Rams Go Year-To-Year On Dome Lease
As expected, the Rams have notified the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission that they will shift to a year-to-year lease agreement for their use of the Edward Jones Dome, according to R.B. Fallstrom of The Associated Press. With rumors swirling about a potential move to Los Angeles, it was viewed as a formality that the franchise would transition into this more flexible arrangement in advance of Wednesday’s deadline to do so.
A year-to-year agreement, which allows the team to extend its lease with its home field one year at a time, is currently the arrangement that the Chargers and Raiders have for their respective stadiums. Unlike the Rams though, those clubs don’t have a potential exit strategy in place. Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced three weeks ago that he intends to build an NFL stadium in Inglewood, California, and moving the club’s agreement at the Edward Jones Dome to a year-to-year arrangement gives the Rams the flexibility to relocate to Los Angeles as soon as 2016.
Of course, the city of St. Louis responded to Kroenke’s announcement by unveiling a stadium plan of its own, and there’s certainly no guarantee that the Rams are going anywhere anytime soon. But as Albert Breer of NFL.com writes today, Kroenke’s stadium proposal has created the most viable path to L.A. the NFL has seen for quite some time.
According to Breer, Kroenke’s announcement, which he ran by Roger Goodell and NFL officials in December, was “met with quiet applause at the league office.” The idea that the Rams could be playing in Los Angeles in 2016, and in Kroenke’s new Inglewood stadium by 2018, not only isn’t far-fetched — it’s trending toward becoming a likelihood, per Breer, who adds that the Rams owner is open to the idea of involving a second team – perhaps the Chargers or Raiders – as part of the project.
The next major step for Kroenke and the Rams is to turn in to the city of Inglewood the 8,500 signatures necessary to set up a public vote on re-zoning the land where the stadium will be built, writes Breer, noting the club already has those signatures ready to go.
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.
Potential Suitors Eyeing Nick Foles
Nick Foles appears poised to head into the 2015 season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, but that’s not an absolutely certainty, and a question mark hangs over Foles’ long-term future in Philadelphia. 2015 is the final year of the signal-caller’s rookie contract, and there’s been no indication so far that the team has tried to lock him up to a long-term deal.
There’s also been no indication that the Eagles would trade Foles, but his possible availability was a topic of conversation among coaches and scouts at last week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Parks reports that the Rams would have interest in acquiring Foles if he were made available via trade, while the Titans and Texans could be among his suitors if he reaches the open market a year from now.
Of course, plenty could change between now and next March, when Foles is tentatively scheduled to hit the market. If the Eagles view the 26-year-old as a potential long-term solution, extension talks should happen at some point this year, perhaps with the contracts signed by Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick serving as models — those deals included big long-term money, but small guarantees, allowing their respective teams the flexibility to move on after a year or two if things don’t work out.
Even if the Eagles don’t view Foles as a long-term answer, the team would probably have to identify a replacement before simply letting him walk in free agency, or trading him. Head coach Chip Kelly reportedly has significant interest in Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, but the odds of Philadelphia being able to move into position to draft Mariota are slim. In fact, the Titans, armed with the second overall pick this spring, could take a long look at Mariota themselves, and selecting him would presumably take them out of the running for Foles next year.
At this point, neither a trade nor an extension of Foles looks at all imminent, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Eagles brought him back for the 2015 season before making a decision one way or another. After all, the club may want to see how the former third-round pick bounces back from the collarbone injury that sidelined him for a good chunk of the 2014 season before making any definitive moves.
49ers, Rams To Interview Chudzinski For OC
Colts offensive assistant Rob Chudzinski will make himself available for interviews starting on Tuesday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Chudzinski is expected to be in the running to fill a vacancy at offensive coordinator for some team.
Both the 49ers and Rams are at the top of the list of teams that have expressed interest in speaking with Chudzinski. He is likely considered a finalist with both organizations. While the Colts initially blocked Chudzinski from interviewing, his contract with the Colts expires sometime next week, and he will be free to pursue other coaching opportunities.
Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is very high on the former Browns head coach, and if he decides to stay with the team he could be in position for an increased role in 2015.
Chudzinski started in the NFL as a tight ends coach for the Browns, eventually serving in the same role with the Chargers during the breakout career of Antonio Gates. Chudzinski also served as offensive coordinator with the Browns and Panthers before taking the Browns head coaching job in 2013.
He only lasted one season as the Browns head coach, going 4-12 before being fired and replaced by Mike Pettine. He then joined the Colts as a special assistant to the head coach. Chudzinski had previously worked with Pagano while coaching on the staff for the University of Miami between 1995 and 2000.
West Notes: Rams, Britt, Kiffin, Chargers
The Rams’ biggest needs are at quarterback and along the offensive line, but after that the team could look to add depth at linebacker and corner, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Especially at cornerback, he notes that the need does not seem pressing, but with both Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson reaching free agency in 2015, the team could use some young corners behind them.
More about the AFC and NFC West:
- The Rams are considering a contract extension for wide receiver Kenny Britt, and Wagoner surmises that the troubled playmaker will command somewhere in the $4-$5MM range.
- The 49ers were reportedly interested in bringing Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin in to fill their offensive coordinator opening, but will have to look elsewhere as the University of Alabama have announced that Kiffin will be returning to Nick Saban’s staff in 2015, reports Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury New. Kiffin has former head coaching experience with the Raiders, as well as USC and the University of Tennessee.
- The Chargers have refuted a report by Andy Strickland of CBS Sports radio 920 AM in St. Louis that the team has a deal in place for a new stadium in Los Angeles, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. “Although we have worked for years with Goldman Sachs as our investment banker, the remainder of the story is untrue,” said special counsel with inside knowledge of the team’s stadium plans Mark Fabiani.
NFC Links: Cowboys, Britt, Maclin
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo would prefer his organization holds on to All-Pro teammates DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant. The 34-year-old told 103.3 [KESN-FM] that he’s been hounding owner Jerry Jones and members of the front office to bring the duo back. Via Jon Machota of the Dallas News:
“I’m pretty consistently [talking to Jones], and everyone around the building, about bringing them both back. I think everybody understands how great these guys are and how lucky we are to have them.
“Any time you get talented guys where you can put more than two on one side of the ball, you get three, four, if you’re lucky enough to ever get five, it’s one of those things where if you can put a group like that together you can make a run and be very difficult for teams to deal with for years.
“I think that’s what you’re trying to build ultimately is to have sustained success. We have an opportunity to have that.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…
- Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas News writes that the Cowboys will be unable to pursue some of the top defensive free agents unless they clear cap room. As of right now, the writer believes Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul are out of the team’s price range.
- After only one season with the club, upcoming free agent wideout Kenny Britt is looking to stay in St. Louis. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that the 26-year-old’s agents have already started discussions with the Rams regarding a new contract.
- ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan made an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philly on Friday, and the writer discussed Jeremy Maclin‘s impending free agency. Caplan had previously sounded optimistic about the receiver’s return to the Eagles, but the writer clarified that a lot has changed since that time. “That was before Maclin changed his agent from Ben Dogra,” Caplan said (via Brandon Lee Gowton of BleedingGreenNation.com). “I mean he must have easily done two dozen contracts with the Eagles over the years. The Eagles have a great working relationship with him…Now, Dogra broke off from CAA, and his partner was Tom Condon. Ironically, Tom Condon now represents Maclin. And Condon… I just get the sense he doesn’t have the same relationship with that Dogra did. I’m not saying the deal won’t get done, I’m just not nearly as optimistic as I was before.”
Draft Notes: Mariota, Rams, Bengals, Ravens
The 2015 Senior Bowl will take place later this afternoon, and we should catch a glimpse of some future NFL stars. Let’s take a look at some notes regarding these prospects, including information about this year’s Heisman winner…
- Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota has chosen Alan Zucker of Excel Sports for all off-field representation, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal.
- The Rams are keeping an eye on East Carolina quarterback Shane Carden, writes Jim Thomas of the St.Louis Post-Dispatch.
- The Bengals haven’t drafted a bona fide left tackle in the first round since Levi Jones in 2002. That may change this year, as Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com believes the team could pursue the position early in the draft. The writer focuses on LSU’s La’el Collins as a potential target.
- The Ravens are fond of their young receivers, including Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown and Michael Campanaro. Despite this, the organization is still doing their research on a number of wideout prospects, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun writes that the organization met with Auburn receiver Sammie Coates earlier this week.
- Wilson writes that the Ravens also met with Ohio State wideout Devin Smith. “It went really well,” Smith said. “They showed a lot of interest. They liked the things I did on the football field.”
Latest On Teams Still Seeking OCs
There’s been plenty of turnover among the offensive coordinator ranks around the NFL already this offseason, with about a third of the league’s franchies hiring new OCs so far — 10 teams have hired replacements for their old coordinators, while the Cowboys are technically the 11th to install a new OC, having given Scott Linehan the official title that Bill Callahan previously held.
As our coordinator search tracker shows, even after those 11 teams have made changes, there are still three clubs with vacancies at the position, though it’s possible only two of those clubs will actually make a hire. Here’s the latest on the three teams still without an offensive coordinator:
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners have already added one notable name to their offensive staff, hiring ex-Raiders interim coach Tony Sparano as their tight ends coach, but are still in need of a coordinator to oversee the offense. The club pursued former Broncos OC Adam Gase before he landed with the Bears, which leaves three candidates who have been linked to the club since the hiring of head coach Jim Tomsula: Mike Shanahan, Lane Kiffin, and Rob Chudzinski.
Shanahan’s name came up about a week ago, but he hasn’t received much buzz since then, and it looks to me as if Kiffin and Chudzinski are the favorites for the position. In fact, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that Kiffin appeared to be the frontrunner. Since then, the Colts have rebuffed San Francisco’s attempt to speak to Chudzinski, which would seem to further solidify Kiffin as a top option, but we shouldn’t rule out the Colts assistant quite yet. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports (via Twitter) that Chudzinski’s contract with Indianapolis expires on Monday, at which point he’s expected to interview with the 49ers and Rams.
St. Louis Rams
As noted above, the Rams are expected to interview Colts assistant Rob Chudzinski when his contract with Indianapolis expires on Monday, and the fact that both San Francisco and St. Louis are willing to wait on Chudzinski suggests he’s a viable candidate for both clubs. Like the 49ers, the Rams had interest in Adam Gase and have been declined permission to speak to Chudzinski until now — St. Louis was also turned away when the team attempted to speak to Packers assistant Alex Van Pelt, and has seen a number of potential targets, including Greg Roman and Kyle Shanahan, land jobs with other clubs.
Still, the Rams did interview a candidate this week, in former Bills OC Nathaniel Hackett. Perhaps at this point Hackett is a top target by default, but a Thursday report indicated that the team may be comfortable promoting an in-house coach into the OC role. Tight ends coach Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti are viewed as strong candidates who are already on the staff, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who adds that Boras would probably get the nod over Cignetti if the Rams stay in house.
Houston Texans
The Texans didn’t have an offensive coordinator on staff in 2014, with head coach Bill O’Brien serving as the de facto OC. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier in the week that Houston could add an OC to the staff for 2015, but there has been no news on that front since La Canfora addressed the topic. The CBSSports.com scribe noted that Doug Marrone would be a strong candidate for such a position, so the fact that Marrone ultimately accepted a non-OC job in Jacksonville suggests the Texans may not be hiring an OC after all. Nonetheless, it’s a situation worth monitoring.
Rams Notes: Los Angeles, Hackett, OC
The perception that St. Louis has failed to adequately support the Rams is getting on the nerves of the Post-Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz. Some have been critical of the city waiting too long to conceive plans for a new stadium. That’s a ludicrous thing to say, in Miklasz’s view, and doubly ludicrous when you consider Los Angeles, a city that has stalled on the issue for decades. Here’s more on the Rams..
- Former Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett interviewed for the Rams’ offensive coordinator opening yesterday, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Hackett interviewed for the Jaguars‘ OC opening earlier this winter and was considered a top candidate.
- The Rams’ offensive coordinator search continues to drag on as several names initially linked to the Rams have accepted NFL offensive coordinator jobs elsewhere, Miklasz writes. That list includes Kyle Shanahan (new OC with Falcons), Greg Roman (new OC with Bills), and Adam Gase (new OC with Bears). Even with attractive coordinator candidates landing in other places, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Fisher is getting shut out or will fail in his bid to hire someone he covets. At the same time, there are factors that have made the Rams’ opening less attractive than others, and Miklasz lays them out.
- While the Rams will continue to look outside, they feel they have a pair of strong in-house candidates in tight ends coach Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.
- More from Thomas, who looks at Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion as a possibility for the Rams.
Extra Points: Luck, Wilson, Ireland, Chudzinski
With Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson now eligible for extensions, there’s speculation that new high watermarks could be set for quarterback salaries and guarantees, but there’s also “major concern” among rival agents about negotiations for the two star signal-callers, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). As Cole explains, both players are represented by fairly inexperienced agents — Wilson is repped by Mark Rodgers, primarily a baseball agent, while Luck’s uncle William Wilson reps the Indianapolis star.
These two deals are expected to have a significant trickle-down effect on future contracts for players at every position, not just for other quarterbacks. Wilson and Luck already have such impressive resumés that they should be in line for guarantees in excess of $50MM+ on their next contracts, rather than anything close to the limited guaranteed money that players like Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton accepted in their recent extensions, so fellow agents are hoping that neither Luck’s camp nor Wilson’s camp settles for a modest deal, lowering the bar for future extensions.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- After Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reported overnight (via Twitter) that former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was expected to become the Saints’ college scouting director, general Mickey Loomis confirmed today to reporters that Ireland had indeed been hired to oversee the team’s college scouting process (Twitter links).
- Having reported earlier that the Colts were denying Rob Chudzinski permission to speak to teams about offensive coordinator jobs, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adds an important piece of clarification (via Twitter): Chudzinski’s contract is set to expire in a week, at which point he’s free to interview anywhere, meaning he could still be in play for a team like the Bears, 49ers, or Rams.
- In addition to having their attempt to talk to Chudzinski rebuffed, the 49ers were denied permission to speak to Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph about their defensive coordinator opening, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Cincinnati also blocked the Broncos’ efforts to pursue Joseph for a DC job.
- According to Jason Fitzgerald’s projections at Over the Cap, the Patriots, Chiefs, and Bengals appear likely to land third-round compensatory picks in this year’s draft for losing Aqib Talib, Branden Albert, and Michael Johnson – respectively – in free agency a year ago. Fitzgerald also forecasts rookie pool amounts by team for 2015, with the Buccaneers’ rookie cap projected to exceed $8MM.
- While the Rams are often said to be “only” a quarterback away from contention, finding that QB isn’t exactly an easy task, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Wagoner passes along a number of quotes from Rams general manager Les Snead about the team’s quest to identify a long-term answer at the position.
- Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes a look at the upcoming offseasons for the league’s championship weekend losers, the Packers and Colts.