Latest On Packers Execs/49ers’ GM Search
Packers executives Brian Gutekunst and Eliot Wolf are two of the nine candidates the 49ers have interviewed for their general manager job, and sources tell Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that San Francisco views Gutekunst in a higher regard, adding that the Niners were “really impressed” by Green Bay’s director of college scouting. Mike Silver of NFL.com (Twitter link) continues to “believe” that Gutekunst and Wolf are the leading contenders for the SF gig.
[RELATED: Latest On 49ers’ Head Coach Search]
Meanwhile, Wolf — the Packers’ director of football operations — would almost certainly accept the 49ers job if offered, per McGinn, as some believe that he’d like to escape the shadow of his father, former Packers general manager Ron Wolf, in Green Bay. The Packers denied the Lions’ request to interview Wolf for their GM vacancy last offseason, but they’ve made no attempt to do so this offseason. On the other hand, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report adds (video link) that Green Bay does not want to lose Wolf, and would consider moving him into the GM chair this offseason to replace Ted Thompson.
Green Bay’s front office machinations also have implications in Kansas City, where Chiefs general manager John Dorsey could be a candidate to take over for Thompson in 2018. Dorsey is one of the lowest-paid GMs in the NFL, according to McGinn, and some sources believe that he would relish an opportunity to return to the Packers. “I always thought he was the type of guy who would want to come back to Green Bay,” said one of Dorsey’s friends. “He loves the Packers. I do know that.”
Brad Childress, Greg Olson Are Bills’ Top OC Candidates
As new Bills head coach Sean McDermott continues to flesh out his staff, several names have emerged as top candidates for Buffalo’s offensive coordinator position. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress is on McDermott’s short list, as is former Jaguars offensive coordinator Greg Olson.
Childress, who began his coaching career back in 1978 at the University of Illinois, served as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator from 2003 to 2005 before becoming head coach of the Vikings. He returned to an offensive coordinator role for the Browns in 2012, and he has been a part of Kansas City’s staff since 2013. He was promoted to the co-offensive coordinator position earlier this year, along with Matt Nagy, although he was apparently prepared to retire prior to the promotion (he was also a candidate to reprise his role as Philadelphia’s OC after Doug Pederson was named the Eagles’ new head coach last year).
If Childress does depart, Rapoport tweets that Nagy would become the Chiefs’ full-time OC.
Olson served as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator from 2015 through the first part of 2016 before he was fired in late October. At the time of Olson’s dismissal, Jacksonville’s passing game ranked 28th in DVOA and third-year quarterback Blake Bortles was showing signs of regression. Olson, though, has acted as play-caller for a number of NFL teams, including the Lions, Rams, Buccaneers, and Raiders.
We had previously heard that McDermott was targeting Mike McCoy or Norv Turner as the Bills’ next OC, but McCoy was just hired by the Broncos. It appears the young, first-time head coach is determined to surround himself with assistants that have considerable coaching experience, as evidenced by his offensive coordinator candidates and by the fact that he has already hired Leslie Frazier as his defensive coordinator.
Jets May Have Interest In Chiefs OC Matt Nagy
Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville opted to stay in Denver rather than pursue the Jets‘ offensive coordinator vacancy, and New York’s hope to conduct a wide-ranging search for a new play-caller may have played a factor in Studesville declining to remain in contention, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, who adds that Studesville didn’t want to “lose a bird in the hand.” The Jets have “at least” three other candidates on their radar at the moment, per Cimini, and one name of interest could be Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy (though it’s not clear if the ESPN scribe is reporting or speculating). Kansas City would be able to block any interview request from New York, which could present a problem as Gang Green continues its hunt. The Jets also expressed interest in new Raiders OC Todd Downing before he was promoted from QBs coach, per Cimini.
John Dorsey Could Succeed Ted Thompson As Packers GM
We heard earlier today that the Chiefs are expected to pursue an extension for head coach Andy Reid, who is under contract through 2017, at the end of the season. But general manager John Dorsey, who, like Reid, came to Kansas City in 2013, is already in the final year of his deal, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Dorsey could take over the Packers’ GM job next season.
Ted Thompson, the Packers’ current GM, has two years remaining on his contract, but the 63-year-old could step aside to a senior scouting role, which Rapoport reported last week. If that happens, the door could be open for Dorsey to return to Green Bay, where he first found front office success.
Dorsey helped to build the Packers into a consistent contender, first as a college scout from 1991-97 and then as director of college scouting in 1998. After a one-year stint as the Seahawks’ director of player personnel in 1999, Dorsey returned to the Packers, where he served as the team’s director of college scouting from 2000-11 and as the director of football operations in 2012.
Per Rapoport, Dorsey’s success in his various roles with Green Bay made him incredibly well-regarded by the club’s executive committee, including president and CEO Mark Murphy. In addition to Dorsey, Thompson’s list of potential successors includes current director of football operations Eliot Wolf–who was long considered to be the heir apparent to Thompson but who interviewed for the 49ers’ GM job last week–vice president of football administration Russ Ball, director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst and senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith.
It is interesting to note that, whether the Chiefs blocked current director of player personnel Chris Ballard from interviewing for the 49ers’ job or whether he turned down San Francisco’s overtures on his own–there are conflicting reports on that front–the fact remains that Ballard will remain in Kansas City. It could be, as Rapoport suggests (via Twitter), that Ballard plans to be elevated to the Chiefs’ GM job sooner rather than later.
Chiefs To Pursue Extension For Andy Reid
The Chiefs will try to extend head coach Andy Reid‘s contract this offseason, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Reid, who is under contract through the 2017 season, has certainly earned an extension, having compiled a 43-21 record as Kansas City’s head coach.
Reid, of course, served as the Eagles’ head coach for 14 seasons prior to joining the Chiefs in 2013, and though he was not able to bring the elusive Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia, he did put together 120 regular season wins to go along with 10 more playoff victories, six division titles, and five trips to the NFC Championship Game. Of those five NFC Championship Game appearances, though, the Eagles won only one, which contributed to Reid’s dismissal at the end of the 2012 campaign.
Kansas City has made the playoffs in three of Reid’s four seasons at the helm and captured their first AFC West title under his watch this year. They also earned a first-round bye this season and will take on either the Steelers or Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs next week.
Reid, 58, was already among the game’s highest-paid coaches, with a $7.5MM annual salary. If he receives a raise of any significance to go along with his extension, he could become the highest-paid coach in the league.
Chiefs Blocked Chris Ballard/49ers Meeting
While Nick Caserio declined an interview request for the 49ers’ GM job, Chris Ballard did not receive the opportunity. The Chiefs blocked their director of football operations from interviewing for the 49ers’ GM vacancy, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
This runs counter to a previous report indicating Ballard turned down the opportunity, so San Francisco has now run into issues on multiple fronts in bringing some of its top candidates in for an interview for Trent Baalke‘s former job. Teams can block front-office execs from interviewing for GM jobs until their respective seasons end. So, the 49ers could wait until the Chiefs’ season concludes, but that would mean stalling their HC search as well while other teams vie for the available candidates.
This looms larger than the Patriots’ player personnel director turning this potential opportunity down. A source told Florio that Ballard was the 49ers’ “first choice, second choice and third choice” for the position. Ballard has been an NFL personnel man for 16 seasons and is finishing up his fourth with the Chiefs. Interestingly, Ballard was given permission to interview for the Titans’ GM job — one that ultimately went to Jon Robinson — last year.
Ballard spent 12 years with the Bears, the first 11 as a southwest area scout and in 2012 ascended to the role of director of pro scouting with the franchise prior to joining John Dorsey in Kansas City.
ST Coordinator Dave Toub Impressed Broncos During Interview
- Chiefs’ special teams coordinator Dave Toub interviewed for the Broncos head coaching gig this morning, and Mike Klis of Denver7 writes that the coach impressed the organization during the four-hour meeting.
[SOURCE LINK]
Chiefs Worked Out 10 Last Friday
- In addition to the previously reported Elijah Shumate and Jeff Richards, the Chiefs auditioned receiver Tre Houston, kicker Devon Bell, defensive tackle Montori Hughes, linebacker Deon Lacey, defensive end Terrell Lathan, tight end Ryan Malleck, running back Will Ratelle and defensive back Julian Wilson last Friday, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. All are candidates to sign reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs, writes Paylor, who notes that now-starting running back Spencer Ware joined the team on that type of contract in January 2015.
Chiefs Sign Victor Ochi, Place Dadi Nicolas On IR
- The Chiefs have signed outside linebacker Victor Ochi off the Jets’ practice squad and placed linebacker Dadi Nicolas on IR, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Ochi will now go from a team whose season is over to one with a first-round playoff bye.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/3/17
Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Cap Capi
- WR Marvin Hall
- WR Chris Hubert
- G Kaleb Johnson
- OL Daniel Munyer
- RB Elijhaa Penny
- CB Ronald Zamort
Carolina Panthers
- FB Darrel Young
Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs
- OT Isaiah Battle
Minnesota Vikings
- OT Reid Fragel
- P Taylor Symmank
San Diego Chargers
- OL Brett Boyko
- CB Randall Evans
- CB Mike Lee
- LB Chris McCain
- S Adrian McDonald
- TE Jake McGee
Tennessee Titans
- OLB Reshard Cliett
- TE Tim Semisch