous reports indicated that Minnesota had blocked Cleveland’s request to interview Wilson, but now that he is no longer under contract, the Browns don’t need the Vikings’ approval. Wilson would add yet another voice — including Sanders and possibly Pep Hamilton, whom Jackson is also said to be courting — to Cleveland’s offensive meeting room.
Of course, Saunders and Wilson aren’t the only coaches that Jackson is reportedly eyeing, as we heard this morning that — after much trepidation — Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton interviewed for the same position with the Browns. In her report linked above, Cabot confirmed that today’s scheduled meeting did in fact take place.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Coach Rumors: Eagles, Schwartz, 49ers, Fins
While there are no head coaching jobs in the NFL that still need to be filled, many clubs are still tweaking their coaching staffs, making changes among position coaches or hiring new coordinators. Here’s a round-up of the latest news and rumors on those changes from across the league:
- There’s mutual interest between the Eagles and Jim Schwartz for the defensive coordinator role in Philadelphia. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), if Schwartz and Eagles head coach Doug Pederson hit it off and all goes well at today’s interview, Schwartz will likely end up with the job.
- Rapoport (Twitter links) also has a couple updates on the 49ers‘ defensive staff, reporting that Eric Mangini will interview to remain in his defensive coordinator role, while former Buccaneers linebackers coach Hardy Nickerson talked to the Niners about the same position in San Francisco.
- Longtime offensive coach Al Saunders, who has worked recently with the Dolphins, Raiders, and Ravens, is a “strong candidate” to join Hue Jackson‘s Browns coaching staff, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- Veteran coaches Jim Washburn and Jeremiah Washburn are headed to the Dolphins, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links). Jim, the elder Washburn, will work with the defensive line as a senior defensive assistant, while his son Jeremiah will be an offensive line assistant. The duo previously spent time with the Lions, so Jim has a history of working with Ndamukong Suh.
- Marvez adds (via Twitter) that the Lions denied the Dolphins‘ interview request for defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who would have been a candidate for that DL job in Miami.
Browns Notes: Horton, O-Line, Cap Room
Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton arrives in Cleveland today for his interview with the Browns, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Browns have made it clear that they want to hire Horton and things could happen quickly between the two sides.
It was just two days ago that Horton took exception to a report suggesting that he was heading to the Browns after being upset by not being given a fair shot at the Titans’ head coaching job — at the time, Horton indicated he was working on a contract extension to remain in Tennessee, so if he lands with the Browns later in the week, it would be a quick turnaround.
Here’s more from out of Cleveland:
- Following up on Horton, Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the Browns are paying his salary from his initial contract with the team, so Cleveland has some extra incentive to bring him aboard again.
- Already in the midst of a rebuild, the Browns risk creating a hole that doesn’t currently exist on the offensive line as free agency approaches, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. As McManamon observes, center Alex Mack can opt out of his contract, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is eligible for free agency, and left tackle Joe Thomas has hinted that he may ask to be traded. The offensive line has been one of Cleveland’s strong spots in recent years, so the club will have to do all it can to keep at least one or two members of this trio.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks ahead to the Browns’ offseason, focusing on the club’s cap situation and its pending free agents. Per Fitzgerald, the team currently projects to have about $35MM in cap space, but that figure could end up increasing to close to $60MM.
- In an interesting piece for TheMMQB.com, Jenny Vrentas examines the interview process for head coaching candidates, including what sort of questions interviewees can expect to be asked, and what sort of traits team executives are looking for. Within the piece, Vrentas notes that candidates who interviewed with the Browns this year had to ask about the team’s front office structure, featuring Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta.
Browns, Eagles, Jaguars Interested In Jim Schwartz
7:12pm: The Eagles will interview Schwartz for their defensive coordinator position Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan reports (on Twitter). Davis has not been fired but is not expected to be retained.
4:28pm: Schwartz is reportedly in Philadelphia and, according to 6ABC.com’s Jamie Apody, a strong possibility exists of Schwartz becoming the Eagles’ DC. The Browns’ and Jaguars’ reported interest in the seasoned DC won’t preclude the Jeffrey Lurie from outbidding them for Schwartz’s services, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes (on Twitter).
4:21pm: As teams look to fill defensive coordinator jobs, Jim Schwartz‘s name has come up in multiple teams’ searches.
The Browns, Eagles and Jaguars are interested in the former Lions head coach, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com reports, and Schwartz is considering his options. Cleveland has contacted Schwartz, according to Pat McMenamon of ESPN.com, about the position.
The Jaguars have already interviewed Schwartz for their opening, and the Browns are still planning to interview current Titans DC Ray Horton for their vacancy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The Browns, per Rapoport, are getting permission from the Titans to interview Horton, who served as the Cleveland DC in 2013.
The 49-year-old Schwartz would prefer to rejoin the Titans, whose defense he presided over from 2001-08 before taking the Lions’ head-coaching job, according to Kuharsky. Dick LeBeau‘s presence as assistant head coach with defensive responsibilities may cloud that situation, per Kuharsky, especially with Horton rumored to be staying on as Tennessee’s DC.
Schwartz went 29-51 as head coach of the Lions and did not coach in 2015 after serving as the Bills’ defensive coordinator in 2014.
The Bills’ 4-3 defense ranked fourth in total defense under Schwartz’s guidance last season. They regressed to 19th in 2015.
Mike Pettine‘s also been linked to this Eagles opening. Bill Davis‘ Eagles defense ranked 30th in the league this season.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Browns To Interview Ray Horton
4:46pm: In another twist regarding Horton’s future, the Browns have received permission from the Titans to talk to Horton about their DC job, Kuharsky reports. The ESPN.com reporter notes the Browns will interview Horton later this week.
MONDAY, 1:02pm: After Sunday’s Horton-related drama, the presumption from his side is that he’ll remain with the Titans going forward, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. Nothing is official yet, however.
SUNDAY, 3:54pm: Horton is actually talking about a contract extension with the Titans, he tells Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, and he also rejects the notion that he was insulted by the club’s interview process. The situation seems a lot more fluid than originally presented, so we’ll likely have to wait for a more definite outcome.
3:45pm: Ray Horton is set to join the Browns as defensive coordinator for a second time, according to Jason Wolf of the Tennessean, who cites John Wooten in reporting that Horton will be let out of his Titans contract to join Hue Jackson‘s staff in Cleveland. Horton was previously the Browns DC in 2013.
[RELATED: Browns negotiating with Pep Hamilton]
The 55-year-old Horton, who has been Tennessee’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, is not leaving the Titans on good terms. Horton, who interviewed last week for the Titans head coaching position, was passed over in favor of Mike Mularkey, and apparently feels insulted that he was not seriously considered for the job.
“The Browns had put in a request to interview him, and then Tennessee interviewed him (for the head-coaching job Saturday),” said Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which encourages NFL clubs to consider minority candidates. “And they said that they didn’t know that he had any interest in being a head coach. Well, that’s an insult to the man. That is just an insult. And then when he got in the interview, they seemed shocked that he was as prepared and knowledgeable and everything else at that point.”
Horton has been a defensive coordinator since 2011, first with the Cardinals before moving onto Cleveland and then Tennessee. His role with the Titans was arguably marginalized prior to the 2015 season, when the Titans hired former Steelers DC Dick LeBeau as an assistant head coach. LeBeau was given “complete control” of the defense, and Horton was directed to report to him.
In Cleveland, Horton should have more of a say under the offensive-minded Jackson, and he’ll try to turn around a defense that ranked just 29th in DVOA last season. Horton will likely be the only coordinator the Browns hire, as the club is expected to go without an OC (Jackson will call the offensive plays).
Sunday Roundup: Manziel, Forsett, Jags
As the Panthers have their way with the Seahawks in the early going of this afternoon’s Divisional Round matchup, let’s take a look at some news and notes from around the league:
- We heard just a few days ago that new Browns head coach Hue Jackson was prepared to move on from Johnny Manziel, and the comments he made during a Bleacher Report interview this morning reaffirmed that sentiment. Per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Jackson told Bleacher Report that if Manziel was, in fact, in Las Vegas during the season finale, that would indicate to him that Manziel is not starter material. Jackson then went on to say, “I do believe that this team does need a quarterback.”
- Although it’s certainly not a lock, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes the Ravens will bring back Justin Forsett next season. The team would gain only $900K of salary cap space by cutting Forsett, and although the other backs on the team’s depth chart have shown some promise, they have significant flaws and are largely unproven.
- Packers WR Randall Cobb suffered a bruised lung in last night’s heartbreaking loss to the Cardinals, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Jason Wilde of ESPN.com tweets that the team does not yet have an update on Cobb.
- Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley has finally begun his search for a new defensive coordinator in earnest, bringing in Marquand Manuel and Lou Anarumo for interviews last week. Per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, Bradley hopes to have the search wrapped up by January 25, and Manuel and/or Anarumo could join the Jacksonville coaching staff even if they don’t land the coordinator position. O’Halloran adds that current defensive line coach Todd Wash could still be promoted to DC.
- In a separate piece, O’Halloran looks at the issues facing the Jaguars‘ new DC, whoever it may be, including what to do with Jonathan Cyprien and whether the team should pursue an elite corner like Prince Amukamara or Greg Toler in free agency or if it can afford to look for a second-tier option.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com offers his breakdown of the Titans‘ cap situation and free agency outlook.
- Mark Maske of the Washington Post observes that the teams looking for a new head coach this offseason were thinking offensively. Of the seven new hires, five were offensive coordinators, and the other two (Mike Mularkey and Chip Kelly) are of course offensive-minded.