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Schefter, Caplan On Suh, Bucs, Peterson, QBs

January 29th, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While most reporters continue to focus on the Super Bowl, which is now just three days away, NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan turn their attention to the offseason in a pair of stories for ESPN.com today, providing a handful of interesting tidbits about coaches, free agency, and the draft. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights from Schefter and Caplan….

  • Many of Schefter’s sources around the league don’t expect the Lions to assign the franchise tag to Ndamukong Suh, since the price ($26.87MM) would simply be too high for one player. Per Schefter, those who know Suh think that the idea of playing in a big market like New York, Chicago, or Dallas has always appealed to him. The Jets, Giants, Bears, and Cowboys could all certainly use a player like Suh, though you could say that about nearly every team in the NFL.
  • There’s a “real sense” that the Buccaneers have their sights set on Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota as the No. 1 pick in April, says Schefter, though he cautions that many NFL execs and scouts consider Jameis Winston the best QB prospect in the draft. We still have three months until draft night, so plenty can – and will – change in between now and then.
  • While the Vikings seem comfortable with the idea of bringing back Adrian Peterson, the veteran running back may not want to return to Minnesota. According to Schefter, at least six teams have already done background work on Peterson to prepare for the possibility that he becomes available.
  • Multiple executives told Caplan at the Senior Bowl that Washington‘s Kirk Cousins and Mike Glennon of the Buccaneers are viable trade candidates, especially for teams looking for stopgap starters for the 2015 season. One NFC team exec said he thought both Cousins and Glennon would be worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a trade.
  • Although former Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is coming off a successful season in Buffalo, he’s no lock to coach anywhere in 2015, says Caplan. We’ve heard all along that Schwartz will be patient when it comes to picking his next job, and Caplan notes that there’s still $6MM left on his deal with the Bills, which gives him the flexibility to take his time.
  • Caplan identifies six free-agents-to-be who may fly under the radar this offseason but could really help a team, including running back Roy Helu, linebacker Dan Skuta, and safety Jeron Johnson.

North Notes: Briggs, Bears, Taylor

January 28th, 2015 at 9:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Veteran linebacker Lance Briggs wants to continue playing for the Bears, but he’s not 100% sure that he’ll continue playing football. “It’d be nice,” Briggs said, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “But as much as I don’t know, I’m excited no matter avenue that I go. If I get to play football, it’s going to be great. That’s priority No. 1. But if I don’t, there’s plenty of avenues for me afterwards. There’s plenty of things that I want to do.” Briggs also said that he’s happy about the arrival of new head coach John Fox while being very careful not to bash former coach Marc Trestman. More from the North divisions..

  • Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor was toying with retirement, but he tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he’s training as if he’ll be playing in 2015 and he’d like to go another two or three more years. He’d have interest in following former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to a new team and he’d also be open to playing safety, if it means continuing his playing career.
  • Opinions are split on whether the Lions should give Ndamukong Suh a whopping payday, whether on a record-smashing long-term deal or via the super expensive franchise tag, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. “The talent speaks for itself,” O’Hara said. “I think he’s a phenomenal defensive lineman, very strong, very active. I think the big question, if I’m looking at it big picturewise and I’m running a team, (is) the amount of money that he’s going to command, can I afford it?“
  • Browns cornerback Joe Haden wants people to stop slamming Josh Gordon and he hopes that the wide receiver remains with the team, as Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer writes. “JG is a good kid,” Haden, said. “It’s time for people to stop bashing Josh Gordon. Before they start talking about him, they’ve got to figure out what’s really going on.”
  • The Browns chatted with Kevin O’Connell today about their quarterbacks coach vacancy and they scheduled an interview with ex-Florida offensive coordinator Kurt Roper for tomorrow, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). O’Connell worked with Johnny Manziel before he was drafted last year.
  • It sounds like changes could be on the way when it comes to the Packers‘ special teams coaching unit. “It’s important to evaluate,” said head coach Mike McCarthy, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I obviously haven’t had that opportunity. So we’ll look at everything. We’ll look at every job description, every job responsibility, performance – mine included – and we’ll look to make changes.” All the assistant coaches, including embattled special-teams coordinator Shawn Slocum, were given this week off.

NFC Notes: Lions, Highsmith, Fewell

January 27th, 2015 at 9:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Throughout the course of last offseason and in the season, Lions GM Martin Mayhew made a plethora of moves to try and improve the team. Some worked and some didn’t and Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com broke it all down. Mayhew hit on some, like wide receiver Golden Tate, who proved to be one of the best free agent pickups in the entire NFL. The same can’t be said for tight end Brandon Pettigrew, however, who was brought back on a deal with $8MM in guaranteed money and hardly used in the passing game. More from the NFC..

  • The Packers denied Washington‘s request to interview personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith, a league source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Texans were blocked from hiring him a few years ago, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes.
  • Washington announced that they have hired former Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell as their new defensive backs coach, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Fewell replaces Raheem Morris, who was plucked away by the Falcons earlier this week.
  • Brandon LaFell doesn’t understand why Panthers GM Dave Gettleman rebuilt the roster after a successful 2013, but he’s not dwelling on it, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. “They didn’t give me an explanation for why they did it. They didn’t owe me one,” LaFell said. “I appreciate those guys drafting me and giving me an opportunity to play ball. I love those guys and wish them the best.” LaFell got a three-year, $9MM offer from New England and Carolina chose not to match.
  • Panthers offensive assistant John Ramsdell is retiring, as Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com writes. Ramsdell has spent 19 years as an NFL coach and 19 more as a college coach.

North Notes: Hoyer, Gordon, Lions

January 25th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Rory Parks

After hearing last night that the Browns would be interested in bringing back Brian Hoyer, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com delves into the never-ending Hoyer-Johnny Manziel saga once again. Specifically, Grossi notes that one of the most overlooked aspects of that conversation is the fact that Hoyer was returning from his first major injury and surgery in 2014. and that it is therefore reasonable to expect a natural uptick in his performance in 2015. Grossi also notes that, if Cleveland does bring Hoyer back, it is unlikely the team would sign another veteran quarterback like Josh McCown, but someone like Mike Glennon may be an option if Manziel does not return.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the team’s north divisions:

  • The issues concerning Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon often take a backseat to the team’s quarterback drama, but Grossi points out in the piece linked above that the Browns are taking the position that Gordon was active for only five games during the year and therefore fell one game short of qualifying for a credited season towards free agency. If Cleveland is right, and if Gordon does not prevail in a potential grievance protesting the suspension, Gordon will be under contract for 2015 and will be a restricted free agent in 2016.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that, even though Lions wide receiver Ryan Broyles was healthy for the first time in his career in 2014, he appeared in just five games and is likely down to his last chance in Detroit.
  • Kyle Meinke of the Detroit Free Press looks at the Lions‘ options for upgrading their offensive line in free agency, pointing out that the team is unlikely to have enough cap space to sign the top linemen on the market, but a solid second-tier option like guard Orlando Franklin or tackle Michael Roos could be in play.
  • As they look to address perhaps their biggest position of need, the Ravens met with USC cornerback Josh Shaw during Senior Bowl week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Coley Harvey of ESPN.com writes that tackle Marshall Newhouse is one of the free agents the Bengals will likely let go this offseason.

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Suh, Rodgers, Giants

January 24th, 2015 at 11:53am CST by Ben Levine

We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now switch focus to the NFC…

  • David Newton still believes the Panthers could re-sign Byron Bell, even following the offensive lineman’s subpar season. Even if the 26-year-old proves that he can’t cut it as a starter, the writer believes the former undrafted free agent could still contribute as a depth piece.
  • Michael C. Wright would choose a safety in the first round if he was in charge of the Bears. However, the writer notes that general manager Ryan Pace believes in selecting the best player available, regardless of position.
  • If Ndamukong Suh ultimately leaves Detroit, Michael Rothstein thinks the Lions have the flexibility to move to a 3-4 defensive scheme. If the team decides to stick with a 4-3, then Rothstein suggests the team could look to sign Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton as Suh’s replacement.
  • It’s not necessary for Aaron Rodgers to restructure his contract, writes Rob Demovsky. With more than $18MM in projected cap room, the Packers shouldn’t have an issue retaining free agents such as Randall Cobb.
  • Dan Graziano explores potential cap casualties for the Giants. The writer points to defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka as the most likely to be released, while linebacker Jon Beason and center J.D. Walton are also candidates.

Latest On Teams Still Seeking DCs

January 23rd, 2015 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

This morning, we took a look at where the ongoing offensive coordinator searches stand, and this afternoon we’ll shift our focus to the remaining defensive coordinator vacancies.

While the OC openings are fairly clear cut, three potential defensive coordinator positions are still up in the air due to the Falcons’ head coaching search. No matter which head coach they hire, the Falcons will likely be in the market for a new defensive coordinator, and both of their finalists are current DCs for another team — if Atlanta hires Dan Quinn, as expected, the Seahawks will have to find a new coordinator. If their arrangement with Quinn falls through, the Falcons would likely turn to Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, leaving Detroit to find a replacement.

In addition to those clubs, three more clubs are also currently hunting for a new defensive coordinator, so there are plenty of situations to examine. Let’s dive right in, with the help of our OC/DC search tracker….

Arizona Cardinals

After Todd Bowles landed in New York as the Jets’ new head coach, the early word out of Arizona was that the Cardinals would likely promote an internal candidate to replace Bowles, with James Bettcher, Brentson Buckner, Kevin Ross, Nick Rapone, and Tom Pratt as potential options. However, that report was published over a week ago, and there’s been no indication that the Cardinals are much closer to hiring Bowles’ replacement.

The team is reportedly interested in bringing aboard Dick LeBeau, but it appears it would be as a linebackers coach or perhaps as a senior defensive assistant. A report on Wednesday suggested that LeBeau was still interested in a coordinator position, so perhaps that’s why nothing has been finalized with the Cards yet. Arizona has also been linked to Mike Nolan, but it’s not entirely clear what Nolan’s situation is in Atlanta. Presumably, the new head coach will look to replace Nolan, but he remains under contract with the Falcons for now, having signed a two-year extension a year ago.

Atlanta Falcons

Speaking of those Falcons, there’s not much we know about their defensive coordinator job at this point. If Dan Quinn gets the head coaching job – and every indication is that he will – he could bring a coach from Seattle with him, particularly since most of the most attractive outside candidates will have found work by the time Quinn officially comes aboard (after the Super Bowl). It’s possible that Mike Nolan sticks around in Atlanta, but it seems unlikely at this point.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos targeted Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph early in their search. Denver actually interviewed Joseph for its head coaching opening, though it’s not clear if he was ever a viable candidate for that spot — I expect that interview served the dual purpose of ensuring that the Broncos adhered to the Rooney Rule and allowing the team to get a feel for Joseph as a DC candidate. The only problem? While the Bengals were willing to let Joseph interview for a HC job, the club is now unwilling to let him out of his contract for a DC position.

Denver hasn’t given up on its No. 1 target — Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who wrote earlier this week that the Bengals and the NFL should do the right thing and allow Joseph to leave Cincinnati for a promotion, says the Broncos continue to monitor the situation. If the Bengals don’t budge though, the Broncos will have to move on to other options, and that could mean speaking to former head coach Wade Phillips, who has been mentioned as a candidate.

Oakland Raiders

Like the Broncos, the Raiders appear to have a clear preference for the coach they’d like to hire. Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith has been cited as Jack Del Rio‘s top candidate since Del Rio landed Oakland’s head coaching job, and the two sides have been in contact, but it seems Smith isn’t fully sold on the opportunity. If he was, the Raiders would likely have locked him up already.

With Smith no sure thing, the Raiders have former Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker on their radar and have also been linked to Wade Phillips. The club may ultimately turn to the NCAA ranks, as a Thursday report suggested, though no specific college candidates have been reported yet. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wrote that if the Raiders do hire a coach from a college program, that would probably signal that the team was turned down by other candidates, and that Del Rio intends to call defensive plays, meaning that the new coordinator would have less latitude.

Seattle Seahawks

We’re including the Seahawks here rather than the Lions because it looks like a near-lock that Dan Quinn will head to Atlanta, with Teryl Austin returning to Detroit. Still, there’s no indication yet who would replace Quinn for the ‘Hawks. With so much talent on the defensive side of the ball in Seattle, the position could intrigue some big-name candidates who perhaps haven’t been interested in the other openings, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the club ultimately opts for an in-house promotion — of course, that’s assuming that Quinn doesn’t take the best internal candidates with him to Atlanta.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Cobb, Mathis

January 23rd, 2015 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

With cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Davon House both eligible for free agency this offseason, the Packers must decide whether to retain one, neither, or both, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. For his part, House would like to see both he and Williams work out new deals with the team.

“In a perfect world, we both come back,” House said. “But there’s only two starting corners on each team. Tramon is well-deserving. I feel like my potential is pretty high. So we’ll see, we’ll see.”

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • A team source tells Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com that he can’t see Packers GM Ted Thompson letting wideout Randall Cobb get away in free agency. However, Cobb says that until he has signed on the dotted line, he “can’t be for certain on anything.”
  • Asked at the end of the 2014 season if he wanted to play one more season, cornerback Rashean Mathis suggested that he may have more than one year left in him, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press details. Although Mathis turns 35 before the 2015 season, he’s coming off a strong year, and would like to re-sign with the Lions, though he didn’t rule out the possibility of playing for another team.
  • Longtime Vikings nose tackle Kevin Williams is playing for the Seahawks now, looking for his first Super Bowl ring next Sunday, but when he eventually retires he wants to sign a one-day contract with Minnesota and go out as a Viking, as he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

NFC North Notes: Raiola, Bears, Zimmer

January 21st, 2015 at 8:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the NFC North, where Adam Gase has reunited with John Fox..

  • Longtime Lions center Dominic Raiola confirmed today that the team has told him he won’t be back for the 2015 season. Raiola added that he’s “obviously disappointed” by the news, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • The Bears announced (on Twitter) that they have reached agreement with Ed Donatell to become their new defensive backs coach. He replaces Jon Hoke, who has been let go. Donatell was released from his Niners contract at the same time as new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and the duo was widely viewed as a package deal.
  • There’s still a possibility that the Bears could have a holdover or two from Marc Trestman‘s old staff, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Not every assistant was released from his contract following the firing of Trestman and others.
  • The Vikings have one hire to make to fill out their coaching staff for the 2015 season, but it appears the rest of the group is intact for the long haul, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. Coach Mike Zimmer said the Vikings plan to extend the contracts of most of their assistant coaches through the 2016 season. When asked about his own deal, Zimmer said that it runs beyond the 2016 season.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: Perryman, Dolphins, Lions

January 21st, 2015 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Senior Bowl means plenty of draft speculation and talk of the Dolphins tapping local star Denzel Perryman has been a hot topic in recent days. However, drafting Perryman is going to require a long and thoughtful debate in Miami, as Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes. While GM Dennis Hickey doesn’t often mind drafting players that do not meet prototypical size and speed requirements (see: Jarvis Landry), assistant GM Eric Stokes does not feel the same way. Perryman, unfortunately, does not have the size one would usually want in a middle linebacker. More draft news..

  • Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could wind up as the next coach of the Falcons, but he’s not neglecting his duties in Detroit, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Austin booked interviews with Washington nose tackle Danny Shelton, Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant, Miami (Ohio) cornerback Quinten Rollins, and Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty last night.
  • East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy said he a great meeting with the Ravens at the Senior Bowl, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • Penn State linebacker Mike Hull and defensive end Deion Barnes have each met with the Eagles at the Senior Bowl, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter). Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith and USC cornerback Josh Shaw have also met with the Eagles (link).
  • The Giants met with wide receivers Sammie Coates and Devin Smith, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter).

Coach Notes: Browns, Ravens, Rams, Austin

January 21st, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

Six of the seven teams changing head coaches this offseason have officially hired replacements, and the Falcons appear fully prepared to wait for Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. However, while there may not be much drama left among the league’s head coaching searches, there’s still plenty of intrigue in the coordinator searches, as a number of noteworthy coaches continue to look for jobs. Here’s a round-up of the latest updates:

  • The Browns have canceled their offensive coordinator interview with Raiders senior offensive assistant Al Saunders, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The meeting hasn’t been rescheduled, and no reason was given for the cancellation, so it’s not clear why it will no longer happen.
  • In addition to not interviewing Saunders, the Browns also won’t speak to former Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link). A Tuesday report had suggested Mornhinweg was expected to talk to the club about the job.
  • While Mornhinweg apparently won’t interview with the Browns, he has drawn interest from the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Baltimore hired Marc Trestman as its new offensive coordinator yesterday, so Mornhinweg would be a candidate for the team’s quarterbacks coach job.
  • The Rams have been denied permission to speak to two of their offensive coordinator candidates, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who reports that the Colts blocked the Rams from talking to Rob Chudzinski, while the Packers thwarted St. Louis’ efforts to talk to Alex Van Pelt. The Rams still hope to interview Adam Gase, who is in Chicago today to speak to the Bears.
  • While Teryl Austin could still technically end up becoming the Falcons‘ new head coach, it sure looks like the Lions defensive coordinator will be returning to Detroit, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press details.
  • The Broncos will hope for a change of heart from the Bengals on secondary coach Vance Joseph, whom Denver targeted as its top defensive coordinator target, but with Cincinnati refusing to release Joseph from his contract, the Broncos are moving forward on other candidates, tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
  • Mike Smith has been the Raiders‘ top target for defensive coordinator since Jack Del Rio was named head coach, tweets Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune. If an established coach like Smith lands Oakland’s DC job, he’ll have more autonomy than a younger coach would — Del Rio would be more involved on D in that case, says McDonald.
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