Beckham, Donald Win ROY Honors
As expected, Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was named as the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. Meanwhile, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald took home the honors on the defensive side of the ball, as NFL.com’s Marc Sessler writes.
Beckham, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2014 draft, started the year on the bench thanks to injuries. After sitting out for the first four weeks of the season, the LSU product was eased into the offense over the next three games. After that, however, it was off to the races for one of the most naturally talented young athletes in the NFL. Beckham finished the year with 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, becoming a bright spot for a Giants team that struggled on the whole.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher said prior to the season that he expected Donald to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Ultimately the No. 13 overall pick made his coach proud as he became the second straight defensive lineman to win the award. Donald had nine sacks on the season and Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d) had him rated as the best defensive tackle in the game.
NFC Mailbags: Rams, Panthers, Lions, Giants
We took a look at notes from ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…
- Even if the Rams end up re-signing wideout Kenny Britt, Nick Wagoner believes it wouldn’t be farfetched for the team to take a receiver with their first-round pick.
- Greg Olsen would like to get an extension worked out before next season, and David Newton says it’d be wise for the Panthers to sign the tight end. The writer points out that signing Cam Newton is the team’s main priority, but re-signing Olsen is not far down the list.
- Michael Rothstein writes that it’s “feasible” for the Lions to pay Ndamukong Suh more than J.J. Watt, but the writer notes that it would likely depend on the contract’s structure. Rothstein believes the team may have an eye towards the expected cap increases in future seasons, which means the team would prefer a backloaded contract.
- Besides Jason Pierre-Paul, Dan Graziano isn’t entirely sure which of the Giants free agents the organization would want to re-sign. Antrel Rolle could return, but Graziano doesn’t expect the safety to take a discount. The writer has similar feelings toward safety Stevie Brown and defensive tackle Mike Patterson.
Goodell On LA, Rams, London, Vegas, Saints
As is customary, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell took questions from the media today during his Super Bowl press conference, and while a number of queries were unsurprisingly related to the DeflateGate controversy, Goodell also touched on some other noteworthy topics. Let’s take a look the highlights, via a transcript provided by the Seattle Times:
On the possibility of relocating a team to Los Angeles:
The ownership takes very seriously the obligation for us to vote on any serious matter, including relocation of a franchise. There’s a relocation policy that is very clear…[T]here have been no determinations of us going to Los Angeles, any particular team going to Los Angeles or going to any particular stadium. We have several alternatives that we’re evaluating from a site standpoint.
There are teams that are interested, but are trying to work their issues out locally. As a league, we haven’t gotten to that stage yet, and it will all be subject to our relocation policy. There are requirements in that policy, as you know, particularly as it relates to cooperation and working to make sure they solve the issues in their local market. I’m confident that all of that will be covered within the relocation policy and with our membership approval.”
On the Rams staying in St. Louis:
“…[W]e want all of our franchises to stay in the current markets. That’s a shared responsibility. That’s something that we all have to work together on. The league has programs, including stadium funding programs that we make available. We will work and have worked with communities, including St. Louis. We also will make sure that we’re engaging the business community and the public sector in a way that can help us lead to solutions that work in those communities…
(Rams owner) Stan (Kroenke) has been working on the stadium issue in St. Louis, as you know, for several years. They had a very formal process as part of their lease. They went through that entire process. It did not result in a solution that works for either St. Louis or the team. I don’t think the stadium is a surprise to anybody in any market that is having these issues. There has been quite a bit of discussion about it, and the St. Louis representatives seem determined to build a stadium.”
On placing a team in London:
“I would tell you that London has done not only everything that we expected, but more than we expected. They’re responding to the game better than we ever dreamed, with more enthusiasm, more passion…We want to continue to respond to that fan interest and if we do, we don’t know where it will go, but I think there is great potential in London for the NFL.”
On the viability of housing a team in Las Vegas:
“…I haven’t had any dialogue with officials in Las Vegas about how that could happen successfully for Las Vegas and for the NFL. A stadium would be a big component to that. I’m not sure that exists right now. I do understand the passion of the fans in Las Vegas and their interest in football.”
On the Saints ownership situation:
“I spoke to Tom Benson just the other day. He was going to the office as usual. He was in complete control and energetic, excited about getting to the office, asking about league issues. As you know, he’s been one of our more active owners in the league on various committees. They obviously have a dispute going on, which is always unfortunate. In this case it deals with succession as opposed to current management. Tom Benson is a man of great integrity and a man that is enthusiastic about the NFL, the Saints and New Orleans and somebody that has demonstrated to me he’s got complete control over what he’s doing to make sure that organization goes in the right direction.”
On the Bills’ need for a new stadium:
“I do believe that a stadium long term is going to be needed in that marketplace. I’m from western New York. I love Ralph Wilson Stadium, but it’s got to compete against a lot of these new stadiums that have a lot of very important features that that stadium doesn’t have. So they are going through that process. We will certainly work with them, cooperate with them, and if we can be helpful, we will.”
On the Chargers’ need for a new stadium:
“They do need a new stadium for the Chargers to be successful there long term. It’s one of the oldest stadiums in the league, if not the oldest stadium in the league…I’m glad to hear (the mayor of San Diego) has got a task force going. But they have been working at this for 12 years, and it’s something that we need to see tangible results sooner rather than later.”
NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Fitzgerald, Martz
The Cardinals will hope to have suspended linebacker Daryl Washington in action for 2015 but they’ll plan for the worst, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. “He’ll be facing the issue with the domestic violence and there has been no determination of what happens there,” president Michael Bidwill said. “He was only suspended for the drug issue, so we want to make sure we understand what that (other punishment) is. Last year, we learned about his suspension after free agency. This year we are going to plan to make sure we address all the issues not knowing whether Daryl will be back for part of next season or all of next season. ‘Next man up’ is real but we have to make sure we’ve gone into free agency and addressed that situation.” More from the NFC West..
- Bidwill went on to express confidence that Larry Fitzgerald will be back with the team in 2015. “Larry and I have met about it, just he and I talking about it, and I know he’s interested in getting something resolved,” Bidwill said, according to Urban. “After the playoff game, he got away, left the country. He’s back now, it’s a busy week this week and we’ll start working on this next week. I think we’ll get this all worked out. He’s such a great person and a great player, he’s got many years left and I want to see him retire as an Arizona Cardinal. I want to see us move past getting this contract resolved and move forward.“
- Fitzgerald says he wants to retire a member of the Cardinals, but today he told Kim Covington of 12 News he could envision himself playing for another team next year. Fitzgerald told Kim he has met with Bidwell, but he understands football is a business and that may mean his time with the Cardinals may be over.
- The Rams are having some trouble finding an offensive coordinator and Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests a familiar name: former head coach Mike Martz. Martz, of course, was one of the most creative, innovative, daring, forward-thinking offensive minds in the modern era. Since Martz left the building in 2005 with a serious health issue, the Rams have averaged 17.8 points per game, which ranks 30th among 32 teams.
- Even if the Seahawks prevail Sunday in Super Bowl 49, there may be hope for their NFC West division rivals, Miklasz writes. Quarterback Russell Wilson is about to get paid, and Seattle will lose a major competitive advantage when they lose his dirt cheap contract. Wilson make just $817K in 2014, less than backup Tarvaris Jackson.
- The Cardinals had interest in Mike Smith as a senior defensive assistant but things didn’t work out, sources tell Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The former Falcons head coach has been linked to other coaching opportunities around the NFL, including the Raiders’ defensive coordinator vacancy.
NFC West Notes: Dwyer, Seahawks, 49ers
After pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been sentenced to 18 months of probation and community service, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Dwyer had been charged back in September after an alleged domestic violence incident, prompting the Cards to place him on their reserve/non-football illness list, citing concerns about his mental health. Although his legal case has concluded, Dwyer’s NFL future remains murky, as he could face a suspension, and isn’t under contract for the 2015 season.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- Former NFL player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes an in-depth look at what a new contract for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would look like, concluding from his data that an extension averaging around $24MM per year with about $65MM in guarantees would make sense. Corry’s whole piece is definitely worth reading for a thorough explanation of how he arrived at those figures.
- Seahawks GM John Schneider indicated earlier this week that he hopes to retain cornerback Byron Maxwell for 2015 and beyond, but Maxwell said today that he intends to “look at every option for me and my family,” per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter). One potential suitor for Maxwell could be the Saints — Mike Triplett of ESPN.com identifies the cornerback as a player worth watching for New Orleans.
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers players he has spoken to aren’t impressed with the team’s hiring of Geep Chryst as offensive coordinator, viewing the move as a byproduct of management’s desire to pinch pennies.
- Speaking of 49ers management, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to general manager Trent Baalke about the team’s “three-year plan” when it comes to managing the roster and the salary cap.
- David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an update on the next step in the city of St. Louis’ efforts to build a new downtown NFL stadium for the Rams.
NFC Notes: Saints, Benson, Rams, Eagles
Saints officials say that owner Tom Benson has maintained an active role in running the team, Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes.
“I talk to him every day, just as I have for 15 years,” GM Mickey Loomis said. “He talks to me about the same subject matter: The status of the team. And after the season: What are the issues? How are we going to fix the issues? Nothing’s changed here.”
Benson’s involvement with the team, as well as his overall health, came into question after the latest claims made by his ousted granddaughter. Here’s more on the Saints’ ownership situation, as well as a few more notes from across the NFC:
- Team officials told Duncan that an anecdote in which Benson could not identify the president of the United States was misrepresented by his estranged relatives. The Saints owner was given a concussion protocol test after he fell and hit his head at the NFL owners meetings last May in Atlanta. However, daughter Renee Benson and grandchildren Rita Benson LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc tried to portray the incident as something different. Benson’s relatives want the owner to undergo a psychological evaluation, as Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune details. The would-be heirs are challenging the 87-year-old’s mental fitness.
- With Nathaniel Hackett no longer in the running for the Rams‘ offensive coordinator position, an in-house candidate landing the job is “all but a certainty” at this point, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tight ends coach Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti are the top contenders, and Thomas thinks Boras probably has the edge.
- Running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin were the Eagles‘ two most effective offensive weapons in 2014, but it remains to be seen whether the team will be able to bring both players back for the 2015 season, says Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Washington has announced the hiring of Matt Cavanaugh as quarterbacks coach (via Twitter). Cavanaugh, who served in the same position for Chicago the last two seasons, will be charged with jump-starting Washington’s troubled quarterback situation.
- If he were running the Cowboys, Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News would make it a top priority to retain DeMarco Murray this offseason.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
West Notes: Rams, Schofield, Broncos
A glance at the AFC and NFC West..
- Keeping the Rams in St. Louis would require a “spectacular effort,” Andrew Leonard, chairman of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission said, according to David Hunn of The Post-Dispatch. “There’s no question about it, they’d rather be in Los Angeles, in my mind,” Leonard said. The Rams notified the commission earlier this week that they will shift to a year-to-year lease agreement for their use of the Edward Jones Dome.
- Seattle linebacker O’Brien Schofield insists that he’s no longer dwelling on the way things ended with the Cardinals, as Kent Somers and Zach Buchanan of The Arizona Republic write. “That used to drive me crazy thinking about it,” Schofield said, “because I felt I had done enough for the organization that I would have got more decency of how they let me go. But it’s whatever. I’m a Super Bowl champ. They had to see me twice here. They didn’t want to speak to me the first year and I was fine with that.”
- The Broncos have hired Joe Woods as their new defensive backs coach, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post (on Twitter). Woods previously served as the defensive backs coach of the Raiders, Vikings, and Buccaneers.
- The Raiders are expected to hire Stetson offensive line coach Tim Holt as their assistant offensive line coach, a source told Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Holt worked with Oakland offensive line coach Mike Tice previously.
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.
NFC West Notes: Harvin, Rams, Maxwell
Seahawks GM John Schneider has no regrets about sending Percy Harvin to the Jets, Manish Mehta of the Daily News writes. “It was difficult, but we had talked to ownership about it,” Schneider said. “When you have support of the ownership, it makes it that much easier. So, he knew there were several reasons why it may not work out. As long as we’re communicating with ownership in that regard and explaining why it didn’t work out, it’s much easier to do than waking up in the morning and saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this.'”
- The Rams did not have their second interview with Nathaniel Hackett as was once planned, according to Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch (Twitter links). However, St. Louis still plans on discussing its offensive coordinator vacancy with him and that follow-up chat could come later this week.
- Earlier today, Seahawks GM John Schneider said that re-signing cornerback Byron Maxwell will be one of the team’s top offseason priorities, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Seattle has already locked up several of its key impact players and a new deal for quarterback Russell Wilson is likely around the corner. Keeping Maxwell might be something that the Seahawks want to do, but carving out the space for it is another matter.
- The Eagles interviewed the Seahawks‘ director of college scouting, Scott Fitterer, for their personnel executive opening, but he decided to stay in Seattle, Schneider said. “He spoke with the Philadelphia Eagles, kept it on the down low,” Schneider said, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s staying with us.” The Eagles have interviewed at least three candidates for a job that could have the GM title, McLane writes. Chris Polian, former GM of the Colts, recently had a second interview and is considered a serious contender.
Rob Chudzinski To Remain With Colts
Despite receiving interest from the Rams and 49ers, Rob Chudzinski will remain in Indianapolis rather than interviewing for an offensive coordinator job. According to a press release from the Colts, Chudzinski and the team have agreed to a new contract and a new title for the assistant, who will serve as the associate head coach for the 2015 season.
“We’re excited to keep Chud in our family,” head coach Chuck Pagano said in a statement. “He’s been a critical part of our operation and we’re looking forward to sharing even more success in the future.”
Chudzinski, who previously coached the Browns and served as a special assistant in Indianapolis in 2014, had received multiple interview requests from teams looking for an offensive coordinator this offseason. Both the Rams and 49ers, the only teams still actively looking for a new OC, had been willing to wait for his contract with the Colts to expire, which was scheduled to happen this week.
St. Louis and San Francisco will now have to look elsewhere for offensive coordinators, and that could be good news for Nathaniel Hackett, as the former Bills OC had a second interview lined up with the Rams this week. It’s not clear which target the 49ers will zero in on now, since another one of their reported candidates, Lane Kiffin, took himself out of the running over the weekend by committing to Alabama for 2015. Mike Shanahan was cited as an option earlier in the process, but there hasn’t been much buzz surrounding him in the last week or so.