Coaching, GM Notes: 49ers, Sparano, Jets, Saints
Saints‘ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has been disappointing this season, and with the team eliminated from playoff contention in a historically lackluster division, Ryan’s job could be in jeopardy, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN. The Saints’ players, however, expect their coach back next year, including defensive backs Kenny Vaccaro and Keenan Lewis.
“Rob will be here,” Vaccaro said. “Rob’s my guy. I love Rob. I’ll fight for Rob every game. I’m a Rob guy, so there’s no point even asking me about Rob. He’ll ride with me until the end.”
“I want him back. I’m gonna ride with him 100, no matter what the situation is. A great coordinator,” said Lewis. “You can’t just blame him when things go wrong.”
Here some other organizational notes as we approach the end of this NFL regular season:
- The 49ers are already vetting potential head coaches, and could look to a division rival to find their man, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. In the video clip associated with that Bleacher Report article, Cole puts the spotlight on Seahawks‘ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as a top option to replace Jim Harbaugh. Cole also believes the team could target Patriots‘ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The top in-house candidate is defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.
- Tony Sparano has gone 3-8 as interim head coach of the Raiders, and while he isn’t expected to be the team’s first choice, he is a legitimate candidate to be the head coach in 2015, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Harbaugh is thought to be the team’s number one option, but if he decides to take a different job either in the NFL or with the University of Michigan, Williamson believes that Sparano will be among a group of coaches considered for the job.
- Williamson also notes that among other coaching candidates to emerge for the Raiders will be Broncos‘ defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. Del Rio has previous head coaching experience with the Jaguars.
- After hiring Charlie Casserly as a consultant, Jason La Canfora has made a connection between the potential general manager opening with the Jets and Texans‘ scouting director Mike Maccagnan (via Twitter). He believes Maccagnan has a strong relationship with Casserly. La Canfora also highlights Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles as a coaching candidate due to his relationship with Casserly from their time together in Washington (via Twitter).
Extra Points: Colts, Ngata, Royal, Jets
Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the league as we wrap up this Saturday evening…
- While linebacker Jonathan Newsome has established himself this season with 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits, Mike Wells of ESPN.com says the Colts should still focus on selecting a pass-rusher in this year’s draft.
- Ravens rookie Timmy Jernigan has played well recently, and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes that the defensive end’s play over the final two weeks may determine whether the team keeps Haloti Ngata. Baltimore can clear $8.5MM by releasing the former Pro Bowler.
- Chargers wideout Eddie Royal caught his 50th pass of the season during the first quarter of tonight’s matchup against the 49ers, activating a $500K bonus (via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego on Twitter).
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes the Jets need a “culture change,” and the writer suggest owner Woody Johnson steals two members of a rival organization: Patriots player personnel director Nick Caserio and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
- As Black Monday approaches, Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com compiles a list of coaches who shouldn’t be comfortable with their job security: Jim Harbaugh (49ers), Marc Trestman (Bears), Tony Sparano (Raiders), Rex Ryan (Jets), Joe Philbin (Dolphins), Jay Gruden (Washington), Tom Coughlin (Giants), Mike Smith (Falcons), Ron Rivera (Panthers), Gus Bradley (Jaguars) and Ken Whisenhunt (Titans).
AFC Mailbags: Jets, Chiefs, Jaguars
It’s Saturday morning, and ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes out of the AFC…
- According to Rich Cimini, the vibe around the Jets organization is that owner Woody Johnson wants to replace general manger John Idzik. However, the writer suggests that Idzik could stick around in a reduced role.
- Cimini writes that the majority of the Jets upcoming unrestricted free agents are replaceable, but he believes linebacker David Harris “still has value.”
- As the Chiefs‘ contract negotiations with linebacker Justin Houston drag on, Adam Teicher is under the impression that the upcoming free agent is “headed for the franchise tag.”
- Of the Jaguars upcoming free agents, Michael DiRocco gives defensive end Tyson Alualu the best chance of returning. The writer is not very optimistic about Cecil Shorts, Alan Ball or Marcedes Lewis re-signing.
- Meanwhile, DiRocco focuses on positions the Jaguars will likely pursue in free agency. He points to offensive line, tight end and wide receiver as particular areas of need, and he throws out Patriots safety Devin McCourty as a “name to watch.”
Extra Points: L.A., 49ers, Draft, Daniels
The Chargers recently confirmed that they’ll continue to play in San Diego for the 2015 season, and it sounds as if the Rams could be the next team to make a similar announcement. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link) and Albert Breer of the NFL Network both indicate that officials in Missouri are expected to present the franchise with a plan containing “substantial public funding” soon, which will make it difficult for the club to justify leaving for Los Angeles in the short term. While there have been plenty of whispers about the possibility of one or two teams making the move to L.A., the smart money says it probably won’t happen in 2015, according to Breer.
Let’s round up a handful of other items from around the NFL….
- The 49ers have already begun the process of researching potential head coaching candidates from other organizations, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Cole writes that this is further proof that the organization will move on from Jim Harbaugh this offseason.
- Georgia outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins announced (via Twitter) that he’ll return to school for another season. Meanwhile, Alabama safety Landon Collins is viewed as a lock to enter the draft, sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- As NFL executive Troy Vincent points out (via Twitter), the requests for early evaluation from NCAA underclassmen dipped from 214 last year to just 147 this year. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that perhaps this means the number of early entrants will decline by a similar rate this year, but as Rand Getlin and Dan Wentzel of Yahoo! Sports write, the NFL instituted new limits this year on the information the league will provide potential early entrants. Only five underclassmen per college program can receive info, and the league will only tell those players if they’re first- or second-round picks.
- Seahawks backup quarterback B.J. Daniels had his salary increased from the practice squad rate up to an active roster rate, reports Brian McIntyre of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- The Patriots had three defenders – defensive end Cam Henderson, defensive lineman Antonio Johnson, and edge defender Rufus Johnson – in for tryouts this week, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
- Washington is staring at the possibility of a second consecutive three-win season, and the team hasn’t even shown signs of trending upward, according to John Keim in his mailbag for ESPN. With issues between the coach and quarterback, Washington is having a season to forget.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Revis, Clay, Rubin, King, Mallett
Darrelle Revis will count for $25MM against the cap in 2015, and many fans and pundits expect him to move on to free agency after his lone season with the Patriots. Even Revis himself has not committed to staying a Patriot, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. In advance of the matchup against his former teammates for the Jets, Revis was asked about his chances of playing with the Patriots or returning to the Jets this offseason. “I don’t know what my future holds, like I said,” Revis said. “We’ll see. The future will take care of itself.”
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- Chargers‘ left tackle King Dunlap has been phenomenal in the final year of his contract, and that could lead to a big raise this offseason, writes Michael Gelhken of the U-T San Diego. “I’m just trying to focus on the now,” Dunlap said. “I know it’s coming. … Time’s not going to move any faster or any slower. Just focus on the now and let the rest take care of itself. … I’m still a work in progress. I’m not even close to being finished yet. I’m still working. “
- Dolphins‘ tight end Charles Clay has been a reliable weapon for Ryan Tannehill this season, and as he approaches free agency is focused on staying with the team, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. “Just being here and knowing the guys, knowing the coaches, the city, this is definitely somewhere I want to spend the rest of my career,” Clay said. “I was saying that the second I got drafted. Yeah, I definitely want to [re-sign].”
- Browns‘ nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin is set to hit unrestricted free agency this March, but doesn’t plan to explore free agency. He wants to be a Brown for life, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter).
- Ryan Mallett of the Texans doesn’t have the long history with his franchise that Dunlap, Clay, and Rubin do, but he would also like to remain with his team, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). He did note that the season is still in progress and that it is early to discuss his future with the team.
AFC East Notes: Ryan, Philbin, Patriots
As one of the AFC East’s most explosive offensive playmakers returns to active duty, let’s take a look at what else is happening around the division….
- Sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) that current Jets coach Rex Ryan is viewed as a natural fit for the Falcons’ head coaching job, if the team decides to part ways with Mike Smith. Atlanta needs to upgrade its defense, and Ryan interviewed with the club in 2008.
- Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin is on the hot seat in Miami, but Cole (Twitter link) points to one potential roadblock to the team making a change — owner Stephen Ross likes and respects Philbin a lot, and would like to establish continuity for the franchise. If the Dolphins take care of business in their final two home games against the Vikings and Jets, it seems possible that Philbin will get another year in Miami, though that’s just my speculation.
- By playing in his 15th game for the Patriots this Sunday, cornerback Darrelle Revis will earn the remained of his $500K roster bonus, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com also has a Patriots-related contract note, tweeting that tight end Steve Maneri‘s deal with the club is just a one-year contract through 2014. Reiss views the signing as insurance for the postseason at an important position.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
A number of practice squad players have received promotions to their respective clubs’ 53-man rosters this week, or have been signed by a rival club. As such, we should expect plenty of signings today, as teams fill in their openings. Here’s the latest:
- After his suspension was lifted by the league, fullback Nikita Whitlock signed on with the Giants‘ practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
- Chargers taxi squad guard Craig Watts has been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter). To replace him, the Bolts signed former San Diego State offensive lineman Bryce Quigley (link).
- Wide receiver and kick returner Greg Jenkins, who spent last season with the Raiders, has returned to the club, signing today with the taxi squad, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the signing, tweeting that defensive back Vernon Kearney has joined the practice squad as well.
- The Saints have filled the final opening on their practice squad by signing kicker Dustin Hopkins, head coach Sean Payton confirmed today to reporters (Twitter link via Chad Sabadie of FOX8).
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings have signed rookie guard Jordan McCray to their practice squad to fill the spot vacated when Ahmad Dixon received a promotion, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Minnesota will have another spot to fill after losing cornerback Chris Greenwood to the Ravens.
- In addition to making changes to their 53-man roster today, the Patriots also tweaked their practice squad, adding quarterback Garrett Gilbert, according to a team release.
- The Packers have filled out their practice squad by signing safety Jean Fanor to the unit, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Fanor played for the Arena League’s Tampa Bay Storm this year, setting a team record for tackles in a season.
- Former sixth-round guard Jon Halapio has signed with the Broncos‘ practice squad, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
- Having entered the day with three openings on their practice squad, the Dolphins added a pair of players to the unit, signing defensive end Emmanuel Dieke and guard Mark Asper, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
- The Falcons have filled the 10th and final spot on their practice squad by signing cornerback Jordan Mabin, the team announced today in a press release. The opening was created earlier in the week when the club promoted cornerback Ricardo Allen to the 53-man roster.
- The Steelers have also filled out their taxi squad, signing former South Carolina offensive lineman Ronald Patrick, tweets Burt Lauten, the team’s PR rep.
- Defensive back Varmah Sonie, who played this year for Portland’s Arena League team, has signed to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
- The Panthers have signed linebacker Horace Miller to their practice squad, giving them a full 10-man unit, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com. Miller was cut by Carolina over the weekend and has since cleared waivers.
- Offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, who started the season with a brief stint on the Colts‘ practice squad and has since spent time with the Eagles as well, has rejoined Indianapolis’ squad, according to Mike Chappell of RTV6 (Twitter link).
Pats Place Dominique Easley On IR
12:39pm: The Patriots have signed tight end Steve Maneri using the roster spot vacated by Easley, according to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
11:20am: Patriots defensive tackle Dominique Easley will see his rookie season come to an early end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is placing Easley on the injured reserve list.
Easley, 22, underwent ACL surgery before the 2014 draft, which may have caused him to slip a little further down the board than he otherwise would have. New England snagged him at the end of the first round, and while the rookie appeared in 11 games this season, he dealt with nagging knee issues throughout the year. The Pats told Easley last week to begin preparing for the 2015 campaign, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
When Easley officially lands on IR, the Pats will either open up a spot on their 53-man roster, or announce a corresponding move to immediately fill that opening.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins’ D, McCourty, Idzik
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, noting that the Dolphins defense is not the consistently stout force that defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle claims, took a look at the immediate future of each position in Coyle’s unit this morning. For instance, Jackson writes that defensive tackle Randy Starks is unlikely to return on his current contract, which creates a $6MM cap hit if Starks is on the team, and a $1MM hit if he is not.
Jackson adds that is is “highly questionable” if Miami will pay Jared Odrick what he could make on the open market, and the departures of both Odrick and Starks would force the team to go shopping for a run-stuffer like Dan Williams or Terrance Knighton in free agency. While the defensive end position is more or less set for 2015, Jackson notes that linebacker Dannell Ellerbe will either need to accept a pay cut or be released, and he points out that there is a strong class of free agent corners for the team to pursue as it seeks a reliable starter opposite Brent Grimes.
Now for a few more notes from the AFC East:
- Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that there is “nothing happening” on an extension between the Patriots and Devin McCourty, and that New England is expected to use the franchise tag as major leverage.
- Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that one reason the Patriots might have agreed to a recent extension with Marcus Cannon is that it helps to thaw the team’s relationship with Cannon’s agent, David Dunn, a relationship that soured during the Wes Welker negotiations several seasons ago. Dunn, one of the game’s most successful agents, also represents Nate Solder, who will be a free agent in 2016, and Shane Vereen, who hits free agency after this season.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Jets GM John Idzik has been involved in the early stages of the team’s head coaching search, and La Canfora wonders if that might be a sign that Idzik’s job is safe. Although owner Woody Johnson could still parts ways with Idzik, particularly if the team lands a big-ticket head coach who wants a different general manager, Idzik’s early involvement and his ties to potential head coaching candidates are positive signs for him.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com takes a look at the Jets’ bad fortune in recent years, noting that the team’s worst seasons tend to coincide with fairly weak drafts or drafts with no elite quarterback prospects.
- In the same piece, Cimini writes that nose tackle Damon Harrison, who has been one of the few bright spots for the Jets this season, is likely to receive the max tender (which is expected to be higher than 2014’s $3.1MM figure) as he hits restricted free agency.
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Fales, Jets, Harvin
Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount knows he still has plenty in the tank and lots to give down the stretch run, as Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com writes. “I feel real good, I feel real good,” Blount said. “There’s not a lot of running backs that feel at their best at this point of this season but I feel close to it. I felt good all season. You could say that but at the same time, I’m a pretty durable running back.” More from the AFC East..
- The Patriots could sign any number of quarterbacks if they just need a practice arm, but it seems like they specifically wanted to add David Fales, tweets Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. The Bears promoted Fales from the practice squad earlier today and the Pats were one of the teams ready to pounce on him.
- Major changes are coming to the Jets, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News feels that Percy Harvin should stay in place. He doesn’t come cheap with four years remaining on his blockbuster $64.25MM extension, but he’s the kind of talent that is hard to come by.
- Jets GM John Idzik has something of a dilemma on his hands. The Jets would be better off losing to the Titans this Sunday, but Idzik needs wins to keep his job, as Seth Walder of the New York Daily News writes. The Jets and Titans are tied for the worst record in the NFL at 2-11 and are vying for one of the top picks in the 2015 draft.