Jaguars Owner Talks Coaches, FA, Blackmon
With the team in the process of finalizing its coaching staff for the coming season, Jaguars owner Shad Khan spoke to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union today about some of the team’s recent hires, as well as the coming offseason. O’Halloran has highlighted a number of the more noteworthy quotes from Khan, so let’s dive in and round them up….
On new offensive coordinator Greg Olson:
“I know about his history with Drew Brees and quarterback development. I love Blake [Bortles]. I think he’s a key building block moving forward. We have to unlock his potential and we’ve got to have somebody who’s done it before with a great track record and Greg, I think, is about as good as it gets.”
On adding Doug Marrone as an offensive line coach and assistant head coach:
“I’ve seen this in my business and in life, you want to have people for support who are experienced. In this case, Gus [Bradley] and Doug can talk about stuff and the final decision maker is Gus. But a lot of times, discussion drives a decision to a logical conclusion. With Doug, he’s a very good line coach and that was definitely one of our weaknesses – the line. We have talent there, but when it was all said and done, we led the league in sacks [allowed]. That is not a good thing. You’re not going to go anywhere unless you fix that.”
On the team’s plan for free agency:
“We certainly have salary cap room and we plan on being active in free agency. … We have some critical weaknesses and we have to fill them.”
On whether he and the club would welcome back Justin Blackmon if he’s reinstated:
“Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I’m very optimistic. I think he’s paid his dues. I think he’s got his life together. I think he can be a role model for people who have gone through hard times. We’re waiting for him.”
2015 Franchise Tag Candidates: AFC South
The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than five weeks away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. On Tuesday, we examined the AFC East, and yesterday, we turned our attention to the AFC North, where the Ravens and the Steelers look like the teams most likely to make use of a tag. Today, we’ll shift our focus south, breaking down the franchise and transition tag candidates for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans….
Houston Texans:
- Candidates: Kareem Jackson
- Odds of being used: Unlikely
- Jackson, who has been a starter at cornerback in Houston since being selected in the first round of the 2010 draft, is an underrated asset for the team. Still, a year ago, corners like Vontae Davis, Sam Shields, and Aqib Talib went untagged, so it’s hard to imagine the Texans franchising Jackson. Linebacker Brooks Reed and right tackle Derek Newton are among the other solid contributors Houston should look into re-signing, but like Jackson, neither player is worth an eight-digit salary for 2015.
Indianapolis Colts:
- Candidates: None
- Odds of being used: Zero
- The Colts, like the Texans, have useful players eligible for unrestricted free agency — safety Mike Adams, defensive lineman Cory Redding, and longtime Indianapolis wideout Reggie Wayne will need to sign new contracts if they intend to continue their careers. But none of the team’s top impact players are free-agents-to-be, which is great news for a club with $30MM+ in projected cap room.
Jacksonville Jaguars:
- Candidates: None
- Odds of being used: Very unlikely
- No team projects to have more cap space this offseason than the Jaguars, who could have upwards of $63MM in spending room. That’s one reason we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of a franchise tag — the team could easily afford it. However, for the tag to make sense, there needs to be a viable candidate, and it’s hard to find one on Jacksonville’s list of pending free agents. Linebacker Geno Hayes and defensive back Alan Ball are probably the Jags’ best UFA-eligible performers, but both players only appeared in about half the club’s defensive snaps, so it’s hard to make a case for them as franchise tag candidates. And it’s even harder to make a case for players like wideout Cecil Shorts and defensive end Tyson Alualu.
Tennessee Titans:
- Candidates: Derrick Morgan, Brett Kern
- Odds of being used: Possible, but unlikely
- The Titans have a number of starters eligible for free agency, including Morgan, Kern, Michael Roos, and Ryan Succop. And like the Jaguars, they project to be among the top five teams this offseason in terms of cap space, giving them the flexibility to use the franchise tag if needed. Roos may be headed for retirement, and tagging either of the two special-teamers – punter Kern and kicker Succop – would likely be a last resort. That’s especially true of Succop, who had a down year in 2014. Morgan is the club’s strongest candidate. He has thrived in recent years as an edge rusher in 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, and despite modest sack totals, he recorded 49 total quarterback pressures last year and ranked among the league’s top 10 3-4 outside linebackers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Those perennially average sack numbers, along with a perception that he hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing, should keep Morgan’s price down enough that the Titans won’t have to tag him, but he and Kern (a top-10 punter, per PFF) are the most viable options in Tennessee.
Nathaniel Hackett To Join Jags, Not Rams
Former Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett had been viewed as one of the top candidates for the Rams’ offensive coordinator opening, if only by default — with several of St. Louis’ other potential targets having found other jobs or having decided to remain with their current teams, Hackett and current Rams assistants Rob Boras and Frank Cignetti were the only known candidates still in the mix.
However, having been scheduled to interview with the Rams for a second time, Hackett has decided to withdraw from consideration for the OC job, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Hackett is instead heading to Jacksonville, where it is believed he’ll become the Jaguars’ new quarterbacks coach. Frank Scelfo, the team’s current QBs coach, is expected to remain on the staff, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
The Jags have made an interesting series of coaching hires on the offensive side of the ball in the last month. After parting ways with former offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, the club brought in ex-Raiders OC Greg Olson to replace Fisch, and now has also added a pair of Buffalo coaches — Hackett and former Bills head coach Doug Marrone
With Hackett no longer in the mix, the path looks clear for either Boras or Cignetti to be promoted to offensive coordinator in St. Louis, though there’s been no indication yet which way the team is leaning, and it’s possible that there are candidates who have yet to be reported. The Rams may also choose to bring in a new outside candidate, but that doesn’t seem likely this far into the process unless they’re waiting on a Patriots or Seahawks assistant.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Tonight’s minor moves..
- The Bears signed wide receiver John Chiles to a reserve-future deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Chiles previously played for the Saints, Rams, and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. Chiles auditioned for the Chiefs, Chargers, and Colts this offseason.
- The Steelers signed former Ravens punter Richie Leone to reserve-future deal, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Leone auditioned for Pittsburgh earlier this month alongside fellow punter Tom Hornsey.
- The Jaguars signed punter Kasey Redfern to a reserve-future deal, Wilson tweets. Redfern worked out for the Steelers, Jets, Texans, and Giants over the last couple of months before landing in Jacksonville.
AFC South Notes: Colts, Chudzinski, Jaguars
Wisconsin-based American Family Insurance added a pair of big names as endorsers this week, hiring NBA star Kevin Durant and Texans star J.J. Watt, as Darren Rovell of ESPN.com writes. Watt, who had 20.5 sacks and five touchdowns this season, is known for his humanitarian endeavors and the endorsement deal will have a tie-in with his personal charity. More from the AFC South..
- The new deal that Rob Chudzinski signed to remain with the Colts is only for one year, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Still, Chudzinski, who was named associate head coach, is the probable heir apparent to offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton if Hamilton leaves next year, says Rapoport.
- Devin McCourty is the sort of impact free agent who would be an ideal fit for the Jaguars, but Jacksonville may not get a chance to make a play for the Pats safety, who is a franchise tag candidate, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Earlier this afternoon, I took a look at McCourty and other AFC East players who could be tagged this offseason.
- After interviewing him earlier today, the Jaguars have hired Kelly Skipper as their new running backs coach, parting ways with Terry Richardson, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
Coach Notes: Broncos, Phillips, Schwartz, Jets
As our offensive/defensive coordinator search tracker shows, hirings of OCs and DCs have slowed down a little in the last few days — the teams that headed into this past weekend with job openings on either side of the ball have yet to name their new coordinators, and in some cases those clubs may wait until after the Super Bowl to announce any official decisions.
Still, that doesn’t mean there’s no forward movement on any coordinator searches. An update out of Denver headlines our latest round-up of coaching-related items, so let’s dive right in….
- Former head coach Wade Phillips is in Denver today to interview for the Broncos‘ defensive coordinator position, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who notes that Phillips coached the team way back when John Elway and Gary Kubiak were players.
- While Phillips is a viable candidate for the DC job in Denver, the Broncos‘ top choice still appears to be Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports tweets that one potential scenario would see Phillips getting the job for 2015, then transitioning to a senior assistant role in 2016 when Joseph is freed from his contract in Cincinnati.
- Former Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz confirmed that he’s being selective about the next job he takes, as Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun writes. “I saw the opening up in Buffalo as a good opportunity, so I took it,” Schwartz said. “But no, right now, I can’t see myself doing anything else. Coaching is something I love, something I have a passion about. Another opportunity will present itself. I’m not too concerned.” Schwartz reportedly had two years remaining on his contract in Buffalo when the team let him go, which is perhaps contributing to his patient approach to finding another job.
- Titans assistant receivers coach Kevin Patullo will be the new quarterbacks coach for the Jets, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Patullo previously worked with new Jets OC Chan Gailey in Buffalo.
- Former Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is currently considering multiple options, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The 49ers reportedly have an offer out to Fewell, and the Bengals could be in the mix as well, though Raanan writes that Washington may have the edge.
- The Jaguars have fired running backs coach Terry Richardson and are interviewing former Raiders running backs coach Kelly Skipper for the newly-opened job, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Skipper worked with new Jags OC Greg Olson in Oakland.
- Speaking of the Jaguars, their current defensive backs coach DeWayne Walker is drawing interest from other teams, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- Earlier today, we learned that Rob Chudzinski, an offensive coordinator target for both the Rams and 49ers, would stick with the Colts and receive a new title.
NFC Notes: Glennon, Rams, Eagles, Fewell
Assuming the Buccaneers intend to draft a quarterback in April with the first overall pick, that should make Mike Glennon expendable, and this spring could be an ideal time to move him in a trade, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. As Cummings points out, the free agent market for QBs is weak, and there are few viable rookie options besides Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston. For teams looking to add a potential starting quarterback, Glennon may actually be one of the best options available, and should only cost a mid-round pick.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Former Buffalo offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has a second interview lined up with the Rams for their offensive coordinator position this week, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Per La Canfora, the Bills would like to bring back Hackett, who is also drawing interest from Washington and the Jaguars as a potential quarterbacks coach.
- In addition to considering Chris Polian for their front office opening, the Eagles have Dolphins scout Chris Grier and internal candidate Ed Marynowitz at or near the top of their list of targets, reports Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. One source tells Mosher that he believes Grier is coming in to interview for a second time with Chip Kelly.
- Ex-Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has an offer from the 49ers to become their defensive backs coach, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter). However, before he makes a decision on that offer, Fewell is speaking to Washington about a similar role on Jay Gruden‘s staff, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- CFL receiver Duron Carter is expected to make a decision on his NFL team this week, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities, who tweets that the Vikings and a couple other teams remain well-positioned — one of those other suitors is certainly the Colts, who were reported on the weekend to be the frontrunners. Carter can’t officially sign an NFL contract until February 10 unless the Montreal Alouettes release him from his CFL deal.
- Speaking to reporters in Arizona, Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said it was “very tough” to pass up a free agent offer last year from the Bears, who offered him “way more money.” Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the quotes and the details.
- Locking up linebacker Lavonte David to a long-term deal, perhaps in the neighborhood of $7MM annually, should be a priority for the Buccaneers this season, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com.
Eagles Eyeing Chris Polian For Exec Role
MONDAY, 10:41am: A source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter links) that Polian hasn’t actually interviewed twice with the Eagles, but Mosher adds that he still thinks Polian is a “serious candidate” for the team’s front office opening.
SUNDAY, 4:09pm: The Eagles have been searching for a general manager since they restructured their front office on January 2, and it seems like they could be getting closer to finding their front office executive. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Jaguars director of pro scouting Chris Polian recently had a second interview with the Eagles, and is considered a “serious candidate” for the position. ESPN’s Adam Caplan had appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic on Friday, speculating that Polian was the favorite for the job because he was simply the most qualified of the candidates (link via BleedingGreenNation.com).
The protracted nature of Philadelphia’s GM hunt must be in part attributed to a lack of definition of roles (at least from an outsider’s perspective). In announcing their front office changes in January, the Eagles said head Chip Kelly, who already owned final say over the 53-man roster, would take control of the club’s personnel department, while former GM Howie Roseman was “promoted” to the executive vice president of football operations, a position that will see him deal with cap and salary management.
Because Kelly and Roseman seem to have control over the two main functions of a front office, the question then becomes: what exactly would Polian’s role be? It’s a query that candidates interested in the position have surely asked, and one that Jacksonville should also be concerned with. If Polian won’t have say over the roster, or the draft, or cap management in Philadelphia, what is the Jaguars’ incentive to let him leave? These questions only add to the confusion reported by McLane earlier today, as many around the league still aren’t sure how the Eagles’ front office is structured.
Polian, 42, is the son of longtime NFL executive Bill Polian. He served as general manager of the Colts from 2009-11 after his father was promoted to team president, but was fired after the club posted a 2-14 record in ’11. He’s one of only two candidates known to have interviewed for the Eagles’ GM job, with the other being the Texans’ Brian Gaine, whose flirtation with Philadelphia earned him a promotion to director of player personnel. Polian is the only contender who has interviewed twice for the position.
Fallout From Josh Gordon Suspension
Earlier today we heard that Browns superstar wide receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended for the 2015 season after testing positive for alcohol.
Here are a few additional notes surrounding the story:
- It has been widely reported, but the Browns have not yet been notified of the suspension for Gordon, writes Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. The team has released a statement. “At this point, due to the confidential nature of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, we have not been made aware by the league of a failed test,” the Browns wrote in the statement. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will provide further comment at the appropriate time.”
- It may seem unusual for Gordon to be suspended or even tested for alcohol, but because of his DUI he has restrictions on alcohol as well as drugs, writes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport writes that the drug policy is strict and clearly spelled out, and it is unlikely Gordon would be able to get around this suspension.
- Albert Breer of NFL.com notes that the positive test did not occur during the season, meaning the test must have happened after the team’s final game on December 28th (via Twitter).
- Ironically, Dan Mori of Bleacher Report recently wrote a column urging 49ers general manager Trent Baalke to make a move to acquire Gordon this offseason. The team famously had a deal in place to trade for Gordon last offseason, only to have the the Browns ownership back out at the last minute.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that the team has screwed up with Gordon at every step. Florio notes the warning signs before taking him in the supplemental draft, and the subsequent suspensions confirmed the concerns. Florio notes that the team had the chance to trade Gordon, and also had chances to draft other receivers since they became more aware of Gordon’s troubles.
- Another troubled receiver that has dealt with suspensions currently has a better future, as former Jaguars’ first-round pick Justin Blackmon should be back on the field next season. NFL people are optimistic about Blackmon’s progress, and believe he will back in 2015, writes Alex Marvez of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter).
AFC Mailbags: Jags, McFadden, Chiefs, Jets
It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off the morning by checking out some notes from the AFC…
- As he’s mentioned previously, Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars will pursue a big-name free agent. The writer mentions safety Devin McCourty, tight end Julius Thomas, and wideouts Randall Cobb and Demaryius Thomas.
- When asked if running back Darren McFadden would play for the Raiders next season, Bill Williamson wonders if the 27-year-old may try to “salvage his career” in a different offensive system.
- Adam Teicher writes that linebacker Tamba Hali, defensive end Mike DeVito and wideout Dwayne Bowe could all be cut by the Chiefs this offseason. Meanwhile, the writer expects safety Eric Berry to reduce his salary as opposed to getting released.
- Rich Cimini explores the veteran quarterback options for the Jets, bringing up names like Brian Hoyer, Jake Locker and Mark Sanchez. The writer believes the team could take a flyer on T.J. Yates, and he also suggests the team could pursue Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, assuming the veteran is eventually a cap casualty.
- Cimini also mentions that he’d prefer the Jets handing out a longer, more expensive contract to a young cornerback instead of spending on a veteran like Antonio Cromartie. Specifically, Cimini points to Kareem Jackson and Byron Maxwell.