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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Coach Notes: Weis, Gase, Bears, Mornhinweg

January 20th, 2015 at 10:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears are considering a handful of offensive coordinator candidates, including Charlie Weis, Geep Chryst (49ers), Jim Bob Cooter (Lions), and Adam Gase (Broncos), according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Weis, the former head coach of Notre Dame and Kansas, has been linked to the Browns’ offensive coordinator vacancy in the past. More coaching news..

  • Falcons wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie will be back with Atlanta after getting strong overtures from multiple teams in recent weeks, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Cardinals are looking to finalize a deal that would make former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau the team’s new linebackers coach, a source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • The Browns interviewed Rams quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti for their offensive coordinator vacancy, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • Gase is flying to Chicago to meet with the Bears about their offensive coordinator opening, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and things could move very quickly.
  • The 49ers are considering Eric Mangini for their defensive coordinator opening, according to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. Mangini served as the team’s tight ends coach last season and was an offensive consultant with the 49ers the year before that.
  • The Browns are expected to interview former Jets and Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg this week at the Senior Bowl, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • A source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that the Bengals will not allow defensive backs coach Vance Joseph to leave his contract. Joseph was previously linked to the Broncos’ defensive coordinator vacancy.
  • Washington was interested in Vic Fangio, who ultimately landed in Chicago as the Bears’ defensive coordinator, but never made a formal offer to him. As head coach Jay Gruden explained today, that was because the club felt like Fangio’s mind was already made up on choosing the Bears (Twitter link via Mike Jones of the Washington Post).
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) speculated earlier today that – if Chan Gailey‘s deal fell through – former Packers coach Mike Sherman would have been interested in the Jets‘ offensive coordinator job, though the interest might not have been mutual. Sherman has a relationship with GM Mike Maccagnan dating back to his time in Houston. Hours later, the Jets finalized their deal with Gailey.

Lions Won’t Re-Sign Dominic Raiola

January 19th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have informed longtime center Dominic Raiola that they won’t be bringing him back for the 2015 season, a source tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Raiola’s contract with the team is set to expire, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.

Raioala, who turned 36 last month, has been with the Lions since the team drafted him 50th overall in 2001. He became the full-time starter at center in his second year with the club, starting 203 of a possible 208 regular season contests since then. Prior to being suspended and sitting out Detroit’s Week 17 matchup against the Packers this season, Raiola hadn’t missed a game since 2008. As Birkett notes, the veteran lineman indicated at season’s end that he hoped to continue his playing career.

“I’m optimistic,” Raiola said earlier in January. “I think I will be [back], but I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m not. I still want to play, I still think I have a lot to offer and a lot to offer this locker room. If I could go one more go around, I’d be honored.”

Of course, Raiola was referring to the idea of returning to the Lions for one more year, so it’s not clear whether or not he’ll want to continue playing for another team. In Detroit, 2014 third-rounder Travis Swanson appears poised to take over at the center position for the coming season.

OC Notes: Rams, Ravens, Gase, Bears

January 19th, 2015 at 10:32am CST by Rob DiRe

Many teams still have openings for their offensive coordinator position, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). With seven openings still needed to be filled, he notes that there will be a lot of competition for the top candidates.

Of the seven jobs Zrebiec believes still need to be filled, he has not counted the Falcons, who filled their position last night despite not having a head coach, and the Jets, who have been strongly linked to Chan Gailey (via Twitter).

For a full list of all coordinator hirings and firings check out our Offensive/Devensive Coordinator Tracker.

Here are some notes about potential offensive coordinator hires:

  • The Rams have requested permission to speak with Colts assistant coach Rob Chudzinski regarding their offensive coordinator opening, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have also sought permission to interview Packers quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt for the OC opening, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Ravens are currently interested in a number of candidates, and a list of possibilities has been compiled by Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. The guy he puts as the front runner right now is former Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who has led record breaking offenses in Denver with Peyton Manning.
  • Gase is expected to eventually land with either the Ravens or Jaguars, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). He will interview with the Ravens soon.
  • The Bears have asked for permission to interview Lions quarterbacks coach Jim Bob Cooter for their open offensive coordinator position, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). Unfortunately for them, the Lions have denied permission.

North Notes: Bears, Greenway, Steelers, Lions

January 18th, 2015 at 3:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears hired one Saints executive in Ryan Pace to be their new general manager, and in turn, Pace has brought in another New Orleans employee, hiring area scout Josh Lucas to serve as Chicago’s director of player personnel, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Lucas, a Harvard grad, had worked in the Saints’ scouting department since 2005. Prior to that, Lucas worked with the Jaguars, albeit in marketing. Here are more notes from the North divisions…

  • Set to count $8.8MM against the Vikings’ cap in 2015, linebacker Chad Greenway is a candidate for release this offseason, and as he tells Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, he understands he might not be able to finish his career in the Twin Cities. “If I don’t get signed in Minnesota, then I’m definitely interested in playing somewhere else, if that’s what has to happen,” said Greenway, who indicated he was not amenable to accepting a pay cut.
  • The 2015 offseason will be a critical one for the Steelers as the team looks to get younger, and a trio of Pittsburgh Tribune writers examine the key questions that general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin will have to face in the coming months. Chief among the club’s priorities will be extending quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, both to ensure that he’ll be with Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future, and to lower his $18.4MM 2015 cap hit.
  • In a mailbag for ESPN.com, Michael Rothstein looks ahead to the Lions’ offseason, and wonders if Mark Ingram could be an option at running back in Detroit if the club releases Reggie Bush.

Falcons To Interview Dan Quinn Again

January 18th, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Rory Parks

It appears increasingly likely that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will become the next head coach of the Falcons. PFR’s Luke Adams wrote several days ago that Quinn was expected to get a second interview with Atlanta this week, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the interview will happen tomorrow.

If the Seahawks lose today’s NFC Championship Game against Green Bay, Quinn could be announced as the Falcons’ head coach by the middle of the week. But even if Seattle advances to the Super Bowl, the interview can still take place and an informal agreement could emerge during that interview. Even though Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is ostensibly still in the running for Atlanta’s top job, it seems as though he will return to Detroit to further bolster his head coaching candidacy.

North Notes: Big Ben, Browns, Prater

January 18th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Rory Parks

After the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs on Wildcard Weekend, one more year in Ben Roethlisberger‘s career had come and gone and Pittsburgh was no closer to its seventh Super Bowl victory than it was when Tim Tebow dispatched the Steelers in the first round of the 2011 playoffs. However, as Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, there is plenty of room for optimism in the Steel City.

Roethlisberger, who started every game in consecutive seasons for the first time, enjoyed the best statistical season of his career, which helped to dispel the notion that he would break down sooner than other quarterbacks. With the continued growth of Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton, and Le’Veon Bell, along with All-Pro wideout Antonio Brown, there is no reason to think Roethlisberger will not continue to thrive for at least another five years. Therefore, Bouchette believes the team should hammer out the much-discussed extension with Roethlisberger quickly, even though it will likely be a six-year pact worth about $120MM or so, with a $30MM signing bonus and even more in guaranteed money.

Now for some more links from around the league’s north divisions:

  • Even though the Steelers have been justly criticized for their poor salary cap management in recent years, Bouchette writes in a separate piece that the team is actually in pretty good shape for 2015, especially after it works out the extension for Roethlisberger and sheds the contracts of some aging veterans. Bouchette notes that the Steelers will not only have room to retain some of their own key free agents, but also to pursue players from other clubs.
  • Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com looks at a number of issues facing the Browns this offseason, including their offensive coordinator search, which has taken a disappointing turn thus far, their quarterback concerns, and what they will do about a kicker.
  • Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes that new Bears head coach John Fox is not a quarterback expert, but he handles them well, which will benefit the team regardless of whether it keeps Jay Cutler or moves in a different direction.
  • Lions kicker Matt Prater has reiterated that he would like to remain in Detroit next season, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. Prater is an unrestricted free agent and has not had talks with the Detroit front office, but he believes the team is aware of his desire to return.

Teryl Austin Narrows Choices to Falcons, Lions

January 17th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has been one of the top options for a number of head coaching opportunities, but with the Bills, Jets, Bears, and 49ers already filling their vacancies, it seems to be Falcons or bust for Austin, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

There is serious interest from the Falcons, as they have likely narrowed their own options down to Austin and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, although our own Luke Adams writes that there might be one other candidate still in the mix. The team is expected to interview Quinn once more after the NFC Championship game next week.

Austin decided to remove himself from consideration for the Broncos’ opening as it became more clear that Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is the number one option in Denver. Doug Marrone followed Austin’s lead, canceling his interview with the Broncos as well.

With the Falcons his last hope for a head coaching job this offseason, Austin is prepared to return to the Lions as defensive coordinator should Atlanta decide to go in a different direction. 2014 was Austin’s first season as a defensive coordinator, and he led the charge for a team that was among the top defenses in the league, and one of the best at stopping the run in recent history.

FA Notes: Cowboys, Houston, Suh, Rams

January 16th, 2015 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Tony Romo and the Cowboys had two of the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons at their disposal in 2014, with Dez Bryant leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns and DeMarco Murray running away with the rushing title. However, both players are eligible for free agency this offseason, and owner Jerry Jones acknowledged yesterday that it’s unlikely both of them return to the team.

“Is it possible [to re-sign both players]? Yes,” Jones said, per DallasCowboys.com. “But if you just look at it from the standpoint of dollars and cents, it probably doesn’t look reasonable.”

Considering Jones has stated in the past that the Cowboys intend to keep Bryant around by any means necessary, including the franchise tag, that doesn’t bode particularly well for Murray’s future with in Dallas. We heard earlier this week that the league’s leading rusher appeared likely to reach the open market.

Here’s more on this year’s free-agents-to-be:

  • There have been “zero talks” between the Chiefs and outside linebacker Justin Houston on a new contract since the regular season ended, a source tells Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com. If Houston and the Chiefs don’t work out a long-term deal within the next few weeks, the franchise tag looks like a very realistic possibility for the NFL’s sack leader.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates examines Ndamukong Suh’s potential free agency, identifying the Raiders, Browns, and Bengals as the best non-Lions fits for the star defensive tackle.
  • In his preview of the Rams‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com identifies tackle Joe Barksdale, quarterback Shaun Hill, and wide receiver Kenny Britt as a few potential free agents the team should consider re-signing.
  • Ravens quarterback Tyrod Taylor sees his rookie contract expire this winter, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency. He spoke to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun about the next step in his career, suggesting that returning to the Ravens or signing with another club could both be “good options.”
  • The NFL will introduce a veteran free agent combine this March, scheduled for a couple weeks after free agency opens, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com, passing along a report from colleague Ian Rapoport. According to a memo sent out by the league, the combine will “serve to isolate and consolidate veteran free-agent talent for more focused evaluation on a comparative basis.”

Kubiak In, Austin Out For Broncos’ HC Search

January 16th, 2015 at 9:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens officially announced last Sunday that offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak would remain in Baltimore for the 2015 season, turning down potential opportunities with the Bears and Jets. Since then, however, one more head coaching position has become available, and it appears Kubiak has some interest in it. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Kubiak will meet with the Broncos about their head coaching vacancy, with an interview expected to happen this weekend.

The Broncos are currently in a state of flux, with Peyton Manning still deciding whether or not he wants to continue his playing career, and Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Julius Thomas all eligible for free agency. Additionally, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has left to coach the division-rival Raiders, and offensive coordinator Adam Gase appears likely to land a job elsewhere.

Still, there’s a ton of talent on the roster and it’s an intriguing destination for Kubiak, who previously worked from the Broncos for about a decade, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. According to La Canfora (via Twitter), if Kubiak has interest in Denver’s head coaching job, he may instantly become the frontrunner for the position, since he’s “far and away” John Elway‘s top choice.

So far, the only candidate to formally interview for the Broncos’ head coaching interview is Gase. A meeting with Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was on the schedule for today, but that interview is no longer happening, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Josina Anderson of ESPN (TwitLonger link) reports that Austin has withdrawn as a candidate in Denver’s search, which is interesting — it may suggest that the Lions DC is confident about his chances to land the head coaching job in Atlanta, as the Falcons appear to be narrowing down their search to Austin and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

It’s worth mentioning that speaking to Austin would have allowed the Broncos to adhere to the Rooney Rule, so even if Denver meets with Kubiak this weekend and there’s mutual interest in moving forward, the club still must interview a minority candidate at some point.

Coach Notes: 49ers, Jets, Falcons, Raiders

January 14th, 2015 at 9:23pm CST by Ben Levine

After promoting one coach earlier today, it sounds like the 49ers will be parting ways with the rest of their coaching staff. Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez reports (via Twitter) that the organization plans on dismissing all assistants except running backs coach Tom Rathman. A member of that coaching staff told CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco that they are “in the dark” regarding the team’s plans (Twitter link). Its unclear if any of the remaining coordinators, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, are safe.

Meanwhile, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets that “several” 49ers assistants will likely join former offensive coordinator Greg Roman with the Bills, while others will likely follow Fangio.

Let’s take a look at some more coaching notes from around the league…

  • Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is set to interview with the Broncos on Friday, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Austin was late arriving to Atlanta, and D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that his second interview with the Falcons will be pushed back to Thursday.
  • The Raiders want to talk to Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice, but Atlanta is denying them permission, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • Cardinals linebacker coach Mike Caldwell will likely join Jets head coach Todd Bowles in New York as the team’s assistant head coach, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Phoenix.
  • ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson says Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is “aiming high” in his coaching staff search, and the writer notes that Kyle Shanahan could be among the offensive coordinator candidates (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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