Coach Rumors: Gase, Eagles, Pederson, Jets
The Eagles have not yet scheduled a second interview with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their head coaching position, a league source familiar with the club’s thinking tells Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. While Frank suggests that this contradicts a previous report on Gase, that Wednesday report didn’t actually say a second interview had been formally set up by the Eagles — just that the team wanted to bring him back for a second meeting.
Although it hasn’t been scheduled yet, a second interview between Gase and the Eagles could still happen. However, Frank suggests that the club may not finish its first round of interviews and regroup until next week sometime.
In other coaching news out of Philadelphia, Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson will interview with the Eagles on Sunday for their head coaching job, regardless of how Kansas City does in its playoff game, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
Here are several more coaching-related updates from around the NFL:
- The Jets have parted ways with special teams coach Bobby April, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Special teams assistant Steve Hagen and assistant offensive line coach Ron Heller have also been let go by the club.
- If he doesn’t get a head coaching job somewhere, look for ex-Falcons head coach Mike Smith to be a candidate for the Buccaneers‘ defensive coordinator job, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Leslie Frazier is on his way out in Tampa Bay.
- Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says he has talked to several teams looking for a head coach about defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. At the moment, only the Browns have formally asked for an interview, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. McDermott has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Eagles and Giants as well.
- Per Mike Wells of ESPN.com, the Colts have officially confirmed several previously-reported changes to their coaching staff, including the dismissal of defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. The club also announced it has parted ways with strength and conditioning coach Roger Marandino and running backs coach Charlie Williams.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Coach Rumors: Payton, Browns, Colts, Jags
With six NFL teams currently in the market for a head coach, the future of Sean Payton has been one of the biggest questions marks around the league this week. We may soon have an answer on what 2016 has in store for the Saints head coach, though perhaps not as soon as initially expected. According to Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link), Payton’s Wednesday afternoon press conference has been postponed by an hour, to 2:00pm CT.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Saints are hoping GM Mickey Loomis can convince the longtime head coach to remain in New Orleans. However, if Payton decides he wants to pursue another job, the Saints will shift their focus to playing interested teams off one another in order to drive up his price, per Rapoport.
As we wait on Payton’s presser, let’s round up several more coaching-related notes…
- It looks like the Browns will be the first team to get a shot at interviewing the Bengals‘ coordinators. With Cincinnati scheduled to play on Saturday night, Cleveland plans on interviewing Bengals OC Hue Jackson on Sunday, tweets Rapoport. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com adds (via Twitter) that Bengals DC Paul Guenther is scheduled to meet with the Browns on Sunday as well.
- Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) hears that Ravens linebacker coach Ted Monachino, who has a history with Chuck Pagano, will be a strong candidate for the Colts‘ defensive coordinator vacancy.
- Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley indicated today that he’s prepared to cast a wide net for the team’s newly-opened defensive coordinator position — while there may be in-house candidates in Jacksonville, Bradley intends to do due diligence (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com).
- It sounds like 49ers linebackers coach Clancy Pendergast may be headed back to college. Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that Pendergast has been offered USC’s defensive coordinator job – a position he held in 2013 – and has received interest from Oregon too.
Coach Notes: Dolphins, Gase, Raiders, 49ers
The Dolphins announced on Tuesday evening that they have completed head coaching interviews with former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
The Dolphins have several more candidates lined up this week, including Bills assistant head coach Anthony Lynn, former Bills head coach Doug Marrone, and their own interim head coach Dan Campbell. However, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears that, at the start of the search, team owner Stephen Ross‘s favorite candidate is Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who is scheduled to meet with Miami on Thursday.
Having seen multiple coaches with previous head coaching experience fail in Miami over the last decade or so, Salguero is unconvinced that Gase is the right man for the job, suggesting that the Dolphins need a more seasoned NFL coach for the role. As we wait to see if the team agrees with that assessment and passes on Gase in favor of someone with more experience, let’s round up a few more Wednesday morning coaching notes…
- Speaking of Gase, the Eagles confirmed that they interviewed the Bears offensive coordinator for their head coaching position on Tuesday. Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Tuesday’s marathon meeting lasted for about eight hours.
- A year after Jack Del Rio took over as the team’s head coach, the Raiders don’t plan to make any changes to his coaching staff, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- There’s a good chance that the 49ers‘ new head coach will be a quarterback-friendly, offensive-minded candidate, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. A few of the candidates already linked to the Niners, including Sean Payton, Hue Jackson, and Mike Shanahan, definitely fit that bill.
- After firing defensive coordinator Greg Manusky on Tuesday, the Colts also parted ways with tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts and secondary coaches Mike Gillhamer and Roy Anderson, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Earlier today, we recapped the latest updates on the Giants‘ head coaching search.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/5/16
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the league. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2016 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ 90-man rosters.
Arizona Cardinals
- Taylor Boggs, C (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com)
- Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, C
- Mike Reilly, OLB
- Tyrequek Zimmerman, S
Baltimore Ravens
- Jerod Johnson, QB (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Zach Hocker, K (Twitter link via team)
- Dezmond Johnson, DE
- Floyd Raven, S
Green Bay Packers
- QB Ryan Williams (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
Indianapolis Colts
- Burton Pierce, OT
- Ben Heenan, G
- Edwin Jackson, LB
- Kitt O’Brien, G
- Dezmen Southward, DB
- Joshua Stangby. WR
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Quanterus Smith, DE (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Kenny Cook, WR
- Dominique Davis, DE
- Cameron Gordon, LB
- Jordan Kovacs, DB
- Trey Millard, RB
- Alameda Ta’amu, DT
Miami Dolphins
- Jahwan Edwards, RB
- Robert Herron, WR
- Terrell Manning, LB
- Vinston Painter, G
- Anthony Steen, G
- Dax Swanson, DB
- Julius Warmsley, DE
- Jordan Williams, DE
New Orleans Saints
- Ashaad Mabry, DT (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune)
- Chris Manhertz, TE (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Advocate)
New York Jets
- Joe Anderson, WR (link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com)
- Deion Barnes, LB
- Brandon Bostick, TE
- Jarvis Harrison, OL
- Julian Howsare, FB
- Wes Saxton, TE
- Kevin Short, DB
- Deon Simon, DL
- Julian Stanford, LB
Oakland Raiders
- Garrett Gilbert, QB (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Giorgio Tavecchio, K
San Diego Chargers
- Kasey Redfern, P (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)
- Torrence Allen, WR
- Michael Huey, G
San Francisco 49ers
- Corey Acosta, K (link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle)
St. Louis Rams
- David Arkin, OL (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)
- Justice Cunningham, TE
- Zack Hodges, LB
- Zach Laskey, RB
- Deon Long, WR
- Matthew Wells, LB
Colts Fire DC Greg Manusky
The Colts have fired defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Colts Sign Coach Chuck Pagano, GM Ryan Grigson To Extensions]
Manusky, at one time, was considered to be a potential head coaching candidate if the team ever fired head coach Chuck Pagano. As it turns out, the Colts’ defense struggled in 2015 and owner Jim Irsay actually decided to give Pagano a four-year extension on Monday night. Manusky will now be seeking a new job for 2016, but it’s not immediately clear if he’ll be able to land another DC gig.
Manusky, Rapoport tweets, was running Pagano’s scheme without many playmakers to work with. Now, it will be interesting to see what kind of hire Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson will make. Manusky joined the staff in 2012, around the same time of Pagano’s hiring. He previously spent time as defensive coordinator with the Chargers and 49ers. The Colts finished 27th in total yards per game (379.1) and 25th in points per game allowed (25.5) in 2015.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
South Notes: Jaguars, Babineaux, Colts
The Jaguars became the first NFL team of the offseason to officially part ways with its defensive coordinator today, announcing that Bob Babich won’t return in 2016. With Babich no longer in the picture, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has seven suggestions for potential replacements, including former head coaches Jim Schwartz and Mike Smith.
As we wait to see which direction Jacksonville goes for its DC opening, let’s check in on a few more items out of the NFL’s South divisions….
- An elite free safety would be a welcome addition to the Jaguars‘ defense, but GM David Caldwell suggested today that finding one could be even harder than finding a franchise quarterback, as John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets.
- Falcons veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, who just completed his eleventh season, says that he still has more football left in him, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. “Maybe one to two [years left]. My goal always was to get to 12 and decide if I wanted to continue or retire then. I know I have a few more years left in me,” he said. Babineaux is signed through next season.
- The Colts have late-season additions Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley signed through the 2016 season, so they plan on bringing back both quarterbacks in the offseason and evaluating them, tweets Mike Chappell of CBS4.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Sean Payton, Colts
Will Sean Payton be coaching the Saints in 2016 or will he be elsewhere? The latest here:
- The Colts had interest in Payton before extending Chuck Pagano, according to ESPN and a report from the Terre Haute Tribune Star. According to The Tribune Star, the Colts were in talks with Payton while simultaneously discussing a deal with Pagano. Technically, teams are not allowed to negotiate with Payton while he’s under contract, so the Colts have extra reason to keep those talks secretive.
- Nothing has changed with regards to Payton’s status with the Saints so far, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. He and GM Mickey Loomis met Monday and are expected to continue discussions. A source denied that Payton’s representatives were in negotiations with the Colts, though that’s not a denial of the team expressing interest in him.
- It will be the 49ers or the Saints for Payton, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Rapoport hears that the Colts did not speak with Payton’s agent before re-signing Pagano, so it’s not quite clear what transpired between the Saints coach and Indianapolis.
Latest On Titans’ General Manager Search
The Titans don’t appear to have lined up any head coaching interviews yet, but the team has been active in pursuing possible candidates for its general manager opening. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross will interview for the Titans’ GM position.
[RELATED: Titans part ways with general manager Ruston Webster]
Ross, who is believed to be under consideration for other jobs, is in charge of the Giants’ draft, which has had its share of misses in recent years — particularly when Odell Beckham is removed from the equation. Still, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that Ross is well regarded by the Fritz Pollard Alliance and by former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, who has consulted for multiple teams hiring GMs within the past few years.
In addition to Ross, Colts VP of football operations Jimmy Raye III is being targeted by the Titans, who hope to bring him in for an interview, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Tennessee is also aiming high by requesting to interview Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). DeCosta has long been considered the potential GM of the future in Baltimore, and has repeatedly turned down opportunities to interview with other clubs, preferring to remain with the Ravens. We’ll see if he contemplates interviewing for the Titans’ job, which has its pros (Marcus Mariota, the No. 1 overall pick) and cons (an uncertain ownership situation).
Coach Rumors: Rams, Eagles, Titans, Tomsula
Rams head coach Jeff Fisher doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, but there may be changes coming to his coaching staff in the coming weeks, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. A year ago, St. Louis was one of the last teams to make a change at offensive coordinator, and it doesn’t sound like Fisher is in a hurry to finalize changes this year either.
“We’ll start the evaluation process,” Fisher said. “Go back and we’ll discuss our restricted free agents, our unrestricted free agents and prioritize things from a coaching perspective. Then, we’ll get the ball rolling as far as the self-scouting and things like that. Separately from them, I’ll be dealing with when and if there’s going to be and potential staff changes.”
Rob Boras took over as the Rams’ interim offensive coordinator late in the season, and is a candidate to keep the job, but Fisher remains undecided on that position. As we wait to see which direction the team goes, let’s check in on a few more coaching-related notes from around the NFL…
- Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is on the Eagles‘ radar for a head coaching interview, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. Koetter has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Dolphins’ head coaching vacancy.
- The Titans have yet to request permission to interview any of the “hot” head coaching candidates, sources tell Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link). Presumably, McCormick is referring to coordinators like Adam Gase, Teryl Austin, and Hue Jackson, among others. It seems that the club may be prioritizing its search for a general manager before seriously pursuing any head coaching candidates.
- After having been fired by the 49ers, Jim Tomsula should have plenty of opportunities around the NFL as either a defensive line coach or defensive coordinator, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who tweets that calls are “already coming in” for Tomsula.
- The Colts didn’t attempt to make a run at Alabama head coach Nick Saban before agreeing to an extension with Chuck Pagano, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio suggests that none of the current job openings are really an ideal fit for Saban, so rumors of his return to the NFL may be postponed for another year.
- Asked during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio if any of this year’s head coaching openings appeal to him, former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher once again dismissed the idea of returning to the NFL (Twitter link). “I tell people all the time, I had the best job in football [and] I stepped down from it” Cowher said. “I’m very comfortable working at CBS right now.”
Colts To Keep Chuck Pagano, GM Ryan Grigson
The Colts announced that they have agreed to extensions with head coach Chuck Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson. It’s a shocking turn of events after weeks of speculation indicated that Pagano would be shown the door after the 2015 season with Grigson likely to follow. 
[RELATED: Andrew Luck Says Long-Term Deal With Colts Would Be “Great”]
Pagano, whose contract was set to expire, gets a four-year extension that will keep him in place through 2019. Grigson, whose previous contract called for him to stay on board through 2016, will get a three-year extension to line up with his coach. In a late Monday night press conference, owner Jim Irsay said that Pagano and Grigson are now “contractually tied.”
After helping lead the Colts to playoff berths in his first three years with the team, Pagano’s club fell short this season during an injury-riddled, tumultuous campaign. After guiding the team to an 8-8 finish, the Colts were widely expected to let go of Pagano, whose contract is up. However, despite the down season and reported friction between him and team execs, Pagano will return to the team for 2016.
After finishing with an 11-5 record and an AFC South crown for three straight seasons, the Colts entered 2015 with Super Bowl aspirations, but took a significant step backward. While the Colts’ struggles could be attributed, at least in part, to injuries and questionable roster construction, Pagano was already under pressure to win heading into the year, with the team offering him only a one-year extension rather than any sort of longer-team deal — he turned down that offer. Pagano holds a 41-23 record during his four years in Indianapolis, which includes the time he missed in 2012 due to cancer treatments.
Grigson, meanwhile, has come under fire for a number of moves over the years, including a 2013 blockbuster that went awry. Roughly two years ago, Grigson sent a 2014 first-rounder to Cleveland for running back Trent Richardson, who spent two unproductive seasons in Indy and is now out of the NFL. Beyond that, Grigson has also meddled in the affairs of Pagano and many believed that the two would not be able to co-exist much longer. Alas, both men will be keeping their jobs for next season.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) first reported that Grigson would also be receiving an extension. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.