Rams To Hire Greg Olson As QBs Coach
Greg Olson seemed like a lock to become the Bills’ next offensive coordinator, but they’re going to have to look elsewhere. Olson is on his way to the Rams to serve as their quarterbacks coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
In Los Angeles, Olson will reunite with newly minted head coach Sean McVay. The two previously worked together in Tampa Bay and will now exert heavy influence over the development of young signal-caller Jared Goff, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft. Olson has plenty of experience tutoring quarterbacks as both a position coach and coordinator. He has been part of several staffs, including the Rams’ (2006-07), since his NFL coaching career began in 2001.
Olson was most recently a coordinator in Jacksonville, where QB Blake Bortles hasn’t quite panned out since going third overall in 2014. Thanks in part to that, Olson lost his job with the Jaguars last October.
In rejecting the Bills for the Rams, Olson turned down “much more” money, per Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. Staying in close proximity to his family was a motivating factor, Carucci adds (Twitter links).
When Brad Childress exited the race for the Bills’ O-coordinator role Tuesday, it appeared Olson would land the job. The Bills even hired one of Olson’s previous offensive assistants, running backs coach Kelly Skipper, on Wednesday. But it turns out he’ll serve under someone else in Buffalo. That could be Packers quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, tweets CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. Van Pelt was a longtime backup QB with the Bills and had a stint as their OC in 2009.
NFLPA Announces Cap Carryover Amounts
The NFL Players Association has announced all 32 teams’ salary cap carryover amounts for the 2017 season (Twitter link). Next season’s cap figure isn’t yet known, but it’s likely to be in the $165MM range. When that becomes official, it can be added to each team’s carryover amount to determine that club’s official spending room for 2017.
Here are this year’s carryover totals:
- Cleveland Browns: $50,123,269
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $39,314,310
- San Francisco 49ers: $38,708,916
- Tennessee Titans: $24,046,522
- Washington Redskins: $15,055,131
- Carolina Panthers: $13,208,020
- Miami Dolphins: $8,363,708
- Chicago Bears: $8,103,197
- Oakland Raiders: $8,000,000
- Green Bay Packers: $7,984,687
- Philadelphia Eagles: $7,933,869
- Denver Broncos: $7,243,248
- Indianapolis Colts: $6,614,106
- Cincinnati Bengals: $6,578,866
- New Orleans Saints: $5,754,000
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $5,330,779
- New England Patriots: $5,292,335
- Kansas City Chiefs: $5,002,168
- Houston Texans: $4,935,924
- Detroit Lions: $4,725,644
- Arizona Cardinals: $4,405,068
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $3,269,367
- Buffalo Bills: $2,837,222
- Baltimore Ravens: $2,553,126
- Dallas Cowboys: $2,401,553
- Seattle Seahawks: $2,065,865
- New York Giants: $1,800,000
- Atlanta Falcons: $926,541
- Minnesota Vikings: $400,184
- New York Jets: $371,487
- Los Angeles Rams: $304,311
- Los Angeles Chargers: $113,693
Niners To Conduct Second Interviews With Eliot Wolf, Brian Gutekunst
Packers director of football operations Eliot Wolf is among the general manager candidates the 49ers and soon-to-be head coach Kyle Shanahan will invite to Atlanta for an interview next week, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). The team will also conduct second meetings with one of Wolf’s Packers colleagues, Brian Gutekunst, and Vikings assistant GM George Paton, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
No Guarantee Shanahan Accepts 49ers Job?
Now that Tom Cable and Josh McDaniels have each dropped out of the 49ers’ head coaching search, Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is the last man standing and is fully expected to be offered the position. However, Shanahan is not a lock to accept the job, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), who notes that an upcoming meeting between the two parties could play a key role in Shanahan’s decision.
[RELATED: 2017 Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Shanahan will reportedly discuss potential general manager candidates with San Francisco management during his second interview, and the 49ers are now narrowing down their list of executives, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner withdrew his name from the search earlier today, but four other candidates — Brian Gutekunst (Packers), Terry McDonough (Cardinals), George Paton (Vikings) and Eliot Wolf (Packers) — all had “strong” initial interviews, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
According to Barrows, Kirchner believed that he and Cable were being used as something of pawns in order to drive Shanahan’s contract demands down. Shanahan does have tremendous leverage, as La Canfora adds (Twitter link), and would certainly be in high demand as a head coach in 2018. But the 49ers job is his last chance to land a head coaching gig during this hiring cycle, as every other vacancy has been filled.
If Shanahan does turn down the 49ers, San Francisco would truly return to square one. Outside of Cable and McDaniels, every other coaching candidate the club interviewed (or had planned to interview), including Doug Marrone, Vance Joseph, Sean McVay, Sean McDermott, and Anthony Lynn, has been hired elsewhere.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/17/17
Today’s minor moves:
Promotion
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: DL Joe Vellano
- Placed on IR (story): DE Adrian Clayborn
Practice Squad
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Bene Benwikere
- Cut: CB Keith Baxter
Reserve/Futures Contracts
Atlanta Falcons
Dallas Cowboys
- TE Rico Gathers
- WR Andy Jones
Kansas City Chiefs
- T Joseph Cheek
- G Jordan Devey
- DB Jimmy Hall
- DT Cory Johnson
- WR Seantavius Jones
- DE David King
- LB Earl Okine
- QB Joel Stave
New Orleans Saints
- WR Rashad Lawrence
2017 Proven Performance Escalators
According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.
If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.8MM in 2017. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.
Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2017 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:
49ers: Aaron Lynch, LB; Marcus Martin, OL
Bears: Charles Leno, T; Will Sutton, DT
Bengals: Russell Bodine, C
Bills: Preston Brown, LB; Seantrel Henderson, T
Broncos: Michael Schofield, OL
Browns: Christian Kirksey, LB
Buccaneers: Kevin Pamphile, G
Cardinals: John Brown, WR
Chiefs: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G; Zach Fulton, G; Phillip Gaines, CB
Colts: Donte Moncrief, WR
Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens, LB
Falcons: Devonta Freeman, RB
Giants: Devon Kennard, LB
Jaguars: Aaron Colvin, CB; Brandon Linder, G; Telvin Smith, LB
Lions: Nevin Lawson, CB; Travis Swanson, C
Packers: Corey Linsley, C; Richard Rodgers, TE
Panthers: Tre Boston, S; Trai Turner, G
Raiders: T.J. Carrie, CB; Justin Ellis, DT; Gabe Jackson, G
Rams: Maurice Alexander, S; E.J. Gaines, CB
Redskins: Bashaud Breeland, CB; Spencer Long, G; Morgan Moses, T
Texans: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE; Andre Hal, S
Titans: DaQuan Jones, DL; Avery Williamson, LB
Vikings: Shamar Stephen, DT
Latest On Packers Execs/49ers’ GM Search
Packers executives Brian Gutekunst and Eliot Wolf are two of the nine candidates the 49ers have interviewed for their general manager job, and sources tell Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that San Francisco views Gutekunst in a higher regard, adding that the Niners were “really impressed” by Green Bay’s director of college scouting. Mike Silver of NFL.com (Twitter link) continues to “believe” that Gutekunst and Wolf are the leading contenders for the SF gig.
[RELATED: Latest On 49ers’ Head Coach Search]
Meanwhile, Wolf — the Packers’ director of football operations — would almost certainly accept the 49ers job if offered, per McGinn, as some believe that he’d like to escape the shadow of his father, former Packers general manager Ron Wolf, in Green Bay. The Packers denied the Lions’ request to interview Wolf for their GM vacancy last offseason, but they’ve made no attempt to do so this offseason. On the other hand, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report adds (video link) that Green Bay does not want to lose Wolf, and would consider moving him into the GM chair this offseason to replace Ted Thompson.
Green Bay’s front office machinations also have implications in Kansas City, where Chiefs general manager John Dorsey could be a candidate to take over for Thompson in 2018. Dorsey is one of the lowest-paid GMs in the NFL, according to McGinn, and some sources believe that he would relish an opportunity to return to the Packers. “I always thought he was the type of guy who would want to come back to Green Bay,” said one of Dorsey’s friends. “He loves the Packers. I do know that.”
Jordy Nelson May Be Available Next Week
Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson is inactive for today’s contest against the Cowboys after suffering broken ribs in last week’s victory over the Giants, but Green Bay has a “legitimate hope” that Nelson could play against the Falcons next week if the Packers advance to the NFC Championship Game, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who adds that Nelson had no trouble travelling to Dallas for today’s game.
[RELATED: Packers Release DT Mike Pennel]
Nelson isn’t dealing with any other complications besides the rib injury itself, as Nelson himself told Stacey Dales of the NFL Network (Twitter links), and added that his primary goal is to resume breathing normally. Nelson is currently “resting and recovering,” an indication that he hasn’t yet returned to football activity. He’ll have a “chance” to play if the Packers advance to the next round of the tournament, per Dales, which is a decidedly more vague phrasing than Demovksy’s “legitimate hope” above.
If Nelson can’t go next week, the Green Bay’s wide receiver unit will consist of Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Geronimo Allison, Jeff Janis, and Trevor Davis. The Packers also have Antwan Goodley and Max McCaffrey on the practice squad.
Packers’ Jordy Nelson Has Broken Ribs
Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on Monday that Jordy Nelson could suit up for Sunday’s playoff game against the Cowboys. While that could technically happen, it doesn’t sound all that likely right now. Nelson suffered “at least” two broken ribs this weekend against the Giants and it would take an “incredible effort” for the wide receiver to get on the field, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Packers Release DT Mike Pennel]
Nelson took a big hit from cornerback Leon Hall in the first half of Green Bay’s 38-13 win over New York. That night, he was sent to the hospital to be monitored. It sounds like he may have to sit out on Sunday, but the good news is that the Packers’ other receivers did a great job of holding down the fort without him. In total, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams combined for 241 yards and four touchdowns against the G-Men. By the same token, the Cowboys’ secondary is arguably stronger than the Giants’ unit without Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The Packers certainly want to have Nelson on the field if at all possible.
If Nelson can’t go, the Packers’ WR unit will consist of Adams, Cobb, Geronimo Allison, Jeff Janis, and Trevor Davis. The Packers also have Antwan Goodley and Max McCaffrey on the practice squad.
Packers Release DT Mike Pennel
The Packers gave Mike Pennel a second chance following a suspension earlier this season. With another four-game ban coming to an end, it appears that the organization has had enough. ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky reports that the Packers have released the defensive tackle. The 25-year-old’s roster exemption was set to expire today.
The former undrafted free agent was suspended for the first four games of this season after having violated the league’s substance abuse policy. Pennel returned to the Packers and appeared in eight games, but he was slapped with another four-game ban in early December. Considering it was a second offense, the defensive tackle was initially facing a ten-game suspension. Pennel actually filed suit against the NFL and the NFLPA, claiming that the impending appeals board was only going to consist of two neutral arbitrators (as opposed to the standard three-to-five). The suit was dropped after the two sides came to an agreement, and that agreement presumably cut the suspension from 10 games to only four games.
Either way, the defensive lineman is going to have to find his next opportunity elsewhere. In eight games this season, Pennel only compiled seven tackles. The defensive lineman logged 103 defensive snaps as he found himself behind Mike Daniels, Letroy Guion, and Datone Jones on the depth chart. 2015 was a “career-year” for Pennel, as the lineman finished with 25 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 16 games.
Pennel was only signed to a minimum salary contract through this season, and he missed out on a portion of that base salary and signing bonus thanks to the pair of suspensions.