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Mike Macdonald Received HC Offer From Commanders?

February 2nd, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a succesful two-year run as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald was one of the top head coaching candidates around the league. He took the Seahawks’ HC position on Wednesday, but that does not appear to have been the only offer on the table.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports the Commanders offered their head coaching position to Macdonald. The timing in this matter is critical, given the involvement of Lions OC Ben Johnson in both Washington’s and Seattle’s searches. Florio notes the Commanders’ offer was made after Johnson made it known he was electing to remain in Detroit for at least one more season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds (via Earl Forcey of 106.7 The Fan) that Washington contacted Macdonald while he was en route to Seattle to inquire about his continued interest in the position.

That certainly points to Macdonald being the team’s preference over its eventual hire, Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. For much of the hiring cycle, Johnson appeared to be the Commanders’ top choice, with his decision forcing the team to move in a different direction. As Schefter’s colleague John Keim reports, however, Johnson was not seen as a unanimous top choice at any point in the vetting process. No offers had been made to Johnson (or any other candidate) before the highly-acclaimed OC bowed out of the running, Keim adds.

Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik also agreed to take himself out of the picture after receiving head coaching interest, although Keim notes he was never considered a likely hire for Washington. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Dan Graziano adds that while Johnson was considered by many around the league to be the Commanders’ top choice, Macdonald may have actually been the team’s No. 1 option.

The 36-year-old led the Ravens to a first-place finish in a number of defensive categories in 2023, and he will be tasked with overseeing a turnaround on that side of the ball with the Seahawks. Offensively, however, Seattle offers much more in the way of known commodities compared to Washington. The latter team has an unsettled QB situation which will likely be addressed with the second overall pick in this year’s draft, along with plenty of room for improvement along the O-line. The Commanders’ defense also bottomed out late in the 2023 season, and it will be a focus for free agent and draft moves. Macodonald’s decision to forgo the Commanders in favor of the Seahawks – if he did indeed have such an opportunity – is thus reasonable.

Quinn will be at the helm moving forward in the nation’s capital, and the ESPN piece notes how his leadership traits were well-received in his interview process. The beginning of his tenure with Washington will, however, likely be marked with the belief he was not atop the team’s pecking order for coaching candidates.

Texans To Bring Back LS Jon Weeks

February 1st, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already the longest-tenured player in Texans history, Jon Weeks will keep going with the AFC South franchise. The veteran long snapper is set to play a 15th season with the team.

Weeks agreed to another one-year contract to stay in Houston on Thursday, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Standard long snapper money will come Weeks’ way, with the specialist agreeing to terms on a $1.38MM deal for the 2024 season. The contract includes a $168K signing bonus.

This season, Weeks reached 227 games as a Texan this season (239 if playoff games are counted, as Weeks has snapped in every Texans playoff game). The 2024 season will be Weeks’ age-38 campaign; he will turn 38 later this month. The low wear and tear on long snappers allows for considerable longevity, and Weeks has taken full advantage by extending his career to this point.

The Texans initially added Weeks as a 2010 UDFA. This will be the Baylor alum’s eighth contract with the team. After signing multiple four-year extensions during the 2010s, Weeks has gone year-to-year since 2020.

Houston’s long snapper has played for seven head coaches, counting the team’s two interim leaders during his career, over the course of his NFL run. Weeks earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2015. He has lapped the field in terms of Texans games logged, surpassing Andre Johnson‘s previous franchise games-played record (169) a few years back.

2024 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

February 1st, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders’ hire has wrapped this year’s cycle. Barring a team making an 11th-hour change, the 2024 HC carousel has come to a stop. The final breakdown produced five defensive coaches being hired compared to three with backgrounds on offense. Many teams are still searching for offensive and defensive coordinators, however.

Updated 2-1-24 (10:37am CT)

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Jerod Mayo, linebackers coach (Patriots): Hired

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Texans To Extend QBs Coach Jerrod Johnson

January 30th, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Make that two Texans assistants who are staying put. Minutes after reaching an agreement to retain Bobby Slowik, the Texans have a deal to keep Jerrod Johnson. The team’s quarterbacks coach is staying, CBS Sports Jonathan Jones reports.

Entering Tuesday in contention for the Saints and Buccaneers’ jobs, Johnson will pass and commit to working with C.J. Stroud again. This has turned into an important day for the Texans, who have ensured their top two offensive assistants will stay. Johnson agreed to an extension that includes a raise, according to Jones and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Keeping the Slowik-Johnson-Stroud trio together for a second season, the Texans will attempt to build on their 13th-place offensive finish this season. DVOA slotted Houston’s offense 14th — a massive improvement from the past two seasons. The Texans finished the 2021 and ’22 slates 30th offensively, seeing their Stroud investment effectively transform a downtrodden team.

After bringing Slowik with him from San Francisco, DeMeco Ryans hired Johnson from Kevin O’Connell‘s Minnesota staff. Johnson was on the quality control level during the 2021 season, moving up the ladder twice in the past two years. The Vikings employed Johnson, 36, as their assistant QBs coach during a 13-4 season. That garnered the former quarterback interest on the 2023 OC carousel. Stroud’s performance naturally led to more Johnson OC meetings. In addition to speaking with the Bucs and Saints (twice), Johnson met with the Steelers, Eagles, Patriots and Browns.

Although Stroud ranked 15th in QBR, he led the NFL in INT rate. The Ohio State product threw 499 passes and just five INTs, sprinkling in 23 TD tosses for a Texans team that nearly matched its win total from 2020-22. The 10-7 team then won a playoff game, routing the Browns. Averaging 8.2 yards per attempt, Stroud’s 273.9 yards per game led the NFL.

New Orleans took the rare step of interviewing Johnson twice; the young assistant joins ex-Bears OC Luke Getsy in being summoned for a second meeting. Tampa Bay is conducting an expansive search to replace Dave Canales, who became a one-and-done after landing the Panthers’ HC job. Johnson interviewed for the Bucs job today. The Bucs have now seen four of their candidates exit the race. It is logical Johnson will regroup and look into OC interviews again in 2025.

Considering Stroud’s standing as one of the NFL’s best young talents, it makes sense for Johnson to join Slowik in staying put. Stroud playing well again in 2024 will undoubtedly generate more HC interest for Slowik and OC interest for Johnson. The latter would also seemingly be a coordinator candidate in Houston if Slowik booked a head coaching job elsewhere next year.

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.

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