Coach Rumors: Gase, Eagles, Pederson, Jets
The Eagles have not yet scheduled a second interview with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their head coaching position, a league source familiar with the club’s thinking tells Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. While Frank suggests that this contradicts a previous report on Gase, that Wednesday report didn’t actually say a second interview had been formally set up by the Eagles — just that the team wanted to bring him back for a second meeting.
Although it hasn’t been scheduled yet, a second interview between Gase and the Eagles could still happen. However, Frank suggests that the club may not finish its first round of interviews and regroup until next week sometime.
In other coaching news out of Philadelphia, Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson will interview with the Eagles on Sunday for their head coaching job, regardless of how Kansas City does in its playoff game, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
Here are several more coaching-related updates from around the NFL:
- The Jets have parted ways with special teams coach Bobby April, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Special teams assistant Steve Hagen and assistant offensive line coach Ron Heller have also been let go by the club.
- If he doesn’t get a head coaching job somewhere, look for ex-Falcons head coach Mike Smith to be a candidate for the Buccaneers‘ defensive coordinator job, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Leslie Frazier is on his way out in Tampa Bay.
- Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says he has talked to several teams looking for a head coach about defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. At the moment, only the Browns have formally asked for an interview, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. McDermott has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Eagles and Giants as well.
- Per Mike Wells of ESPN.com, the Colts have officially confirmed several previously-reported changes to their coaching staff, including the dismissal of defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. The club also announced it has parted ways with strength and conditioning coach Roger Marandino and running backs coach Charlie Williams.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Giants To Interview Lions DC Teryl Austin
Chalk up another interview for Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The 50-year-old is slated to meet with Giants brass today, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. 
[RELATED: PFR’s 2016 Head Coaching Tracker]
Austin met with the Dolphins on Tuesday and the Browns on Wednesday (as confirmed by Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal on Twitter), so he should be in the interviewing groove by the time he sits down with the Giants in the New York area. The Giants got their first interview in the books this week when they sat down with offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. In addition to their powwow with Austin, the Giants also have a Thursday meeting scheduled with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. On Friday, they’ll chat with Bears OC Adam Gase and they’re slated to interview ex-Bills head coach Doug Marrone on Saturday. Panthers DC Sean McDermott is expected to interview with the club at some point and Bengals OC Hue Jackson has been mentioned as a candidate.
Prior to taking over as the Lions’ DC in 2014, Austin was a defensive backs coach with the Ravens, Cardinals, and Seahawks. The veteran coach also briefly served as the University of Florida’s defensive coordinator in 2010. Austin garnered attention from the league when the Lions graded out as one of the league’s best defenses in 2014. In 2015, Austin was without the likes of Ndamukong Suh, DeAndre Levy, and Nick Fairley, but he still managed to get results out of his defense, particularly down the stretch.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Titans’ General Manager Search
7:47pm: The Titans announced that they interviewed Martin Mayhew for their GM position today, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
Jaguars director of pro scouting Chris Polian will interview with the Titans on Friday for their open GM job, as Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com writes. Meanwhile, Buccaneers Director Player Personnel Jon Robinson has been given the OK to interview for the Titans’ GM job, Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune tweets. Robinson, a Tennessee native, was mentioned as a potential candidate for the job shortly after Ruston Webster was let go.
2:40pm: When we last checked in on the Titans’ hunt for a new general manager, the team was in the process of scheduling an interview with Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross, and was aiming high by targeting Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta, who typically turns down requests for interviews.
Unsurprisingly, DeCosta has indeed declined the opportunity to interview for the GM position in Tennessee, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who tweets that the veteran Ravens executive will be staying put in Baltimore. Presumably, the Titans expected that outcome, but figured it didn’t hurt to ask.
Along those same lines, the Titans are one of two teams – along with the Lions – that hopes to interview Vikings assistant general manager George Paton, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Paton is another executive who rarely explores the opportunity to leave his current organization, so it seems unlikely that he’ll pursue the Titans’ job, but it sounds like he hasn’t officially said no yet.
As for Ross, a candidate who definitely will be meeting with the Titans, his interview is scheduled for Thursday, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/6/16
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the league. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2016 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ 90-man rosters:
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
- Cobi Hamilton, WR (team announcement)
- Tyler Larsen, G
- Matthew Masifilo, C
- Larry Webster, DE
- Eric Crume, DT
- Travell Dixon, CB
Cleveland Browns
- Erle Ladson, OL (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Patrick Miller, OT (Twitter link via Wilson)
New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers
- Marcus Rush, LB (Twitter link via Wilson)
Lions To Interview Kevin Abrams For GM Job
The Lions have identified another potential candidate for their general manager job, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Detroit will interview Giants executive Kevin Abrams. La Canfora notes that Abrams is well regarded by Ernie Accorsi, who is consulting for the Lions during their GM search.
Abrams, the longtime assistant general manager in New York, is the second Giants executive to draw interest from a team with a GM opening this week. The Titans have reportedly lined up an interview with Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross, targeting him as a potential replacement for Ruston Webster.
The Lions have now increased their list of general manager candidates to at least four men. Besides Abrams and interim GM Sheldon White, who will get an opportunity to make his case for the permanent position, Detroit has also asked for and received permission to interview Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner.
The Lions are also said to have put in a request to interview Bengals personnel chief Duke Tobin. However, Tobin intends to remain with Cincinnati for the long term.
With Detroit’s general manager hunt moving forward, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press looked at the 10 most pressing issues that the team’s next GM will have to address.
Eagles To Interview Ben McAdoo
After interviewing for the Giants’ head coaching job on Tuesday, New York offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo will meet with another NFC East team later this week. According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (Twitter link), McAdoo is scheduled to interview with the Eagles on Thursday.
[RELATED: Ben McAdoo interviews for Giants’ head coaching job]
In the wake of Chip Kelly‘s dismissal, McAdoo was mentioned earlier this week as a potential candidate for the Eagles’ head coaching job, given team owner Jeffrey Lurie‘s general preference for offensive-minded coaches.
McAdoo, who was hired as the Giants’ offensive coordinator in 2014, has helped Eli Manning enjoy perhaps the most productive two-year stretch of his NFL career. Although the club has posted a 6-10 record in consecutive seasons, Manning has thrived, averaging 4,423 yards and about 33 touchdowns per season over the last two years, to go along with a 92.9 rating. The Giants finished in the top eight in the NFL in terms of both yards per game (372.3) and points per game (26.3) in 2015.
While McAdoo will get an opportunity to vie for the Eagles’ job, it sounds like the team’s top target might be Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase. A report earlier this morning indicated that Philadelphia is planning on bringing back Gase for a second interview this weekend, after meeting with him for eight hours on Tuesday.
If McAdoo doesn’t land the Giants’ or Eagles’ head coaching jobs, it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up in 2016. Manning has expressed a strong desire to see his offensive coordinator return to the Giants in some capacity, but if the team brings in an outside candidate as its new head coach, it’s not clear if that new coach would keep McAdoo in his current role.
Meanwhile, as McAdoo meets with the Eagles on Thursday, the Giants will interview another one of their assistants, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, confirms Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles Plan To Interview Adam Gase Again
The Eagles were the first team to meet with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, sitting down with him on Tuesday for what was reportedly an eight-hour interview. Despite having spoken to him for eight hours yesterday, the Eagles apparently want to hear more from Gase. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the team plans to bring him back for a second interview this weekend.
Neither the Eagles nor Gase have a shortage of options. Philadelphia has already spoken to two in-house candidates – Pat Shurmur and Duce Staley – and reportedly intends to interview Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, having been linked to several other options as well. Meanwhile, Gase has a full schedule this week, with interviews with the Browns and Dolphins on tap for today and tomorrow.
According to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Gase has added another meeting to his timetable for later this week — he’ll interview for the Giants’ head coaching job on Friday. So if the Eagles interview the Bears’ OC for a second time on the weekend, the club could be competing with an NFC East rival to land him.
After working with Peyton Manning in Denver as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, Gase joined John Fox in Chicago in 2015, and contributed to a strong bounce-back season for Jay Cutler. A year after leading the league with 18 interceptions, Cutler threw just 11 in 2015, the lowest full-season mark of his career. The Bears also ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in offensive DVOA under Gase.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Giants’ Head Coaching Search
With the Giants having formally said goodbye to head coach Tom Coughlin at a Tuesday press conference, the team is now moving on to identifying his replacement. Let’s round up the known candidates so far for Big Blue, including the latest updates on each of them….
Ben McAdoo / Steve Spagnuolo (Giants):
The two Giants’ coordinators were the first two candidates confirmed to have interviews scheduled for the team’s newly-opened head coaching position, and according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, McAdoo’s interview took place on Tuesday, the same day as Coughlin’s farewell presser. While the offensive coordinator has already sat down with the Giants, the defensive coordinator has not done so yet — Raanan says Spagnuolo’s interview will take place later this week.
Sean McDermott (Panthers):
The Carolina defensive coordinator is free to interview for head coaching jobs during the Panthers’ bye week, and it seems he’ll do so. A report on Tuesday night indicated that the Giants intend to meet with him, though Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets that, as of about 10 hours ago, nothing had been formally set up yet. The two sides will have until Sunday to have their meeting, since McDermott won’t be eligible to interview next week.
Doug Marrone (Jaguars):
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported on Tuesday that the Giants had requested an interview with the Jaguars’ offensive line coach, and he tweets today that permission has been granted — according to Rapoport (Twitter link), Marrone will meet with the Giants on Saturday, a day after he interviews with the Dolphins and two days after his sit-down with the Browns.
Hue Jackson (Bengals):
The Cincinnati offensive coordinator isn’t eligible to interview with teams this week, but he has received multiple requests for next week. According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Jackson is believed to be among the Giants’ targets, though as of Tuesday night, New York wasn’t among the teams to request a meeting.
Sean Payton (Saints):
A report on Monday indicated that the New Orleans head coach would be monitoring the Giants’ situation closely, and John Mara suggested on Tuesday that he wouldn’t rule out the idea of New York trading a draft pick for a coach. A source tells Vacchiano that the Giants would “absolutely” be interested in Payton as a candidate, but according to that source, the team also believes the price to land him may be too high.
Adam Gase (Bears):
The Giants requested an interview with Gase and it appears to be in the plans, but there doesn’t appear to be a date set yet. It’s a busy week for the Bears’ offensive coordinator, who met with Philadelphia yesterday and also has meetings lined up with the Browns and Dolphins before Friday.
Giants Request Interview With Doug Marrone
Could a former Bills coach be on his way back to the New York area? The Giants have requested an interview with Jaguars offensive line coach Doug Marrone, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. 
[RELATED: Giants To Interview Panthers DC Sean McDermott]
Marrone, who led the Bills to a 9-7 record in 2014, narrowly missing a playoff spot, opted out of his contract following the team’s final regular season game. Marrone’s agreement with the Bills allowed him to receive his full $4MM salary for 2015 despite the fact that he’s no longer coaching the team. In January of 2015, Marrone agreed to sign on as the Jaguars’ offensive line coach.
When Marrone made his decision to opt out, there was some speculation that he may have had another opportunity lined up, but it doesn’t appear that was the case. The former Bills coach interviewed with the Falcons, Bears, Jets, and the 49ers for their head coaching openings last season and also had a meeting lined up with the Broncos before he canceled it. All five teams ultimately went in other directions.
Marrone has interviews lined up with the Browns and Dolphins, as shown in PFR’s 2016 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker. It was reported at one time that he was expected to chat with the Eagles, but Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter) hears that he is not on the team’s list.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants To Interview Sean McDermott
The Giants plan to interview Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, according to league sources who spoke with Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News (on Twitter). McDermott now becomes the fourth known candidate to be lined up for an interview, according to the PFR Head Coaching Search Tracker. 
[RELATED: Giants, Tom Coughlin Parting Ways]
McDermott is eligible to talk to teams about head coaching jobs this week since the Panthers have a bye. The Browns will interview McDermott about their own head coaching vacancy on Thursday but it’s not immediately clear when the Giants will get to sit down and talk with him. McDermott has also been cited as a potential candidate for the Eagles, but no interview has been scheduled yet.
Under McDermott’s guidance, the Panthers gave up only 322.9 yards per game in 2015, good for sixth in the league and virtually just as good as the Cardinals at No. 5 (321.7 YPG) and the Jets at No. 4 (318.6 YPG). The front seven in particular was successful, surrendering only 91.2 yards per contest to opposing teams. Prior to joining the Panthers, McDermott was a longtime coach with the Eagles who was eventually elevated to the role of DC.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.