Browns To Interview Cowboys’ DBs Coach
After having lined up interviews with several of this year’s “hot” head coaching candidates, the Browns have scheduled a meeting with a lesser-known coach. According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cleveland will interview Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson for its head coaching job. Josina Anderson of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that the meeting will take place on Friday.
Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Sean McDermott, Doug Marrone, Paul Guenther, and Matt Patricia, who are all either coming off successful years as coordinators or are former NFL head coaches, reportedly have interviews on tap with the Browns in the coming days. And while one of those assistants, or another well-known candidate, could ultimately land the Cleveland job, the team’s interview with Henderson is another sign that the franchise is thinking outside the box this offseason.
The Browns’ unorthodox approach to putting together a staff was on display on Tuesday, when the club announced it had hired Paul DePodesta away from baseball’s New York Mets to play a key role in the Cleveland front office.
In a piece discussing the DePodesta hiring, Tom Verducci of SI.com suggested that the former MLB executive and the Browns will be targeting a head coach who “may not have much experience but who is comfortable implementing the business practices and systems endorsed if not create by the front office” — perhaps Henderson fits that bill.
Henderson, a former NFL defensive back himself, has coached the Cowboys’ secondary since 2012, when he was hired away from the Browns. While 2015 was a dismal all-around year in Dallas, Henderson’s group wasn’t a disaster – per Football Outsiders, the team ranked 17th in terms of passing defense DVOA.
Be sure to check out our head coaching search tracker for the latest details on the Browns’ hunt for Mike Pettine‘s replacement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles Plan To Interview Adam Gase Again
The Eagles were the first team to meet with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, sitting down with him on Tuesday for what was reportedly an eight-hour interview. Despite having spoken to him for eight hours yesterday, the Eagles apparently want to hear more from Gase. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the team plans to bring him back for a second interview this weekend.
Neither the Eagles nor Gase have a shortage of options. Philadelphia has already spoken to two in-house candidates – Pat Shurmur and Duce Staley – and reportedly intends to interview Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, having been linked to several other options as well. Meanwhile, Gase has a full schedule this week, with interviews with the Browns and Dolphins on tap for today and tomorrow.
According to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Gase has added another meeting to his timetable for later this week — he’ll interview for the Giants’ head coaching job on Friday. So if the Eagles interview the Bears’ OC for a second time on the weekend, the club could be competing with an NFC East rival to land him.
After working with Peyton Manning in Denver as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, Gase joined John Fox in Chicago in 2015, and contributed to a strong bounce-back season for Jay Cutler. A year after leading the league with 18 interceptions, Cutler threw just 11 in 2015, the lowest full-season mark of his career. The Bears also ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in offensive DVOA under Gase.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Request To Interview Browns OC John DeFilippo
The Rams have put in a request to interview Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). His work with a variety of quarterbacks was noticed by St. Louis, even though he hasn’t had the easiest hand dealt to him in Cleveland in that regard. 
[RELATED: 2016 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
DeFilippo guided the Browns offense this season and had mixed results with an unusual cast of players. Of course, much of the attention on the Browns was centered on quarterback Johnny Manziel, who has had a number of run-ins with alcohol after spending last offseason in rehab. Even after Johnny Football was benched mid-season, DeFilippo expressed confidence that the Texas A&M product could turn things around.
“I like what I’ve seen,” said DeFilippo. “I really do. Even the jump he made from the Cincinnati game to the Pittsburgh game was a huge jump. I think we’d all agree on that. I think Johnny has played enough football where we know what we have in him.”
Now, DeFilippo will get a crack at the Rams’ OC job, if Cleveland allows him to interview. Rams interim OC Rob Boras will reportedly also get a chance to take the permanent job.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Johnny Manziel, RGIII Both Want To Play For Cowboys
A pair of big name quarterbacks are both eager to come home and play for the Cowboys. Both Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin III are hoping to wind up in Dallas and both are hoping that owner Jerry Jones will make that happen, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports writes. 
Both players are expected to become available this offseason – Manziel via trade or release by a new Browns regime and RG3 via a salary dump. Sources close to each player tell Robinson that, since spring 2015, there was a belief that Jones would be interested in both signal callers if either was to hit the open market. Now, it sounds like both players are hoping that could come to fruition in 2016. For what it’s worth Jones said in a radio interview that he’s willing to take “some risk” at quarterback (Twitter link via Mac Engel of The Fan).
Meanwhile, in a radio interview, Jones said that he would indeed be comfortable with drafting a quarterback with the fourth pick if he was best player available, as Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram writes. The Cowboys also need help at running back, cornerback, and receiver, so it’s not a given that they will take a QB with their top pick.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns Eyeing McDermott, Bengals Assistants
1:06pm: In addition to targeting Jackson, the Browns are also considering the Bengals’ coach on the other side of the ball. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Cleveland will interview Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther next week.
12:06pm: The Browns, who already reportedly have plans to interview at least four head coaching candidates, have added two more names to their list of potential targets. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), the Browns have requested permission to interview Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, while Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Cleveland will interview defensive coordinator Sean McDermott on Thursday.
Because Jackson’s Bengals are playing on Wild Card weekend, he won’t be free to interview with any interested teams this week. After the team’s first playoff game though, whether or not Cincinnati wins, Jackson will be eligible to talk to possible suitors, and it sounds like he’ll have a few — the Dolphins and 49ers have already asked for permission to interview him as well.
As for McDermott, he’s eligible to talk to teams about head coaching jobs this week since the Panthers have a bye. His interview is scheduled to take place on the same day the Browns will reportedly talk to Doug Marrone, and a day after the team is set to meet with Teryl Austin and Adam Gase. Cleveland also is said to have received permission to speak to Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
Any candidate considering the Browns job will certainly have taken notice of the club’s hiring announcement today. In an outside-the-box move, Cleveland added New York Mets executive Paul DePodesta to its front office, suggesting the club will have a significant focus on analytics going forward.
DePodesta will join Jimmy and Dee Haslam, Sashi Brown, and Jed Hughes during the team’s head coach and general manager interviews, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns Add Paul DePodesta To Front Office
11:03am: The Browns have officially announced the hiring of DePodesta as the team’s chief strategy officer, via a press release.
“We are fortunate to bring in Paul, an extremely talented, highly respected sports executive who will add a critical dimension to our front office,” Haslam said in a statement. “His approach and ambition to find the best pathways for organizational success transcend one specific sport and his experience as a high level sports executive make him a terrific addition to the Cleveland Browns.
“While we are excited about what Paul will provide our organization, we remain fully focused on the critical task of identifying the right head coach and a top talent evaluator who will provide the football expertise needed to be successful.”
For more on how DePodesta’s departure will affect the Mets, be sure to check out the MLB Trade Rumors story on the move.
10:50am: After parting ways with general manager Ray Farmer and personnel executives Bill Kuharich and Morocco Brown this week, the Browns are making an unorthodox addition to their front office. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link), the team is hiring Paul DePodesta from the front office of the New York Mets, with the intention of making him an executive VP, answering only to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Alec Scheiner.
[RELATED: Browns fire head coach Mike Pettine, general manager Ray Farmer]
Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter) confirms that DePodesta will be joining the Browns, though Mortensen suggests the team’s newest executive will hold the title of chief strategy officer. Either way, it’s certainly an out-of-left-field choice for the Browns, with DePedosta joining Cleveland’s new executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown in a front office that thus far looks very light on experience in terms of NFL roster building and player evaluation.
Known best for the role he played in Michael Lewis’ Moneyball, as Billy Beane’s assistant general manager for the Oakland Athletics, DePedosta is considered an analytics-oriented executive, so his hiring suggests the Browns are going in a certain direction in their front office.
According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), DePedosta, who previously worked as the GM for the Los Angeles Dodgers, will be above Brown within the club’s organizational structure. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the two execs will work alongside one another, each reporting independently to Haslam.
While the Browns figure to eventually bring in executives with more NFL experience, it appears this isn’t the first time the team has explored hiring an MLB executive. According to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (Twitter links), Haslam offered a front office job to former Cleveland Indians president Mark Shapiro last August. Shaprio turned down the offer and eventually joined the Toronto Blue Jays as their team president.
Coach Rumors: Payton, Giants, Fins, Marrone
Coaching-related news and rumors have dominated Pro Football Rumors on the first Monday of the offseason (for 20 teams, at least), and they show no signs of letting up just yet. Here’s the latest from around the NFL on teams with coaching vacancies and candidates to fill those jobs:
- The Browns have requested and received permission to interview Patriots‘ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Lions have asked for and received permission to interview Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn for their GM job, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is scheduled to interview with the Browns for their head coaching vacancy on Wednesday, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
Earlier Updates:
- Saints head coach Sean Payton is monitoring the Giants‘ situation “very closely,” tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It’s not clear whether Payton would be a top choice for the Giants, or whether the team would be willing to give up a draft pick to land him, but it sounds like the New York job would be at or near the top of Payton’s wish list if he leaves New Orleans.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com also weighs in on the Giants‘ job, tweeting that the club is “fully expected” to include its coordinators in its search. That means OC Ben McAdoo and DC Steve Spagnuolo could both get interviews.
- As we speculated earlier today, the Dolphins are meeting with former Falcons head coach Mike Smith to discuss their head coaching opening, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Smith’s interview with the club is happening today.
- Doug Marrone‘s interview for the Browns‘ head coaching vacancy will take place on Thursday, not Tuesday, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Matt Lombardo of 97.5 The Fanatic passes along a report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, who says Marrone will also interview with the Eagles (Twitter link).
- A report earlier today suggested that Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula didn’t want to interview for any head coaching jobs while Carolina remains alive in the playoffs. However, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), Shula said this afternoon that he’ll make that decision if and when he receives an invitation to interview for a head coaching position.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/16
Now that the 2015 regular season is in the books, teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts, adding those players to their 90-man offseason rosters. Generally, these players finished the season on a team’s practice squad, though some were free agents at season’s end.
Here are today’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons signed four players (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)
- Matt Simms, QB
- C.J. Goodwin, WR
- Gus Johnson, RB
- Collin Rahrig, G
Baltimore Ravens signed seven players (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun):
- Brennen Beyer, LB
- Leon Brown, G
- Nordly Capi, DE
- Blaine Clausell, T
- Chuck Jacobs, WR
- Nick Perry, S
- Harold Spears, TE
Buffalo Bills signed seven players (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
- Cyril Richardson, G
- Phillip Thomas, S
- Blake Annen, TE
- Jacob Maxwell, TE
- Cedric Reed, DE
- Jonathan Dowling, S
- Ronald Patrick, C
Chicago Bears signed nine players (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune):
- De’Vante Bausby, CB
- Matt Blanchard, QB
- Cornelius Edison, C
- Paul Lasike, RB
- Marcus Lucas, WR/TE
- Danny Mason, LB
- Nathan Palmer, WR
- Gannon Sinclair, TE
- Martin Wallace, G/T
Cleveland Browns signed six players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Sean Baker, DB
- Dan France, OT
- Garth Gerhart, C
- Connor Hamlett, TE
- Tim Scott, DB
- Dylan Wynn, DE
Dallas Cowboys signed eight players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Donte Foster, WR
- Mike McAdoo, DE
- Brandon McGee, DB
- Derek Akunne, LB
- Buddy Jackson, DB
- Ben Malena, RB
- Efe Obada, DE
- Keith Smith, LB
Denver Broncos signed four players (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9NEWS)
- Cyrus Gray, RB
- Jace Davis, WR
- B.J. Lowery, DB
- DeVier Posey, WR
Detroit Lions signed five players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Khaseem Greene, LB
- Casey Pierce, TE
- Ryan Spadola, WR
- Corey Washington, WR
- Tyrus Thompson, OT
Jacksonville Jaguars signed nine players (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union):
- Rasheed Bailey, WR
- Kadeem Edwards, OL
- Shaq Evans, WRt
- Ben Koyack, TE
- Rashad Lawrence, WR
- Sean Porter, LB
- Chris Reed, G
- Rashaad Reynolds, CB
- Earl Wolff, S
Miami Dolphins signed one player (link)
- Tyler Davis, WR
New Orleans Saints signed five players (link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune):
- Reggie Bell, WR
- Alden Darby, S
- Brandon Dixon, CB
- Cyril Lemon, G
- Bryan Witzmann, T
New York Giants signed six players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Tavarres King, WR
- G.J. Kinne, QB
- Shane McDermott, C
- Leon McFadden, CB
- Tom Obarski, K
- Jake Rodgers, OT
Philadelphia Eagles signed seven players (Twitter link via team):
- Brett Boyko, G
- Malcolm Bunche, G
- Brandon Hepburn, LB
- Freddie Martino, WR
- Kevin Monangai, RB
- Travis Raciti, DE
- Deontae Skinner, LB
San Diego Chargers signed six players (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)
- Richard Crawford, DB
- Brad Sorensen, QB
- Tim Semisch, TE
- Chuka Ndulue, DT
- Isaiah Burse, WR
- Ben Gardner, DE
Seattle Seahawks signed three players (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Andrew East, LS
- Ronnie Shields, TE
- Phillip Sims, QB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed nine players (link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times):
- Josh Allen, G
- Andre Davis, WR
- Antoine Everett, G
- Ben Gottschalk, C
- Gerod Holliman, S
- Martin Ifedi, DE
- Derrick Lott, DT
- C.J. Roberts, CB
- Joel Ross, CB
Tennessee Titans signed five players (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com):
- David Fluellen, RB
- Kevin Greene, TE
- Nick Harwell, WR
- Josue Matias, G
- Will Poehls, T
Washington signs three players (link via team):
- Christo Bilukidi, DL
- Desmond Bishop, LB
- Jerrell Powe, DL
2016 Home And Away Opponents Named For All 32 NFL Teams
Latest On Browns, Joe Thomas
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said he wants to see who the team’s new coach and GM will be before deciding whether he’ll ask for a way out of the organization, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. The perennial Pro Bowl left tackle has been in Cleveland ever since the organization drafted him No. 3 overall in 2007. 
“When there’s turnover in the coaching staff, a lot of good players end up leaving, a lot of good coaches leave,” Thomas said over the weekend. “There’s a lot of uncertainty when there’s turnover in the coaching staff. Certainly I could be one of them not here next year.”
Thomas was hoping that coach Mike Pettine would return, but he was fired on Sunday, along with GM Ray Farmer. Now it seems that Thomas could follow both men out of the door in Cleveland.
Thomas has three years and $29.5MM left on his contract, which contains no dead money. Back in November, the Browns nearly completed a deal that would have sent the left tackle to the Broncos in exchange for valuable 2016 selections. It was reported that the deal broke down, at least in part, over a holdup on converting Thomas’ remaining salary for 2016 and 2017 into guarantees. However, Thomas denied those claims.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.