Chiefs Hire Greg Lewis As WRs Coach
- Eagles wide receivers coach Greg Lewis is expected to take the same position with the Chiefs, reports Alex Marvez of Sporting News (via Twitter). The former NFL wideout joined the Eagles coaching staff last offseason after serving as a Saints’ offensive assistant during the 2015 season.
[SOURCE LINK]
Chiefs Re-Sign LS James Winchester
For the second time today, a long snapper has inked an extension. According to Terez A. Paylor of KansasCity.com, the Chiefs have signed special teamer James Winchester to a new contract. Details are unknown, but we shouldn’t expect a giant raise for the 27-year-old. Winchester’s 2016 base salary was $525K, per OverTheCap.com.
The long snapper caught on with the Eagles after going undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2013. After spending much of that season on the practice squad, Winchester found himself out of the NFL in 2014. Chiefs long-time long snapper Thomas Gafford left the team following the 2014 season, and the organization subsequently inked Winchester. The special teamer proceeded to appear in every game over the past two seasons.
Winchester has contributed positively to the Chiefs impressive special teams unit in 2015 and 2016. The long snapper had a key fumble recovery during his team’s overtime victory over the Broncos earlier this season.
Winchester’s father, Michael, was a punter at Oklahoma during the 1980s. Michael was tragically killed in a shooting at Will Rogers World Airport this past November.
Chiefs Lose Brock Olivo To Broncos
- The Broncos will hire Brock Olivo as their new special teams coach, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Olivo spent the past three years as the assistant special teams coach with the AFC West rival Chiefs.
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
Kyle Shanahan Likely To Become 49ers’ HC
As of Tuesday evening, Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan wasn’t a lock to accept the 49ers’ forthcoming offer to become their head coach. However, Shanahan’s now “almost certain” to take the job, reports Mike Silver of NFL.com.
With Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable having withdrawn from the race this week, Shanahan is the last man standing among the eight candidates the 49ers have interviewed. The rest have accepted head coaching positions elsewhere. Thus, in the unlikely event Shanahan turns San Francisco down, it would send CEO Jed York and executive vice president of football operations Paraag Marathe scrambling to hit the reset button on their search to replace Chip Kelly.
The 49ers are also on the hunt for a new general manager, of course, and lost one candidate when Cable’s Seattle colleague, co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner, took himself out of consideration Tuesday. Of the GM possibilities the Niners have considered, Kirchner, fellow Seahawks executive Scott Fitterer and Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard would have preferred to work with Cable, according to Silver. The Chiefs prevented Ballard from talking to the 49ers, though, and awarded him a pay raise as compensation, Silver writes.
Cable has another fan in defensive coordinator-to-be Gus Bradley, who would have gone to San Francisco had it hired Cable. Instead, after Cable dropped out of contention Tuesday, Bradley spurned the 49ers when they asked if he’d be interested in teaming with Shanahan. It appears, then, that Bradley will become the Chargers’ D-coordinator.
Shanahan is currently preparing for Sunday’s NFC championship game between the Falcons and Packers. If Atlanta advances to Super Bowl LI, the 49ers wouldn’t be able to hire him until after Feb. 5. Regardless, he’ll have a second interview with the Niners next week and will discuss GM choices with team brass. Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst remains the favorite, relays Silver, who adds that Green Bay director of football operations Eliot Wolf and Vikings assistant GM George Paton are also strong contenders.
Chiefs Asst. ST Coach Brock Olivo Interviewing With Broncos
- Chiefs assistant teams coach Brock Olivo will become the seventh candidate to interview for the Broncos‘ ST coordinator vacancy, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. Olivo, 40, has spent the past three seasons working under highly-respected Kansas City special teams coach Dave Toub.
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
Bills Unlikely To Hire Brad Childress As OC
The Bills’ search for an offensive coordinator is seemingly down to one known candidate. While Greg Olson and Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress were the reported front-runners for the job as of Sunday, it now appears the latter is no longer in contention, according to the Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci (Twitter link).
It’s unclear whether the Bills are honing in on Olson, thereby leading to a lack of interest in Childress, or if Childress declined any overtures from the club. Either way, Olson will interview with Buffalo on Thursday as it seeks a replacement for ex-offensive coordinator and now-Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn.
The Bills’ new sideline leader, Sean McDermott, has already tabbed Leslie Frazier as his defensive coordinator. Now, with Childress and newly minted Broncos assistant Mike McCoy out of the running, Olson looks to be in the lead to serve as McDermott’s offensive chief. Olson last worked as the O-coordinator in Jacksonville, which fired him in October.
Kansas City, meanwhile, now appears poised to keep the tandem of Childress and Matt Nagy intact. Nagy would have been in line to become the Chiefs’ sole offensive coordinator had Childress gone to the Bills. Along with head coach Andy Reid, Childress and Nagy guided KC’s offense to a 13th-place DVOA ranking in 2016.
Tamba Hali Plans To Play At Least One More Season
The morning after another sobering Chiefs playoff exit, Tamba Hali set a loose timeline for his own career. The longtime Kansas City pass-rusher intends to play at least one more season, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter).
Paylor adds Hali would like to play four more seasons, despite seeing his sack total decline considerably in 2016. Signed to his third Chiefs contract last March, he’s on Kansas City’s books for two more years.
Hali has battled injuries in recent years but has been available for the Chiefs when needed, having never missed more than a game during a season. And the AFC West champions required the veteran’s services this season due to Justin Houston‘s long absence. But the 33-year-old blindside rusher’s role decreased in his 11th season, with Dee Ford playing nearly 300 more snaps than the veteran’s 599. The former first-round pick finished with just 3.5 sacks — the second-fewest he’s registered in a season. Although, Hali still graded out as the Chiefs’ best edge defender in the opinion of Pro Football Focus.
Hali signed a three-year deal worth $21MM last year and stands to see his cap number balloon from $3.8MM this season to $8.58MM in 2017. The Chiefs’ method of backloading contracts included Hali’s, helping to give the franchise scant cap room with which to work as of now after it re-signed Hali, Derrick Johnson and Jaye Howard in the most recent free agency period.
Next season, the Chiefs figure to shift Hali to a pass-rushing specialist role as Ford and Houston stand to comprise the team’s first-string outside linebackers.