Gruden, Shurmur, McDaniels and Reich Expected To Receive HC Interest
The league is expecting potentially double-digit head coaching jobs to open up this offseason. With so many openings that might become available, you can expect to see a number of offensive-minded head coaches get interviews with the way the current NFL is going. With that being said, current offensive coordinators Pat Shurmur, Josh McDaniels and Frank Reich expect to “draw the most interest” of the league’s highly regarded offensive minds, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Tomasson also mentions former Super Bowl winning coach and longtime ESPN analyst Jon Gruden as part of that group as well.
Gruden, 54, is clearly the biggest name on this list because of his media personality and previous success in the league. The former head coach won both in Oakland and Tampa Bay, posting six seasons of above .500 football during his 11 year tenure from 1998-2008. Teams have tried a number of times to snag him from the broadcaster’s booth over the years, but with no success. However, Gruden appears more intent to return to coaching this offseason and seemingly could be had if the right opportunity presented itself.
Shurmer, 52, was a head coach once before, guiding the Browns to a 9-23 record in two seasons in Cleveland. However, he’s had a ton of success with the Vikings since he became their offensive coordinator in 2016. Specifically this season, he’s helped Case Keenum come from relative obscurity to leading one of the best team’s in football.
McDaniels, 41, was also a head coach for two seasons, leading the Broncos to a .500 record in 2009, before being fired midseason the next year after going 3-9 in his first 12 games. Since latching on with the friendly confines of New England once again, McDaniels is hoping that his second foray as a head coach will go better than his first. The current Patriots offensive coordinator is clearly a smart offensive mind that should be sought after by any organization looking to develop a young quarterback this offseason.
Reich, 56, is the only member of this group who has no previous head coaching experience. However, his two-year tenure with Eagles QB Carson Wentz has demonstrated the former quarterback’s ability to lead an offense. In his second year at the offensive controls in Philadelphia, the team has seen better improvements in every area of the game, with him showing a clear aptitude to use a variety of different players effectively throughout a game.
Sam Bradford Expected At Practice Next Week
Sam Bradford‘s mandated two months on IR are just about up, and the Vikings expect their Week 1 starting quarterback to return to practice next week, Mike Zimmer said (via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com).
While Zimmer is unsure if Bradford would be available during the playoffs, the Vikings would be able to activate him. Zimmer said Bradford told him his injured left knee feels good, and the fourth-year Vikings HC added (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) his initial 2017 starter has been throwing recently.
Bradford has not played since Week 5 and has only suited up for two games this season. He would be eligible for reactivation by the time the Vikings begin their playoff slate. But this would obviously require the eighth-year veteran to show he’s healthy enough to suit up again, which may be a lot to ask given how his season’s unfolded.
Case Keenum took over for Bradford midway through an October win in Chicago and has put to rest any quarterback controversy that emerged for a team that has two former first-round picks under contract. Bradford, like Keenum and Teddy Bridgewater, will see his Vikings contract expire at season’s end.
Bradford’s experienced knee trouble throughout his career but was considered the Vikings’ preferred starter until around midseason, when Keenum started to thrive as a legitimately viable option rather than the career backup he’d profiled as prior to 2017. Bradford experienced knee pain prior to Week 2 and was a last-minute scratch. He missed the next two Minnesota games before returning at far less than 100 percent during a victory over the Bears, after which the Vikes shut him down.
He’s thrown just 43 passes this season, a year after playing in 15 games — his most since 2012 — and setting the NFL’s completion percentage standard at 71.6 percent.
While the 30-year-old quarterback wouldn’t be expected to earn his job back, his dominant Week 1 performance in a win over the Saints notwithstanding, it would provide possible insurance. However, Bridgewater has been Keenum’s backup since being activated. So, it’s unclear how the pecking order would end up in a rare scenario where all three of Minnesota’s quarterbacks are active.
Vikings Place OG Nick Easton On IR, Sign A New Long Snapper
The Vikings have addressed two injury situations with a couple of moves today. After learning that starting left guard Nick Easton suffered an ankle injury on Saturday against the Packers, the team has placed him on injured reserve, reports Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. In a corresponding move, Minnesota has signed free agent long snapper Jeff Overbaugh to replace their injured starter Kevin McDermott for the time being.
McDermott, 28, sustained a shoulder injury in Week 16, which made him questionable for the Vikings regular season finale on Sunday. However, the team did not want to place him on the IR because there was a chance he could return to the postseason. Overbaugh was part of a group of 10 free agent long snappers that worked out for the Vikings today.
While the roster moves do help the Vikings cover their bases in terms of their special teams unit, losing Easton for the season will hurt the team’s offense a bit. The 25-year-old was certainly not one of the best at his position, ranking 61st among all guards in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. However, it’s definitely a challenge to adjust to a new offensive line this late in the season.
The most immediate replacement on the roster appears to be Jeremiah Sirles, but the Vikings also have Danny Isidora to add further depth to the line in the weeks to come. Minnesota will have a chance to clinch a first round bye with a win over the Bears in Week 17.
Extra Points: Titans, Lions, Pats, Vikings
A very special Christmas edition of Extra Points:
- It has been an open subject of debate in league circles whether the Titans will shell out substantial money to land a big name head coach this offseason, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes. Mike Mularkey is still employed as the team’s head coach, but some anticipate that the Titans will shake things up in the offseason if they miss the playoffs. The 8-7 Titans can make the postseason with a win over the Jaguars in Week 17 or losses from the Chargers and Bills.
- Lions Vice President of Player Personnel Kyle O’Brien is emerging as potential GM candidate for other teams in the NFL, Alex Marvez of The Sporting News (Twitter link) has learned. Meanwhile, there’s some speculation about the job security of head coach Jim Caldwell.
- The talk of the league is that the Patriots, Vikings, and Eagles coaching staffs will be very popular the league’s head coaches jobs start to open up next week, Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM tweets. Recently, members of each staff were recommended for head coaching gigs by the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel.
DC George Edwards Is A Free Agent In 2018
Hue Jackson has accumulated a stunningly poor 1-30 record in almost two seasons as the head coach of the Browns. However, despite his poor performance, he looks to be safe for next season. Other factors such as a lack of talent and a disfunctional front office certainly play a big role in the team’s failures, but basic logic must win out in determining his coaching future, opines Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
La Canfora notes that while Jackson appears to be “immune to review” at the moment, the team should be thinking about moving on from their second-year head coach. It’s not ideal for a franchise that has shuffled through many coaches in the past, but La Canfora argues that the job is more attractive then some may think when just observing this season.
New general manager John Dorsey has a track record of success and the team could be bringing in a young franchise QB with the number one pick, even though Josh Rosen has reportedly had some reservations about going to Cleveland.
La Canfora notes that finding a better replacement to Jackson shouldn’t be hard, even if the team is unlikely to do so given most of the reports coming from Browns ownership.
Here’s more notes from around the coaching carousel:
- The Lions have stood behind head coach Jim Caldwell for the past four seasons, despite not winning a playoff game. However, it may be time for the franchise to move on after the team lost to the Bengals on Sunday. Patriots defense coordinator Matt Patricia may be a prime candidate if the job opens up because of his relationship with current Lions general manager Bob Quinn, according to Alex Marvez of Sporting News (Twitter link). The two men worked together in New England when Quinn was a high level decision maker in the Patriots front office, so the hire would be a natural fit.
- The Redskins missed the playoffs for the second straight season, but could still lose their quarterback coach Kevin O’Connell to another opportunity. O’Connell is reported to be a “top target” for the UCLA offensive coordinator post, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). New Bruins head coach Chip Kelly is looking for another offensive mind to add to his staff and the offensive coordinator job would be a difficult position to turn down if O’Connell was offered, according to Rapoport. Under O’Connell’s guidance, Kirk Cousins has continued to produce solid numbers in 2017, which has certainly helped make him more sought after for promotions at the collegiate level.
- There’s a number of attractive coordinators who will be free agents this offseason. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com run down a list that includes defensive coordinators: Gus Bradley, Paul Guenther, Vic Fangio and George Edwards. They mention that Bradley in particular is an odd situation because he signed just a one-year deal with the Chargers last offseason and has a great track record as a defensive coordinator with the Seahawks as well. At the moment, the Chargers have the third ranked scoring defense in the league, which should help make him in high demand for open defensive coordinator jobs after this season is over. Guenther on the other hand has been mentioned has a potential replacement for longtime Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, although he would be free to look at other opportunities should the team opt to go in a different direction. The article also makes note that popular Eagles quarterback coach John DeFilippo and Cowboys passing game coordinator Matt Eberflus would bring widespread interest as well if they move on from their current teams.
La Canfora’s Latest: Jets, Panthers, Steelers
While Josh McCown hasn’t yet announced whether he’ll continue his career in 2018, those close to him believe the veteran quarterback will return for another season, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. McCown, who is currently on injured reserve after breaking his hand, posted arguably the best campaign of his career while starting 13 games for the Jets this year. Given that he’ll be entering his age-39 season, McCown won’t command a long-term contract, and could theoretically make sense as a bridge quarterback for a number of clubs. When he does hang up his cleats, McCown is expected to generate interest as a coach.
Here’s more from La Canfora as Week 16 comes to a close:
- Speaking of the Jets, it would qualify as “shocking” if Gang Green doesn’t release defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson prior to next season, per La Canfora. Wilkerson has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks, and he isn’t expected to play for New York again this season despite being fully healthy. Missed meetings and other off-field offenses have led the Jets’ coaching staff to become “fed up” with Wilkerson, and there’s almost no chance the club will opt to pay him $17MM in 2018. Still, Wilkerson is expected to generate interest if he hits the free agent market next spring.
- Although reports of a $2.5 billion price for the Panthers may have been exaggerated, sources still expect the Carolina franchise to garner at least $2 billion, as La Canfora writes. Although the NFL will require full cooperation as the league investigates claims of harassment against owner Jerry Richardson, the league won’t be able to tell Richardson to whom he can sell his team. Because Richardson isn’t keeping the club in his family, he has the right to sell to whomever he chooses.
- The relationship between Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley has become strained, per La Canfora, who adds Roethlisberger has asked for a “buffer” between him and Haley during games. As such, quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner has begun coaching from the sidelines (instead of the press box) in order to act as that go-between. While reports of complications between Roethlisberger and Haley may have no affect, the relationship could potentially affect offseason staff plans for Pittsburgh.
- The Patriots, Eagles, and Vikings are all expected to lose members of their staff this offseason as coaches leave for promotions with other clubs, according to La Canfora. New England, Philadelphia, and Minnesota are three of the most successful teams in the league in 2017, and coordinators such as Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia, Jim Schwartz, Frank Reich, John DeFilippo, Pat Shurmur, and George Edwards could all be on the move.
Vikings Notes: Keenum, McDermott
The Vikings still have not opened extension talks with pending free agent quarterback Case Keenum, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Previous reports have indicated general manager Rick Spielman & Co. won’t discuss contracts with any of their free agent signal-callers until the season concludes, and that stance has not changed, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Indeed, Keenum may require a franchise or transition tag in order to not hit the open market, several executives tell La Canfora. Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Bradford are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next spring, meaning the Vikings will have several decisions to make over the coming months.
- Although Vikings long snapper Kevin McDermott‘s dislocated shoulder is likely to sideline him for the final game of the regular season, he’s expected to be available for the playoffs, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter links). McDermott, who will not require surgery, had his shoulder popped back in place last night. Meanwhile, Minnesota will need a long snapper for their Week 17 contest against the Bears, and the club plans to audition free agent Justin Drescher on Tuesday, per Tomasson. Drescher has appeared in 110 career games, including eight with the Cardinals earlier this year.
Vikings’ Nick Easton Fractures Ankle
Vikings left guard Nick Easton‘s season is over. According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter), the lineman fractured his ankle during last night’s win over the Packers. Easton will require surgery and will be out for the rest of the season.
Easton, a former undrafted free agent out of Harvard, has really come into his own in 2017. The lineman made his NFL debut in 2016, starting five of his 11 games. He took on more responsibility this year, as he started all 12 of his games. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance in 2017, ranking him 60th among 78 eligible offensive guard candidates.
Of course, the 25-year-old’s absence will still be a huge hit to the Vikings. The team will likely turn to Jeremiah Sirles to slot into the starting lineup, although the organization could also rely on Danny Isidora and Aviante Collins for more responsibility.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/22/17
Here’s today’s workout updates. All credit goes to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Denver Broncos
- P Alex Knight (Twitter link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- OL Stephen Evans (Twitter link)
Los Angeles Rams
- WR Brandon Shippen (Twitter link)
Minnesota Vikings
- P Taylor Symmank (Twitter link)
Poll: Who’s The Super Bowl Favorite?
The playoff picture is starting to come into fruition with just two weeks remaining in the regular season. But is there a clear favorite for who will be holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy come the conclusion of Super Bowl 52?
The defending champion Patriots are coming off a dramatic road win over the Steelers, but have shown clear weaknesses. Pittsburgh will also be getting Antonio Brown back during the postseason, so the matchup could be more evenly matched should they meet for a second time in January.
However, while New England and Pittsburgh are the clear front runners in the AFC, the NFC has a number of teams that could be considered the “favorite” entering postseason play. Although the Eagles don’t have star second-year quarterback Carson Wentz, the team will likely have home field advantage with a very well rounded roster. The Vikings, Saints and Rams have all had their moments where they look like the team to beat as well. You can also see the defending NFC champ Falcons, Panthers and even the the Cowboys advancing now that they have Zeke back in the fold.
Here’s further breakdowns of the likely Super Bowl favorites with the end of the regular season inching ever closer:
New England Patriots: Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are simply the best coach-quarterback duo that this league has ever seen. The pair is set up perfectly to go to their seventh straight AFC championship game after beating the Steelers in Week 15. Both haven’t let age slow them down either. At 40 years old, Brady is the front runner for NFL MVP once again and his team is clicking late in the season. The Pats has a ton of weapons on offense and their defense is improving as the year goes along, which is typical of Belichick coached squads. This team isn’t unbeatable as they do have a few bad losses in 2017, but playoffs and New England have gone side-by-side since the team won their first Super Bowl back in 2002.
Pittsburgh Steelers: If Jesse James would have held onto the ball during the final drive in last Sunday’s instant classic matchup, then the Steelers would be 13-2 and have a very clear path to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way for Mike Tomlin and Co., so they will likely have to win on the road in January in order to secure the AFC Championship. Nevertheless, Ben Roethlisberger is playing his best football of the season right now and Le’Veon Bell may be the best overall offensive weapon in the game at the moment. Although, the loss of middle linebacker Ryan Shazier certainly does put the defense in a bit of a hole. But the offense with the expected return of their star wideout can score with anyone and will give the Steelers a chance in any game.
Philadelphia Egales: If Carson Wentz was healthy, the Eagles would clearly the best team in football. Now with Nick Foles at the helm, they are clearly still a good team, but just not even close to as dominant as they were with their second-year signal caller on the field. Still, as you could see in the their Week 15 victory over the Giants, Philadelphia found a way to win thanks to the overall quality of their roster. Without Wentz, the defense will have to shoulder more of the load, but the likes of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Chris Long, Nigel Bradham and others should be up to the task. The trade for Jay Ajayi also seems much more crucial now as there will likely be more of an emphasis on the running game. Foles is serviceable quarterback, but the Eagles will have to elevate in other areas in order to even win a postseason game in the difficult NFC.
Minnesota Vikings: Case Keenum was not the name you expected to see when talking about which quarterback led his team to a first round bye. However, that is the case and he’s been playing like it will translate to postseason football. The journeyman signal caller has been excellent this season, but his weapons have really risen to the occasion as well. Wide receiver Adam Thielen has solidified himself as one of the league’s best, Stefon Diggs is as talented as ever and Kyle Rudolph has been a touchdown machine. Even without Dalvin Cook, Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon have performed very well with increased workloads. The defense remains one of the best that the NFL has to offer led by the likes of Everson Griffen, Eric Kendricks, Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith. This team lacks real star power, but doesn’t have a noticeable weakness, which will make them very dangerous come playoff time.
Los Angeles Rams: The Rams have been a nice story all year long, but it wasn’t until their beatdown of the Seahawks on the road that you can see them advancing deep into the postseason. Head coach Sean McVay is the clear front runner for Coach of the Year and he has his team clicking on all cylinders at the moment. Todd Gurley has a case as the top offensive player in football and Jared Goff has made incredible strides after how he performed just a season ago. Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp lead a solid group of receivers. Plus when you have Aaron Donald on defense, it’s easy to get pressure on opposing QB’s. This team has many ways to beat you and is very well coached. That’s something that very much converts in January football.
New Orleans Saints: Foles, Keenum, Goff and Drew Brees. Only one of those is a Super Bowl winner. While the top three teams according to record in the NFC all have their strengths, there’s something to be said for experience, and New Orleans has that at head coach and behind center. But while Brees has been very good this year, the team is actually led by Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara coming out of the backfield. They can ground and pound better than any team in the league, which is something that can help them control the clock in a postseason contest. The defense has also been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this year as they can take the ball away at any moment. The Saints control the game offensively and can force mistakes defensively, which is a formula that has worked for postseason success in the past and should continue to bring positive results in the future.