Texans Eyeing Douglas, McClay For GM Job
The Texans are showing interest in Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas and Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay for their GM vacancy, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). They join Bills vice president of player personnel Brian Gaine, Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst, and Patriots director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort as candidates tied to the opening. 
[RELATED: 2018 NFL General Manager Search Tracker]
Douglas was not included in the league’s annual list of prospective GM candidates, but he has wielded considerable influence over the Eagles in his year-and-a-half with the team. This past year, top exec Howie Roseman gave Douglas more control over the draft board that he has to previous lieutenants. Owner Jeffrey Lurie also recognizes the role that Douglas has had in the team’s success.
“The hiring of Joe Douglas, I thought, was the pivotal moment of the last year,” said Lurie.
Several teams have failed to lure McClay away from the Cowboys, but this could be the year that he finally leaves the nest. He is among the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s recommended minority candidates for GM jobs this offseason.
The Texans’ next GM will reportedly have roster control over head coach Bill O’Brien. But, in an interesting twist, O’Brien will be a part of the four-man team in charge of the hiring process along with McNair, team president Jamey Rootes, and vice chairman/CEO Cal McNair.
The GM job opened up this week when Rick Smith announced that he will be taking a leave of absence to care for his wife as she battles breast cancer. Both parties left the door open to Smith returning to his role as GM at some point, but that seems unlikely if a permanent hire is made. At minimum, the plan is for Smith to remain with the organization and carry the title of Executive Vice President.
Texans vice president of football operations/assistant general manager Jimmy Raye III may also be in the mix for the job, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Cowboys Could Lose Gary Brown
- Gruden and the Raiders are expected to target Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown for the same role in Oakland, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Brown, 48, is now a coaching free agent, as his contract in Dallas has expired. The Cowboys made several coaching changes earlier this week, but there’s no word as to whether they’ll pursue Brown again.
Coaching Rumors: Bengals, Cowboys, Colts
A roundup of the latest coaching news and rumors from around the NFL:
- Bengals coach Marvin Lewis announced that the team is parting ways with offensive line coach Paul Alexander. Meanwhile, the team will retain offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and look to keep defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. Guenther is out of contract, meaning that he is free to sign with any team.
- Cowboys special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will be allowed out of his contract, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). That should pave the way for him to join Jon Gruden‘s Raiders staff. Bisaccia still had some time to go on his deal thanks to the extension he inked back in March.
- Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy confirmed to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he will interview for the head coaching openings with the Colts and Bears.
- You can keep up with the dizzying number of head coaching interviews using PFR’s up-to-the-minute tracker.
Cowboys Want To Keep Linehan, Marinelli
There will be some coaching changes in Dallas, but it sounds like the main coaches will be staying in place. In a radio interview on Wednesday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that the team wants to retain offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli for 2018 (link via Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News). 
Starting this week, the team will evaluate the futures of assistants such as running backs coach Gary Brown, wide receivers coach Derek Dooley, and linebackers coach Matt Eberflus, who are on expiring deals. Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson and secondary coach Joe Baker have already been fired, according to Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
Both Marinelli and Linehand signed extensions with the team last March. The length of Marinelli’s contract is unknown, but we do know that Linehan is under contract through 2019.
Meanwhile, Jones says that he has given no consideration to replacing Jason Garrett as head coach.
“It’s not even a thought for me,” Jones said. “I do like the fact that we’ve invested, if you will. We’ve got several years of Jason evolving in this profession in the NFL. There’s no question the familiarity with teams that we’re playing, especially in our division, is a big plus. You pay a big price when you make a change at the head coach. You pay some price when you make a change at any position coach situation. On the other hand, freshness we’re talking about, new ideas, nothing set in stone, that’s a plus too. But I think that Jason’s in a good spot. We’re in a good spot with Jason. He certainly has the mentality of doing things differently, again not just to be doing them differently, but basically recognizing that we’ve got some things we do need to do differently. We’ll make that happen through our assistant coaches.”
While several jobs are up in the air, there is one confirmed vacancy on the Cowboys’ staff following the retirement of tight ends coach Steve Loney.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/2/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Carlton Agudosi
- DT Peli Anau
- CB Jarell Carter
- OLB Vontarrius Dora
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Rashad Ross
- DT Pasoni Tasini
- RB Darius Victor
- OL Josh Allen
- LS Drew Williams
Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
- OL Travis Averill
- WR Demarcus Ayers
- DB Doran Grant
- WR Mekale McKay
- OL Will Pericak
- TE Colin Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Brian Brown
- WR K.D. Cannon
- T Jarron James
- S Jameill Showers
- DT Joe Vellano
- CB Marquez White
- RB Trey Williams
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
- WR Jake Kumerow
- WR Colby Pearson
- TE Robert Tonyan
- LS Zach Triner
- WR DeAngelo Yancey
Cowboys To Change Up Offensive Coaching Staff
- Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson is expected to be let go, sources tell the Sporting News’ Alex Marvez (Twitter link). Marvez notes that more changes to the team’s offensive coaching staff are expected to come, one of which could be wide receivers coach Derek Dooley, who is reported to not being returning to Dallas by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Dooley denied the report, saying he has yet to meet with head coach Jason Garrett, Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams writes. The coaches have been with the team since 2007 and 2013, respectively.
Jason Witten To Return In 2018
Following the Cowboys’ 6-0 win over the Eagles on Sunday, tight end Jason Witten announced he would return for his 16th season in 2018, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. 
Witten was expected to return but left open the possibility of retiring in recent weeks. “I’m coming back. I love playing this game too much and I know that I can play it at a high level,” he said. After the University of Tennessee fired its head coach in 2017, Witten’s name appeared in coaching rumors but the tight end quickly shot down the reports.
Archer notes that Witten will become the longest-tenured member of the Cowboys in franchise history, surpassing Mark Tuinei, Ed “Too Tall” Jones and Bill Bates who each played 15 seasons.
Witten is signed through the 2021 season after signing a four-year extension in March. However, he has contemplated retirement each of the last two seasons. He finished the season with 63 receptions for his 14th consecutive 60-catch season.
Behind Witten on the depth chart, the Cowboys do have a promising talent in Rico Gathers, who played basketball at Baylor before being selected by Dallas in the 2016 NFL Draft. Gathers was placed on the practice squad in 2016, and enjoyed a breakout preseason in 2017 but was placed on injured reserve with a concussion.
Rod Marinell, Scott Linehan On Hot Seat
- Both Cowboys coordinators (DC Rod Marinelli and OC Scott Linehan) are on the hot seat and will be thoroughly evaluated, per Rapoport (video link).
Orlando Scandrick To Leave Cowboys As FA?
Orlando Scandrick doesn’t sound like he’s counting on another Cowboys contract in 2018. Dallas placed the veteran slot cornerback on IR Friday and dangled him on the trade block earlier this year. Younger talents Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown are signed to rookie deals for the rest of the decade, leaving the 30-year-old Scandrick as a player who may need another team to swoop in to allow him to continue his career.
The 10th-year veteran will be entering free agency after fracturing multiple transverse processes and missing the final five Cowboys games. Scandrick also thanked the Cowboys for his 10 seasons of work. He will turn 31 in February.
Cowboys Place Tyron Smith, Orlando Scandrick On IR
Tyron Smith will move into offseason mode one week earlier than otherwise scheduled. The Cowboys placed their All-Pro left tackle on IR on Friday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports, adding cornerback Orlando Scandrick will join him in being moved from the 53-man roster to the injury list.
The Cowboys promoted wide receiver Lance Lenoir and tackle Kadeem Edwards from the practice squad to replace them, Archer reports.
Smith has battled multiple maladies this season, but knee pain will end up ending his season. Smith played in 13 games this year; the seventh-year tackle has never played in fewer than 13 in a season. His absences during a crucial November losing streak proved costly for the Cowboys, who will miss the playoffs after earning the NFC’s top seed last season.
Scandrick has missed the past four games with a back injury. His status in Dallas is far less certain than Smith’s, and the 30-year-old slot corner — a trade candidate this past offseason — could be moving on after 10 seasons with the team. After missing all of the 2015 season due to injury, Scandrick will have missed nine games over the past two campaigns because of ailments.