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OC Bobby Slowik To Stay With Texans

January 30th, 2024 at 5:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bobby Slowik entered Tuesday still in the mix for both remaining HC openings. The Texans’ offensive coordinator will pass on Seattle and Washington. Slowik will stay in Houston, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.

A new deal, one that Breer mentions includes a significant raise, will keep Houston’s play-caller in town. This will ensure pivotal continuity for the ascending Texans, who saw C.J. Stroud become an impact rookie with Slowik calling the shots. This marked Slowik’s first season calling plays, but the former 49ers assistant was a fixture on this year’s HC carousel. He figures to be a big name during next year’s hiring period as well. This agreement also comes with an extension, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano tweets.

The Seahawks interviewed Slowik, and the Commanders had met twice with the up-and-coming play-caller. Slowik, 36, also met with the Falcons, Panthers and Titans this month. The Falcons interviewed Slowik twice but went with Raheem Morris. Ben Johnson was rumored to be the favorite for the Washington job, but even with the two-year play-caller staying in Detroit, Slowik will no longer pursue the position. It is far from certain Slowik would have landed the job; he was not mentioned as a favorite like Johnson was. Still, this narrows the field for the Commanders.

Ravens DC Mike Macdonald, Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver, Cowboys DC Dan Quinn and Lions DC Aaron Glenn are the coaches remaining in the mix who have interviewed twice with the Commanders. Slowik met with Commanders brass in-person Jan. 23. Glenn is meeting with team reps today. Macdonald and Quinn are also in contention for the Seahawks’ job. Neither Seattle nor Washington has contacted Bill Belichick.

This represents big news for the Texans, who have seen quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson interview for multiple OC positions. The Saints have interviewed Johnson twice, while he spent today in Tampa meeting with Buccaneers brass. Slowik staying would provide some protection in the event Johnson leaves, giving Stroud continuity going into his second season. The Slowik-Johnson partnership worked wonders for Stroud in 2023; the No. 2 overall pick is the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year acclaim.

Effectively in a two-year holding pattern as they pondered how to replace Deshaun Watson, the Texans ranked 30th in each of the previous two seasons. DeMeco Ryans‘ Slowik hire helped vault the team (with a notable Stroud assist) to 13th in scoring this season. The Texans voyaged to the divisional round, doing so after winning just 11 games from 2020-22. Set to build around Stroud’s rookie contract, the team now has assurances Slowik will keep working with the prized prospect.

Slowik resides in a strong spot regarding future HC employment. He comes from a Kyle Shanahan tree that has already produced three HC hires since 2021 and is tied to one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks. It is arguable this situation outflanks Johnson’s in Detroit, given Stroud’s trajectory. Higher-profile jobs could become available in 2025, with the Cowboys and Eagles deliberating on their HCs after disappointing playoff exits. The Bills have also hit a divisional-round wall under Sean McDermott, while the Jaguars are weeks removed from a collapse. Slowik will join Johnson in reassessing the landscape in 2025.

Dolphins To Conduct DC Interviews With Anthony Weaver, Chris Kiffin

January 30th, 2024 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Anthony Weaver is still in the running for a head coaching opportunity, but he has also drawn interest for a coordinator vacancy. The Ravens’ defensive line coach will interview with the Dolphins for their DC position, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

As Weaver toggles his status on the HC and DC carousels, the Dolphins are also preparing to interview Texans linebackers coach Chris Kiffin. That meeting will take place Friday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.

Despite the Dolphins giving Vic Fangio a contract worth more than $4.5MM annually — a deal believed to have the veteran coach positioned as NFL’s highest-paid DC — the team is searching for a defensive play-caller for a second straight offseason. The Eagles have since brought Fangio back to Philly.

Weaver, 43, is the rare position coach to receive a second interview for a head coaching position. The former NFL D-lineman has coordinator experience, but just one year of it; and that came for a 4-12 Texans team. Weaver has been the Ravens’ D-line coach since leaving Houston, and interested teams now have Justin Madubuike‘s monster contract year to factor into their decisions.

Although Weaver interviewed for the Falcons’ HC job and remains in the running in a Commanders search that has since changed after Ben Johnson‘s surprising decision Tuesday morning, he has not interviewed for a defensive coordinator job during this cycle. The Dolphins are the only team to request an audience with the veteran assistant regarding a DC post. Weaver’s second Commanders HC interview occurred Monday.

This is new territory for Kiffin, who joined DeMeco Ryans‘ team during the 2023 offseason. The son of famed DC Monte Kiffin, Chris moved up from the college ranks in 2018 to join Kyle Shanahan‘s staff. He overlapped with Mike McDaniel in San Francisco from 2018-19, when the current Dolphins HC was the 49ers’ run-game coordinator. Kiffin, who assisted as a 49ers pass rush specialist, coached the Browns’ D-line for three seasons (2020-22).

As of Tuesday afternoon, here is how the Dolphins’ DC search looks:

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Interview requested
  • Anthony Campanile, inside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
  • Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview blocked
  • Leslie Frazier, former defensive coordinator (Bills): To interview 1/30
  • Chris Kiffin, linebackers coach (Texans): To interview 2/2
  • Ryan Slowik, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interview expected
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed
  • Anthony Weaver, defensive line coach (Ravens): To interview

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Jerrod Johnson Earns Second Saints OC Interview

January 27th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Ben Levine

Jerrod Johnson has moved on to the next round of the Saints OC search. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Texans quarterbacks coach has a second interview for New Orleans’ offensive coordinator job today.

[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Johnson has quickly worked his way up through the coaching ranks in recent years. Following Bill Walsh Diversity coaching fellowships with the 49ers and Colts, he joined Indianapolis full-time as an offensive quality control coach in 2020. Following two seasons in that gig, Johnson left for Minnesota to become the Vikings assistant QBs coach in 2022.

When DeMeco Ryans got the Texans job last offseason, he turned to his former 49ers coworker. Johnson was named Houston’s quarterbacks coach last offseason, and his first season couldn’t have gone much better. Rookie C.J. Stroud ended up leading the NFL in passing yards per game and in INT rate, throwing just five picks vs. 23 touchdowns. Thanks to the quarterback’s impressive performance, Johnson has become a hot name on the coordinator market. Besides meeting virtually with the Saints earlier this month, the coach has also been connected to open jobs with the Browns, Eagles, Steelers, and Buccaneers.

The Saints have cast a relatively wide net as they look to replace Pete Carmichael. Dan Pitcher was the only other known candidate to earn a second interview with New Orleans. However, the former Bengals quarterbacks coach has since earned a promotion to offensive coordinator, making Johnson the apparent leader in the clubhouse.

Steelers To Interview Jerrod Johnson For OC Position

January 26th, 2024 at 8:49am CST by Adam La Rose

Jerrod Johnson remains a top candidate for an offensive coordinator gig. The Texans QBs coach is set to meet with the Steelers today to discuss their OC vacancy, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Pittsburgh replaced Matt Canada midseason, handing the reins of the offense to Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan. That move (accompanied down the stretch by a switch to Mason Rudolph under center) produced an uptick in production for the unit, but it came as no surprise when head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed the team would look outside the organization for its next offensive coordinator.

Johnson (whose playing career included time in Pittsburgh in the 2012 offseason) represents a logical candidate for a replacement. The 35-year-old has only spent one season in his current post – having previously worked as an assistant QBs coach with the Vikings – but his work with C.J. Stroud has helped his stock dramatically. Stroud and the Texans shattered expectations in his rookie season, and that has generated plenty of outside interest for Johnson. The Saints and Browns have met with him already, and the same is true of the Eagles.

Johnson’s lack of experience relative to other candidates available could hinder his chances of landing an OC position, but the chance still remains that he could be promoted to the coordinator role in Houston. Texans OC Bobby Slowik has received head coaching interest in this year’s cycle, and his departure would create a notable vacancy on Houston’s staff. Johnson could be an internal option to take over from Slowik in the event he were to leave.

The Steelers’ list of OC candidates is relatively small for now, and the team’s only other interview to date has been with Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. Pittsburgh also has a meeting lined up with Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson. Johnson will join that pair in discussing a key role on Tomlin’s staff, as the Steelers look to find certainty at the quarterback position and on the sidelines for 2024.

Mutual Interest Between Texans, DE Jonathan Greenard For New Deal

January 25th, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

After a successful first season with head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans profile as an attractive destination for outside free agents. The team has a number of important decisions with respect to its own expiring deals, however.

Chief among those is edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. The former third-rounder enjoyed a career year in 2023, posting 12.5 sacks, 52 pressures and 52 tackles (including 15 for loss). Those figures came about in part due to his ability to remain healthy through much of the campaign – his 15 regular season games played also marked a personal high – and his fit within Ryans’ scheme.

Having enjoyed a breakout campaign ahead of his first trip to free agency, Greenard would no doubt generate a considerable market if he were to depart Houston. The 26-year-old has made it clear, however, that his preference would be to remain with the Texans on a second contract. Likewise, the team wishes to retain him.

“I know I definitely want to come back, but as we know, that’s not up to me,” Greenard said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. “At this point, I can’t do much more. I feel like I put my portfolio out there and closed that chapter and the rest will take care of itself. If they have me back, I’ll be 10 toes down, but if not, it’s just a game. I’ll definitely appreciate if this was the last time.”

Greenard’s remarks certainly suggest he is willing to explore other offers, but Wilson notes the Texans are “expected to try to retain” him. Doing so could be a pricey undertaking given the nature of the edge market; 18 pass rushers average at least $15MM per year on their current deals. Houston is set to be among the league leaders in cap space this offseason, however, so finding the funds to keep Greenard in the fold should be manageable.

The Florida product could partner with 2023 third overall pick Will Anderson as a foundational member of Houston’s defensive front for years to come if a long-term agreement can be worked out. If that does not turn out to be the case, however, the Texans could experience signficant upheaval along the edge since veterans Derek Barnett and Jerry Hughes are also pending free agents.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/24/24

January 24th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s reserve/futures deals from around the league:

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

In his second year out of college, Havrisik made his NFL debut for the Rams, playing nine games for Los Angeles this season. He struggled from distance, only converting four of nine field goal attempts over 40 yards, and disappointed with three missed PATs this year. Cleveland will take a chance on an experiment at kicker after seeing regular kicker Dustin Hopkins miss the last few games of the season.

Coaching Notes: Callahan, Browns, Vrabel, Seahawks, Smith, Johnson, Texans, Jets

January 24th, 2024 at 5:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans ended Brian Callahan‘s five-year stay as a non-play-calling Bengals OC, hiring the veteran assistant as their Mike Vrabel successor. Although Callahan has never been his team’s primary play-caller, he will not give his first Tennessee OC that responsibility. Callahan will call Titans offensive plays, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky notes. Callahan has spent five years learning from Bengals HC/play-caller Zac Taylor. He also worked under Jon Gruden in 2018 and Gary Kubiak in 2015. Not calling plays in Cincinnati undoubtedly held Callahan back, considering the success the Bengals’ offense generated during Joe Burrow‘s early years.

During a busy day on the coaching carousel, here is the latest from around the league:

  • Duce Staley will land on his feet. The recently dismissed Panthers running backs coach will take the same position with the Browns, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports. The Jets had planned to make Staley an offer as well, but the veteran RBs coach will replace Stump Mitchell in Cleveland. Staley has coached running backs for the past 11 seasons, doing so with the Eagles, Lions and Panthers. The former NFL running back will have a chance to coach Nick Chubb, assuming the perennial Pro Bowler returns from his ACL tear.
  • The Browns are also working to hire one of Nick Saban’s former assistants to replace the other position coach they fired last week. Tommy Rees, who landed the Notre Dame OC job in his 20s and held the same position at Alabama last season, is on the Browns’ radar, The Athletic’s Zac Jackson tweets. A former Chargers assistant, Rees is expected to become the Browns’ tight ends coach. Cleveland dismissed T.C. McCartney last week.
  • Two casualties of this coaching carousel are candidates to land elsewhere soon. Ex-Falcons HC Arthur Smith and recently dismissed Eagles OC Brian Johnson have generated interest around the league, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Smith is being monitored as an OC candidate, per Russini, with a handful of teams looking into the three-year Atlanta HC. Prior to Smith’s Falcons tenure, the ex-Titans OC generated widespread interest as a head coach option in 2021. Johnson has not achieved similar status, and Russini does not confirm the one-year Eagles play-caller is on the OC radar. Though, that would not surprise considering Johnson received multiple HC interview requests during this cycle.
  • Mentioned recently as a candidate on the Seahawks‘ radar, Vrabel may be receiving some support from Seattle players. Some Seahawks view Vrabel as the best option for the job, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline. Although Vrabel now has three interviews completed or booked, the Seahawks have not yet met with him. They have met with their former DC, Dan Quinn, who was the first name to emerge as the top Pete Carroll successor option. The Dallas DC should still be considered the frontrunner, Pauline adds. Quinn has a second interview scheduled for Friday, but the Seahawks have a few targets set for second meetings this week.
  • The Texans are not bringing back defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Lovie Smith hired Cesaire in 2022, whose contract is expiring. DeMeco Ryans‘ club did set a single-season sack record, with 46, which is quite something considering this franchise employed J.J. Watt for nine seasons. A former NFL D-lineman, Cesaire has been a D-line coach in the league since 2020.
  • On the subject of AFC D-line coaches, the Jets are retaining theirs. Aaron Whitecotton‘s contract was set to expire, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, but the New York Post’s Brian Costello notes the team reached an extension agreement Wednesday. Considering the success the Jets have had up front over the past two seasons, it is unsurprising they made a commitment to keep the Robert Saleh lieutenant around. The Jets also interviewed former Titans assistant Tony Dews for their RBs coach job, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt tweets. Tennessee’s tight ends coach in 2023, Dews worked alongside current Jets staffers Todd Downing and Keith Carter in Tennessee.

Eagles Interview Texans’ Jerrod Johnson For OC Position

January 24th, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Barely 24 hours after firing Brian Johnson, the Eagles are at work interviewing replacement candidates. Following their Kliff Kingsbury meeting, the Eagles met with a younger candidate.

Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson is on the Eagles’ radar, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reporting the young assistant has also met with Philly about the job. Johnson, whom the Texans hired last year, has also met with the Saints and Browns about their respective OC openings.

As C.J. Stroud‘s position coach, Johnson certainly has momentum to use this season as a platform to land a coordinator job. The 35-year-old staffer has just one season of experience as a quarterbacks coach, coming to Houston after a stay as Minnesota’s assistant QBs coach. The Eagles would stand to join the Saints in seeking a play-calling OC, with the Browns preparing to hire a non-play-calling coordinator.

That said, Nick Sirianni is an offense-oriented coach. It is unclear if the Eagles are retaining Sirianni, though with ownership signing off on the team firing both its offensive and defensive coordinators, signs still point to the Super Bowl HC staying for a fourth season. Sirianni has not been the Eagles’ primary play-caller since he relinquished those duties to Shane Steichen midway through the 2021 season.

Johnson also has a history with Sirianni; both were on Frank Reich‘s Colts staff from 2019-20. Johnson broke into the coaching ranks as on a Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship in 2019 and worked as a quality control staffer from 2020-21, leading to the Minnesota job offer. Sirianni brought ex-Colts coworker Marcus Brady to Philly, with Jonathan Gannon also coming over from Indianapolis back in 2021. With this hire being crucial to Sirianni’s Eagles future, it will assuredly take more than familiarity to fill the job.

Stroud rocketing out of the starting blocks has changed the Texans’ outlook, with the team venturing to the playoffs for the first time in four years. The No. 2 overall pick’s performance landing Johnson a job would add up, but with the Texans having Bobby Slowik still on the HC carousel, any staff continuity would be important going into the offseason.

Texans’ Bobby Slowik Arranges Second HC Interviews With Commanders, Falcons

January 23rd, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Adam La Rose

After a strong debut season as a coordinator, Bobby Slowik continues to drawn signficant head coaching interest. The Texans OC has a pair of second interviews lined up for a head coaching gig.

Slowik will meet with the Commanders today before a follow-up with the Falcons, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. His second meeting with Atlanta will take place on Thursday, SI’s Albert Breer adds. Slowik interviewed virtually with both teams on Sunday, and his second meeting with each will take place in person.

Slowik began his NFL coaching career under Mike Shanahan in Washington as a defensive assistant, spending three years in that capacity. Taking on the Commanders’ HC position would thus represent a return to the place where he started as a staffer. Slowik is best known for his work on the offensive side of the ball, however, which began when he paired with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.

While the latter served as play-caller, Slowik was an instrumental member of the 49ers’ offensive staff during his time in the Bay Area. The 36-year-old worked as San Francisco’s passing game coordinator from 2021-22 before he followed DeMeco Ryans to Houston. That move allowed him to take on the Texans’ offensive coordinator role, and the results thoroughly exceeded expectations.

With Slowik at the helm, quarterback C.J. Stroud delivered one of the most productive rookie seasons in NFL history. Houston advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs as part of the organization’s dramatic turnaround in Ryans’ debut season as a head coach. His and the team’s success has, to no surprise, entered Slowik’s name into the conversation of the league’s top up-and-coming offensive minds.

The Commanders quickly brought in a new general manager (Adam Peters, who has a relationship with Slowik dating back to their time in San Francisco), but the team has cast a wide net in its coaching search. Veteran defensive coordinators – and ex-head coaches – Dan Quinn and Raheem Morris – have lined up a second interview with Washington. The Commanders have also shown a strong interest in Lions OC Ben Johnson, however, and Slowik profiles as being similar to the latter given his age and background on the offensive side of the ball.

Unlike the Commanders, the Falcons have frequently been linked to high-profile candidates Bill Belichick and Jim Harbaugh. Atlanta has met with both candidates, but the team has also sent out a second request to speak with Mike Macdonald and Anthony Weaver as part of a wide-ranging search. Slowik will have competition for both positions, but his status as a serious candidate for both Washington and Atlanta demonstrates the extent to which has stock has risen this year.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/22/24

January 22nd, 2024 at 7:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s reserve/futures contracts:

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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