NFL Coaching Updates: Cards, Fins, Browns
Jonathan Gannon has continued to put together his new coaching staff in Arizona over the past week, making numerous hires. The Cardinals have made three new additions this past week to the team’s defensive coaching staff.
First, Arizona is bringing in former Vikings assistant linebackers coach Sam Siefkes, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Siefkes spent two years with Minnesota before accepting the linebackers coaching position in Arizona. He’ll be paired with fellow new hire Robert Rodriguez who will be the new outside linebackers coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Rodriguez coached on the same Vikings staff as Gannon for a number of years but has spent the past three football seasons coaching the defensive line at Arizona State. He’ll remain in-state for his next NFL coaching job.
Lastly, the Cardinals have landed their new defensive line coach in Derrick LeBlanc, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. LeBlanc was most recently the assistant defensive line coach for the Dolphins and has coached at the college level, as well, at Arkansas and Kentucky.
Here are a few more coaching updates from around the NFL:
- After losing LeBlanc to Arizona, the Dolphins have already filled his position, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Miami has hired Western Kentucky defensive line coach Kenny Baker to fill the position of assistant defensive line coach. Baker’s defensive line helped the Hilltoppers to finish second in Conference USA in sacks, scoring defense, and yards per carry allowed in 2022.
- New Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has opted to retain Ben Bloom in a different role for 2023. Bloom, who spent last season as the Browns defensive run game coordinator, has been given the position of defensive line coach, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. This isn’t Bloom’s first position coaching role, after coaching linebackers for the Cowboys in 2018 and 2019. He’s well-respected in league circles and is expected to be a rising name in NFL coaching.
AFC Coaching Notes: Fangio, Colts, Jaguars
At 64, Vic Fangio is closer to the end of his coaching career than the beginning. However, his decision to take the Dolphins‘ defensive coordinator position should not be considered a short-term commitment.
“I still have a lot of coaching left in me,” Fangio said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “It’s not like I’m thinking about retirement or anything. Somebody asked, ‘How much longer are you gonna do this?’ I don’t know. It might be 10 years, if they’ll have me here for 10 years.”
After a delay between when his Miami deal was first reported and when he officially accepted it, Fangio reportedly became the league’s highest-paid coordinator. Expectations will be raised in Miami, with the former Broncos head coach and celebrated defensive mind taking charge of a unit which struggled in 2022. Fangio’s new defense has number of intriguing players on it with plenty of upside. Regardless of their performance, Fangio, who signed a three-year contract, is eyeing a lengthy stay in the Sunshine State.
Here are some other coaching updates from the AFC:
- The Colts have seen plenty of turnover on their staff, one now led by Shane Steichen. The latest addition is DeAndre Smith, whom Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets is leaving the Giants’ staff to head to Indianapolis. Smith spent last season as the Giants’ running backs coach and will work in the same capacity with the Colts. The 54-year-old assistant’s tenure in New York last year marked his first NFL coaching gig, following more than two decades spent in the college ranks; Smith will now reunite with Steichen, after the pair worked together at UNLV in 2009.
- Steichen is not planning to make wholesale changes on offense. One assistant who is expected to stay put: franchise icon Reggie Wayne (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer). Wayne, who played for the Colts for 14 seasons en route to becoming a Hall of Fame finalist, began his coaching career this past season as Indianapolis’ wide receivers coach and will likely remain in that role in 2023.
- The Jaguars lost Jim Bob Cooter earlier this week when he made the intra-divisional move to the Colts to become Indy’s offensive coordinator. Jacksonville found a replacement in Nick Holz (Twitter link via Mia O’Brien of 1010 XL). The veteran staffer spent 10 seasons as an NFL coach, all with the Raiders; his tenure with the team ended in 2021 after he worked as its assistant wide receivers coach. Holz spent the past season as the OC at UNLV and will now be paired alongside Jaguars OC (and close friend) Press Taylor.
- After yet another injury-filled season, the Chargers are making a change on the training side. They are moving on from longtime athletic trainer Damon Mitchell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Mitchell had spent past six years as the team’s trainer and had been with the organization long before the injury-prone stigma entered the equation, spending the past 24 years in San Diego and Los Angeles.
AFC Coaching Notes: Ventrone, Browns, Broncos, Joseph, Raiders, Dolphins, Texans
After the Colts changed coaching staffs, Bubba Ventrone will have an opportunity to land on his feet. The Indianapolis special teams coordinator is on track to interview with the Browns, and ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder tweets the Colts are expecting to lose him to the Cleveland job. Ventrone spent five seasons in Indianapolis and is a well-regarded ST coordinator. The Browns are also interviewing Giants assistant special teams coach Anthony Blevins, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets. That meeting is expected to commence via Zoom today, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The Browns fired ST coordinator Mike Preiffer earlier this week. Blevins has been with the Giants for the past five years.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Prior to the Cardinals making Nick Rallis the NFL’s youngest active coordinator, at 29, the Broncos had him on their radar. Denver showed interest in the former Philadelphia linebackers coach, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. Rallis is a cool 31 years younger than the favorite to land the Denver job (Rex Ryan), but the Broncos are still eyeing Vance Joseph. Despite being fired after two seasons as Denver’s HC, Joseph is interested in coming back, Renck adds. The Eagles also have eyes on the ex-Cardinals DC; they are finishing up a two-day interview Wednesday.
- The Colts are hiring University of Cincinnati offensive coordinator Tom Manning as their tight ends coach, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets. This will be a reunion for Manning, who was on Frank Reich‘s first Colts staff as tight ends coach. Manning had recently accepted Cincinnati’s offer to be its OC, coming over after a four-year stay on Matt Campbell‘s Iowa State staff. The ex-Cyclones OC drew interest from multiple NFL teams, per Wilson.
- The Browns will look to the college ranks as well. They are set to hire Utah State defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda to be their safeties coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel (Twitter links). Prior to his two-year run in Utah, Banda spent the previous two seasons as the University of Miami’s co-DC.
- To fill their safeties coach post, the Dolphins are adding Eagles assistant Joe Kasper, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com tweets. Kasper joined the Eagles’ staff in Nick Sirianni‘s first year; this will be a move up the ladder, bringing positional responsibilities Kasper’s way for the first time.
- The Raiders fired defensive line coach Frank Okam, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes. A former NFL D-lineman, Okam came to Las Vegas after two years on Matt Rhule‘s Carolina staff. The Raiders struggled on defense for most of the season, dropping from 14th to 28th in total defense. Rather than can DC Patrick Graham, the team is moving on from one of his lieutenants.
- In addition to ST coordinator Frank Ross, the Texans are also retaining wide receivers coach Ben McDaniels, Wilson writes. The younger brother of Josh McDaniels, Ben has been with the Texans since Nick Caserio‘s 2021 arrival. While Ben McDaniels has never worked for the Patriots, Caserio has been close with Josh McDaniels for many years. The Texans promoted Ben McDaniels from assistant wideouts coach in 2022.
Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki Expected To Leave In Free Agency
The Dolphins used their franchise tag on Mike Gesicki last year and proceeded to minimize his role. Tight end-needy teams can now count on the sixth-year veteran being available in March.
Gesicki is expected to hit the market and leave Miami, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com notes (video link). This comes after the receiving tight end’s numbers cratered in Mike McDaniel‘s offense. After this proved to be a poor fit, the former second-round pick will test the waters once the legal tampering period begins March 13.
Last year brought three tight end tags, but after the Browns extended David Njoku, the other two (Gesicki, Dalton Schultz) played on the tag. The Schultz-Cowboys talks brought steady updates, but little came out about the Dolphins’ negotiations with Gesicki. That proved telling, as the team ended up paying the $10.9MM tag price for a 362-yard receiving season. Gesicki’s targets plummeted from 112 in 2021 to 52 last season.
Trade rumors emerged before the season started, as it became clear the Dolphins were changing Gesicki’s role. But the team held onto him. While Gesicki said he was happy staying in Miami ahead of the trade deadline, a better role likely awaits him elsewhere.
Drafted during Adam Gase’s time as head coach, Gesicki became a steady contributor during the Brian Flores–Chris Grier partnership. As the Dolphins cycled through offensive coordinators, the Penn State product became the team’s most consistent weapon from 2019-21. He eclipsed 700 receiving yards in 2020 and ’21. With Tyreek Hill in the fold, the Dolphins’ offense changed. Hill and Jaylen Waddle became the expected focal points, but McDaniel’s offense called for more Gesicki blocking. Although Kyle Shanahan‘s 49ers offense regularly receives production from George Kittle, the latter is one of the best blockers at his position. Pro Football Focus rated Gesicki as one of the league’s worst run-blocking tight ends last season.
Gesicki, 27, may well have had better luck on the market had the Dolphins not tagged him last year. Now, he is coming off an unproductive year. The 6-foot-6 pass catcher should still fare decently in free agency, with the cap rising by nearly $17MM, but it will be interesting to see who is willing to bet on his receiving talent this year.
Schultz, Hayden Hurst, Austin Hooper, Evan Engram and Robert Tonyan are among the tight ends on track to hit the market. The Jaguars want to bring back Engram, who could soon become the latest tight end tagged. That would benefit Gesicki and Co., thinning the talent pool. McDaniel’s team will likely be on the lookout for a replacement. Hunter Long remains on a rookie deal; he did not catch a pass last season. Durham Smythe is signed through 2023. While PFF graded Smythe as one of the league’s top run-blocking tight ends last season, Gesicki’s departure would leave the Dolphins with little in terms of proven receiving talent at the position.
AFC Coaching Rumors: Broncos, Henry, Texans, Donatell
As has been expected for a little while now, Saints offensive assistant Declan Doyle will be departing New Orleans to join Sean Payton‘s new staff in Denver, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The original reports about Doyle indicated that he was in consideration for a first-time position coaching role leading the tight ends for the Broncos, but Underhill’s recent report didn’t specify what his role would be.
The Broncos made another minor coaching staff addition today, hiring someone who has a bit of a different connection to New Orleans, as reported by Zach Barnett of Football Scoop. While not a former Saints staffer, new Broncos passing game quality control coach Logan Kilgore was the offensive coordinator for new Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning during their time together at the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Kilgore was set to rejoin head coach Butch Jones at Arkansas State as the Red Wolves’ tight ends coach after working as an offensive analyst with the team in 2021. Instead, Kilgore is headed to Denver, where he will work with many other former New Orleans coaches.
Here are a few other coaching rumors from around the AFC, starting with a new assistant coaching hire in Buffalo:
- The Bills have hired a veteran to their staff in longtime wide receivers coach Adam Henry, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Newtork. Henry has coached the position at McNeese State, LSU, and Indiana at the college level, serving, as well, as offensive coordinator at McNeese State, passing game coordinator at LSU, and co-offensive coordinator at Indiana. At the NFL level, Henry’s first position coaching role was as tight ends coach under Tom Cable in Oakland. Since then, he has coached receivers for the 49ers, Giants, Browns, and Cowboys. An interesting aspect of this hire is Henry’s connection to free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Henry coached both Beckham and Jarvis Landry when the two were at LSU and in Cleveland.
- The Texans have made a number of decisions recently for new head coach DeMeco Ryans‘s staff, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. First, Houston hired former Browns defensive line coach Chris Kiffin as their new linebackers coach. The younger brother of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and former NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Chris formerly worked alongside Ryans during their time together in San Francisco. Second, the team chose to retain defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire from Lovie Smith‘s staff. Under Cesaire, the defensive line saw surprising contributions from defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and defensive tackle Maliek Collins. Third, former 49ers defensive passing game specialist and secondary coach Cory Undlin is expected to reunite with Ryans as the Texans defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach. Finally, fourth, after choosing not to retain offensive line coach George Warhop, Colts offensive line coach Chris Strausser has emerged as the leading candidate to replace him.
- The Dolphins have requested to interview Chargers assistant secondary coach Tom Donatell for the secondary coaching position in Miami, according to a tweet by Pelissero. The son of Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, Tom is making his own way up through the coaching ranks of the NFL.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.
The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.
For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:
- Chicago Bears: 3-14
- Houston Texans: 3-13-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Carolina Panthers: 7-10
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Tennessee Titans: 7-10
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- New York Jets: 7-10
- New England Patriots: 8-9
- Green Bay Packers: 8-9
- Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
- Detroit Lions: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
- Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- New York Giants: 9-7-1
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 13-3
- Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
- New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
- Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice
Tua Tagovailoa Addresses Concussion Recovery, Offseason Plans
Tua Tagovailoa took a dramatic step forward in 2022 in terms of performance, but his season will be best remembered for the multiple concussions he suffered. The last one cost him the final two games of the regular season, as well as the Dolphins’ wild card loss. 
The 24-year-old quarterback recently spoke about his path to recovery following the concussion he suffered on Christmas Day, which represented at least the second (if not third) which he dealt with this season. He didn’t clear the league’s protocol until last week, inviting questions about his and the team’s handling of the repeated head trauma.
While in conversation with Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today, Tagovailoa said, “for concussion protocol, I think the team did me the biggest service throughout that. They never allowed me to go through protocol normally until the season was done. So that’s why it might have seemed like it took forever, but they were just protecting me from myself. And me and my family are very thankful to the Dolphins” (video link).
The fact that Miami kept the former No. 5 overall pick from navigating the standard return procedure until after their season was over is striking. The Dolphins’ handling of Tagovailoa earlier in the year led to an NFLPA investigation and the implementation of new concussion protocols midway through the year. It comes as no surprise that an abundance of caution was used this winter, even with that approach leaving Miami without their top signal-caller in the postseason.
The Alabama product is taking steps this offseason aimed at preventing a repeat of his 2022 injury woes. One of them will involve taking up judo, as detailed by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Owens. Tagovailoa said the martial art will help “figure out understanding my body and how to fall,” something which could in turn prevent harder head contact after hits compared to this past season.
If successful, Tagovailoa could set himself up for a repeat of this year’s success (when healthy). Now eligible for an extension, the former Heisman finalist recently changed agents with the team’s fifth-year option decision due to be made soon. How much faith the Dolphins place in him from a financial and roster standpoint – in terms of acquiring a high-end backup QB as insurance – will be an interesting storyline as the offseason unfolds.
AFC East Notes: Becton, Jets, Tua, Bills
The 2023 fifth-year option numbers dropped this week, and a near-$6MM gap exists between the first and fourth tiers of offensive line option numbers. That is unlikely to matter regarding the Jets‘ plans with Mekhi Becton. There is “virtually no chance” the Jets pick up Becton’s 2024 option, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Tier 4 in the 2023 option structure checks in at $12.57MM for offensive linemen, but with that number being fully guaranteed, the Jets were not exactly expected to consider it for Becton given his past two seasons.
With 2023 almost definitely set to be a contract year for the once-entrenched Jets tackle, Cimini adds Becton changed representation. He signed with the New York-based Sportstars agency. Becton, who had been represented by Klutch Sports, returning to form would represent quite the contract-year success story. He has played in one game since his rookie season ended. An avulsion fracture of the right kneecap felled Becton in 2022; a dislocated kneecap and MCL damage sidelined Becton for 16 games in 2021. The Louisville product showed considerable promise as a rookie, and he will attempt to revive his career in 2023. Becton is expected to be ready for OTAs in April.
The talented blocker’s weight has been a recurring issue during his Jets career. It plagued him during each of his first three years; most recently, the Jets were concerned with Becton’s weight during minicamp last year. Weighing 363 pounds at the 2020 Combine, Becton has weighed as much as 400 during his Jets tenure. After Becton said recently he had lost “a lot” of weight, Cimini confirms he is down to around 370 and plans to lose more this offseason.
An opportunity could await Becton, with George Fant five weeks from free agency and Duane Brown going into an age-38 season. But the Jets cannot count on the 2020 first-rounder at this point. Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Elijah Moore returned to the Jets after a brief hiatus and trade request. Some among the Jets believed Zach Wilson‘s struggles contributed to Moore’s departure request, Cimini adds, with Mike LaFleur‘s play-calling contributing as well. Moore and LaFleur engaged in a heated argument in October, and teams called the Jets on the second-year receiver. But Gang Green brought the second-round pick back into the fold. Moore’s production declined from his rookie year, dropping from 48.9 yards per game to 27.9 per contest. The Jets have made no secret of their pursuit of a quarterback upgrade this offseason.
- LaFleur and assistant GM Rex Hogan pushed hardest for Wilson in 2021, per Cimini, who offers that some in the organization viewed the BYU arm as a developmental prospect unworthy of the No. 2 overall pick. Both Wilson and Trey Lance leapfrogged Justin Fields that offseason; each’s career is at a crossroads entering 2023. Wilson is not a lock to return to the Jets, though team brass has consistently stumped for the struggling passer. The Jets and LaFleur parted ways last month; he is now the Rams’ OC.
- Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option would cost the Dolphins $23.17MM. That number is down more than $6MM from what Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert‘s 2024 options will cost, but the Dolphins have not indicated they are certain to pick it up. As Tagovailoa prepares for his fourth season, he has joined Becton in changing agents. Tua signed with Ryan Williams and Austin Lyman of Athletes First, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal writes. Tagovailoa recently cleared concussion protocol and showed remarkable improvement in 2022, but the former No. 5 overall pick will have health- and performance-related questions to answer in 2023.
- The conditional pick the Bills sent the Colts for Nyheim Hines at the deadline will be a fifth-round choice, Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 tweets. Thanks to the Cody Ford trade, the Bills held two fifth-round picks prior to the Hines deal. It will be the Bills’ own fifth-rounder that will go to the Colts.
Coaching Notes: Bills, Panthers, Dolphins, Saints, Lions, Packers
Another former member of the Panthers organization is heading to Buffalo. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the Bills are hiring Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets that the two sides have yet to officially finalize a deal but are heading in that direction.
After having previously spent five seasons as the Panthers linebackers coach, Holcomb returned to Carolina in 2020 as their defensive run game coordinator. When Steve Wilks became the Panthers interim head coach this past season, Holcomb was promoted to the team’s interim defensive coordinator/assistant head coach.
Holcomb worked under former Panthers defensive coordinator (and current Bills head coach) Sean McDermott in Carolina. He also worked alongside current Bills GM Brandon Beane, who previously served as Carolina’s director of football operations and assistant GM.
Speaking of the Panthers, they made their own coaching move today. The team announced that they’ve agreed to terms with linebackers coach Peter Hansen. The coach served in the same role with the Broncos last season, where he coached under new Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The 43-year-old Hansen was previously the defensive coordinator at UNLV.
More coaching notes from around the NFL…
- The Dolphins are hiring Butch Barry as their new offensive line coach, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Barry was recently canned by the Broncos after serving as their OL coach for one season, but now he’ll get another opportunity in Miami. The veteran coach will be replacing Matt Applebaum, who was let go after only one season with the Dolphins organization.
- The Saints have been busy adding to their coaching staff. Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson is heading to New Orleans, per Mike Jurecki (on Twitter). Robertson, who spent the past four years in Arizona, will presumably be serving in the same role with the Saints. Meanwhile, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets that the Saints are closing in on a deal with Clancy Barone to serve as their tight ends coach. The veteran coach most recently served in that same role with the Bears, and he previously worked alongside Saints head coach Dennis Allen when the two were with the Broncos and with Texas A&M. Finally, Underhill tweets the the Saints are retaining offensive assistant Kevin Petry. The young coach “was coveted for a position by Sean Payton” in Denver, per Underhill, but the Saints ultimately convinced him to stick in New Orleans.
- The Lions have made some changes to their coaching staff. Most notably, the team promoted J.T. Barrett to assistant quarterbacks coach and Shaun Dion Hamilton to assistant linebackers coach. Barrett, a former star at Ohio State, bounced around the NFL before joining the Lions coaching staff as an offensive assistant last offseason. Hamilton, a former sixth-round pick, spent a year on the Lions’ roster before joining their coaching staff last year. Per Tim Twentyman of the team’s website (on Twitter), the Lions also promoted Brian Duker to defensive backs coach, Tanner Engstrand to passing game coordinator, and Steve Oliver to assistant offensive line coach. The Lions have also added Dre Thompson as a defensive quality control coach.
- The Packers are hiring former Cardinals cornerbacks coach Greg Williams, according to Tom Silverstein of Packers News. It’s uncertain what role Williams will fill on Matt LaFleur’s staff, but Silverstein expects him to help fill the void left by defensive passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, who left Green Bay for the Falcons. Prior to his four-year stint in Arizona, Williams served as the Broncos and Colts defensive backs coach.
Coaching Notes: Fangio, Kocurek, Broncos, Dolphins, Falcons, Gray, Lions, Bills, Bears
The 49ers showed interest in Vic Fangio, joining almost every other DC-seeking team. But Fangio’s former team did not have the chance to bring him back in for an interview; Fangio finally committed to the Dolphins on Thursday morning. The 49ers were interested in a Fangio reunion, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, and 9News’ Mike Klis adds Fangio was also intrigued by coming back to San Francisco. The 49ers’ usage of a 4-3 scheme throughout Kyle Shanahan‘s tenure would not have been a major issue regarding a reunion with the 3-4 guru, Branch adds. That would make sense, as the 4-3/3-4 divide is not nearly as big an issue — thanks to sub-packages’ rise — as it was several years ago.
San Francisco remains on the hunt for a DeMeco Ryans replacement, placing Steve Wilks and Chris Harris (not the cornerback) on its interview list. The 49ers also are considering promoting defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. The well-regarded staffer has been Nick Bosa‘s position coach throughout the All-Pro’s career and has fostered development from others as well. Ryans, meanwhile, is interested in bringing Kocurek to Houston as his DC.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Some recently dismissed assistants may be on the Broncos‘ radar. Ex-Sean Payton staffers Joe Lombardi, Kris Richard and Dan Roushar are in the mix for Broncos gigs under their new coach, Klis notes. Lombardi worked on Payton’s Saints staff for 11 years, the final five as QBs coach, but lost his Chargers OC gig recently. The Saints parted ways with both Richard and Roushar recently. The ex-Seahawks DC was in New Orleans for just one season (2021) under Payton, while Roushar had been on the Saints’ staff for the past 10 years. Richard may be in the running for Denver’s DC post, though Klis adds the Ejiro Evero-Payton talks began Wednesday night. The parties continued discussions today. Evero, who is under contract, staying on staff and leaving for a head coaching job in 2024 would net the Broncos two third-round picks.
- The Falcons brought in former DC Jerry Gray as an assistant head coach. Gray, 60, spent the past two years as the Packers’ secondary coach but worked with Arthur Smith in Tennessee. Smith and Gray were both Titans staffers in the early 2010s, when the latter was Tennessee’s DC. The Falcons hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive boss last week, but Gray will be a key assistant. Green Bay let Gray’s contract expire, with ESPN’s Rob Demovsky noting (via Twitter) Gray and DC Joe Barry were not on the same page.
- Once again, the Dolphins will look for a new offensive line coach. Miami fired Matt Applebaum after one season, Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes (Twitter link). Mike McDaniel‘s next hire will be the Dolphins’ eighth O-line coach in nine seasons. Applebaum, 39, joined McDaniel’s staff in 2022 after spending his previous coaching years in the college ranks.
- The Lions added two fairly recent NFLers to their staff. They brought in Dre’ Bly and Steve Heiden to coach cornerbacks and tight ends, respectively. Bly, who played for the Lions from 2003-06 and made two Pro Bowls with the team, has not coached in the NFL previously. He spent the past four seasons coaching cornerbacks at North Carolina, his alma mater. Heiden will come over from the Cardinals, who employed the ex-NFL tight end as their tight ends coach throughout Kliff Kingsbury‘s tenure. The ex-Cardinal had been on Arizona’s staff for 10 years.
- Acting quickly after making a change late last week, the Bills filled their safety coach role by hiring Joe Danna. Working under Lovie Smith with the Texans this season, Danna was in Jacksonville under Doug Marrone and Urban Meyer for the previous five yeras.
- After the Falcons hired Nielsen, they fired Jon Hoke. But the veteran position coach will land in Chicago. The Bears hired Hoke as their cornerbacks coach and passing-game coordinator. This is a reunion for Hoke, who coached Bears DBs for six seasons (2009-14) previously. The team also promoted Omar Young from the quality control level to assistant QBs and wide receivers coach. Young is a 14-year coaching veteran who spent time with OC Luke Getsy in Green Bay.