Bengals Fire Marvin Lewis
Just moments after Adam Gase was let go, another more surprising move was made. Marvin Lewis has been fired by the Bengals, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
While Lewis came very close to losing his job last year, he ultimately ended up signing a two year extension with the Bengals and had been expected to be allowed back in 2019 if he wanted to continue. It’s the end of one of the longest coaching stints in recent NFL history, as Lewis coached the team for 16 years. Although he inherited one of the worst teams in the league that was a complete mess and turned them into a winner, the Bengals went 0-7 in the playoffs during his tenure.
That being said, Lewis completely changed the culture of a team that was a laughingstock and hadn’t had a winning season in 13 years when he was hired, so it’s understandable why owner Mike Brown had stayed so loyal to him over the years.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted in a follow up tweet to “keep an eye on Vance Joseph” in Cincinnati. Joseph, who was fired by the Broncos earlier today, was an assistant on Lewis’ staff for a couple of seasons before taking the defensive coordinator job in Miami. The Bengals like to hire and promote from within, so Joseph getting consideration isn’t a surprise.
Mike Garafolo wrote in a tweet of his own that Lewis has told people that he wants to continue coaching, so this isn’t a retirement. It’ll be very interesting to see if another team gives him a shot as a head coach. All told throughout 16 seasons, Lewis went 131-122-3, and won the AFC North four times.
Dolphins Fire Adam Gase
Another coach has lost his job, and this one is far more of a surprise than the others. The Dolphins have fired Adam Gase, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
In a separate tweet, Rapoport notes it’s the “biggest surprise of the coaching carousel”, and that Gase will “immediately emerge as a top candidate for several openings.” While recent reports indicated his job was in serious jeopardy, just a couple of months ago it would’ve been shocking to think he could be fired. Gase’s tenure in Miami started out with great fanfare, but ended up lasting just three seasons. With Gase gone, Eagles coach Doug Pederson is now the lone remaining member of the seven man 2016 head coaching class.
Interestingly, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk tweets that a source told him “Dolphins owner Stephen Ross had planned to take some time to make a decision on Adam Gase, but something happened that caused Ross to accelerate his timetable.” It’s unclear what exactly happened, but we should know more on that soon.
Gase received a ton of praise for his work as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, and was hailed as a quarterback whisperer when he got to Miami. His first season with the team he went 10-6 and made the playoffs despite having journeyman Matt Moore as his quarterback due to a Ryan Tannehill injury, and was a Coach of the Year candidate. Last year he was without Tannehill again, and limped to a 6-10 record with Jay Cutler.
In what was supposed to be a breakout year this season, Tannehill was once again hurt and wasn’t very good when healthy, and Miami finished 7-9. With the team also set to move on from Tannehill and front office head Mike Tannebaum, it’ll be an offseason of major change for the Dolphins. As Rapoport mentioned, Gase should be an immediate candidate for head coaching vacancies including the Browns, who he’s been linked to, and will be a near lock to at least land an offensive coordinator job.
Gase was apparently asked to give up his contractual control over the 53-man roster, and balked at the request, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Jackson notes that Gase has told associates he’s fine with the outcome and isn’t really upset, and knows that he “will be wanted by other teams.” Given how he’s still managed to win a good amount of games with injury depleted rosters, it’s not at all surprising that he’ll be sought after.
Broncos Fire Vance Joseph
Another long expected move was made official this morning, as the Broncos are indeed firing Vance Joseph, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Joseph was almost fired after last season until John Elway had a last minute change of heart, but wasn’t that lucky this time around. He lasted only two years in Denver ultimately, going 5-11 in 2017 before improving only marginally and going 6-10 this year. Players had lobbied for Joseph to keep his job and while he was expected to be fired there were also late reports that he could be kept and paired up with former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak as his OC.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted in a tweet that Joseph will be a “top defensive coordinator candidate” and Joseph is a highly respected defensive mind. He’s been linked to the Bengals’ defensive coordinator opening as he was an assistant coach in Cincinnati for a couple of years and is close with Marvin Lewis. Miami is another possibility if they fire their defensive coordinator which many expect, as Joseph coordinated the Dolphins’ defense successfully before taking the Broncos job.
As for Denver, Elway will be conducting his fourth coaching search in the last six years. Once an organization known for their stability and winning culture, the Broncos have been disarray the last few years ever since the retirement of Peyton Manning. With their Christmas Eve blowout loss to the Raiders two weeks ago, they clinched back to back losing seasons for the first time in 45 years.
It’ll be a very interesting offseason for the Broncos, as they must decide what to do with Case Keenum and whether or not to draft a quarterback high. Schefter noted in a follow up tweet that the team has requested to interview Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores for their head coaching job, and we’ve also heard they were interested in John Harbaugh. In an additional tweet, Schefter writes that the team has also requested to interview former Titans head coach and current Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak for their vacancy.
Raiders Hire Mike Mayock As GM
We heard yesterday he was getting an interview, and now the Raiders are making the hire official. Oakland is making Mike Mayock their new GM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. 
Mayock will be replacing Reggie McKenzie, who was fired earlier this month. While Mayock will get the title of general manager, coach Jon Gruden will still have final say over all personnel decisions, meaning Mayock will be working under Gruden. Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has already been sullied by frequent reports of internal discord, and it will be interesting to see how the new power structure gets along.
Mayock has worked with the NFL Network since 2004, and he’s currently serving as a draft analyst. The former safety has spent time as a commentator, analyst, and reporter for the NFL, CFL, and college football. The Redskins considered Mayock for their GM opening last offseason, but this will be Mayock’s first time working in a front office. While it’s an outside the box hire, it’s not unheard of. Two offseasons ago the 49ers hired John Lynch from the broadcast booth to be their new GM.
The Raiders are in the middle of a rebuild, and facing an extremely important offseason. Thanks to their 4-12 record they own the fourth overall pick, and they also have first round picks from the Cowboys and Bears thanks to the Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack trades. While Gruden will have final say, Mayock will play a large role in a draft that the Raiders must hit on.
Jets Fire Todd Bowles
It’s been something of a formality for a while now but the Jets made it official moments ago, informing Todd Bowles he’d been fired, the team announced in a tweet.
In a statement seen in the tweet, Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said “I would like to thank Coach Bowles for his dedication to the New York Jets for the last four years,” Johnson said. “After carefully evaluating the situation, I have concluded that this is the right direction for the organization to take. I would like to wish Todd, Taneka and their family only the best.”
Another move that had been tentatively expected has now been confirmed, as the team will be keeping GM Mike Maccagnan for next season. The team announced Maccagnan “will work closely with owner Chris Johnson on the search for a new” coach, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Bowles did a good job hanging on as long as he did, as many assumed he would be a goner last year. Instead, he led the Jets to a surprisingly strong 5-11 record with Josh McCown and Bryce Petty, and was brought back for another year. Things got off to a great start with a huge win on Monday Night Football in Week 1 of this year, but as the losses eventually piled up it became increasingly clear Johnson wanted a different coach to pair with Sam Darnold for the future. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates is all but certain to be replaced, and it’s likely the team will want an offensive minded coach for Darnold. Bowles was highly regarded as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator before he took over the Jets job, and will reportedly be a candidate in other teams’ searches this cycle.
As for his replacement, the team has been linked to Mike McCarthy in recent weeks. We heard yesterday that former Lions coach Jim Caldwell was also expected to be interviewed by New York. In addition to McCarthy and Caldwell, Jim Harbaugh has also been repeatedly linked to the team, although Jets CEO Christopher Johnson recently denied they were interested.
Buccaneers Fire Dirk Koetter
And so it begins. The first postseason firing has been made official as the Buccaneers are relieving Dirk Koetter of his duties, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
The move had been widely expected, but there were some 11th hour reports that Koetter could possibly survive. It was reported earlier today that the team would be retaining Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback next year, but Koetter won’t get another year.
Bucs chairman Joel Glazer released a statement on behalf of the team (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network), saying “we sincerely appreciate the hard work and commitment shown by Dirk over the past several years. Working with Dirk has been a pleasure and we wish him and his family all the best in the future.” Rapoport notes in the same tweet that GM Jason Licht will conduct the coaching search, meaning his job is safe. Licht had been rumored to be on the hot seat as well, but has apparently been spared.
Koetter was a hot head coaching candidate a few years ago after he was widely credited with doing a great job coordinating the Falcons’ offense, but things never worked out in Tampa Bay. He went 9-7 his first year but that slipped to 5-11 last year, and he was very nearly fired at the end of last season. After the Bucs were unable to get Jon Gruden they stuck with Koetter for another year, and it’s been clear for a while now they were going to go in a different direction. They’ve been connected to Mike McCarthy recently, and we should know more about Tampa’s intentions soon.
Raiders Interviewed Mike Mayock For GM Job
As the Raiders search for a general manager to replace Reggie McKenzie, one “strong candidate” has emerged from the pack. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that analyst Mike Mayock has interview for the team’s GM position is “firmly in the mix” for the open gig.
Garafolo cautions that Mayock is “one of a few” candidates for the position, noting that the Raiders have “kept their interviews quiet.” NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the Raiders have interviewed “at least one candidate who is a minority,” satisfying the Rooney Rule. Therefore, they’re allowed to make a hire at any time.
College scouting director Shaun Herock has been filling in for McKenzie as GM, and it sounds like the team could give him a look for the position. Current Raiders executive Joey Clinkscales could also establish himself as a candidate, especially after being listed on the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s annual list of minority candidates for general manager vacancies. However, the organization hasn’t publicly said that they’ll be keeping McKenzie’s former right-hand man.
We previously heard that longtime Giants general manager Jerry Reese had turned down the opportunity to interview for the Raiders’ GM opening. Other potential candidates include Jets director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger, Jaguars player personnel director Chris Polian, Lions exec Jimmy Raye III and Gruden’s former Buccaneers coworker Mark Domenik.
As our own Rory Parks previously pointed out, it currently seems that whoever serves as the Oakland GM right now would be little more than a figurehead and a yes man for head coach Jon Gruden. Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has already been sullied by frequent reports of internal discord, and it is likely that the club will have difficulty attracting an established GM candidate.
Mayock would seem to fit that bill. The 60-year-old has worked with the NFL Network since 2004, and he’s currently serving as a draft analyst. The former safety has spent time as a commentator, analyst, and reporter for the NFL, CFL, and college football. The Redskins considered Mayock for their GM opening last offseason.
Jaguars’ Coughlin, Caldwell, Marrone To Return In 2019
The Jaguars apparently won’t be making any sweeping changes this offseason. Owner Shad Khan announced that Tom Coughlin, general manager Dave Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone will all return in 2019 (via the team’s Twitter account).
“I informed Tom Coughlin this week that I want him to see through our shared goal of bringing a Super Bowl title to Jacksonville,” Khan said in a statement. “Given our overall body of work over the past two seasons, I offered to Tom that I preferred entering the 2019 season with as much stability as reasonable or possible at the top of our football operation. However, those decisions, at all times, are Tom’s decisions, and I would respect any call he made on our general manager and head coach. I am pleased that Tom sees our situation and opportunity similarly, so we will return to work this week fully confident and optimistic with Dave Caldwell as our general manager and Doug Marrone as our head coach.
I have the same trust in Tom, Dave, and Doug as I did upon their introduction two years ago, and I do believe our best path forward for the moment is the one less disruptive and dramatic. Stability should not be confused with satisfaction, however. I am far from content with the status quo and while it’s best to put 2018 behind us, I will not overlook how poorly we accounted for ourselves following a 3-1 start. There were far too many long Sundays over the last three quarters of the season, with today’s loss in Houston being the final example, and that cannot repeat itself in 2019. That’s my message to our football people and players, but also our sponsors and fans, both of whom were remarkable.”
All around, the news isn’t all that surprising. Coughlin, who is serving as the Executive Vice President of Football Operations, all but has free reign over the organization, and he signed an extension back in February that would take him through the 2021 season. Caldwell, who has been the team’s general manager since 2013, also extended his contract through 2021 back in February.
However, there were some whispers that Marrone could find himself on the hot seat. We heard back in November that Marrone was safe, and the organization doubled down on that sentiment last week. There were some rumblings that Coughlin could actually make himself head coach of the Jaguars, but the organization appears to be content rolling with their current head coach. In two-plus seasons with the team, Marrone has helped guide the Jaguars to 16-18 record, and he led the team to an AFC Championship appearance last season.
While key members of the front office and coaching staff will return in 2019, the team could still see some major changes this offseason. The team could decide to find a replacement for quarterback Blake Bortles, and there have also been rumors that they’ll search for a new offensive coordinator. Nathaniel Hackett was fired from the role back in November.
Jay Gruden, Bruce Allen Expected To Remain With Redskins
Several weeks ago, we learned that Redskins assistant coaches were beginning to worry about their futures, as they were uncertain as to head coach Jay Gruden‘s status with the club. But it appears that Gruden will get one more shot. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes that Gruden looks to be on “safe footing,” especially given that his team was performing well in 2018 before being decimated by injury for the second year in a row.
Another reason to believe that Gruden’s job is safe has to do with team president Bruce Allen. Washington fired four marketing executives this week, which was a decision that Allen would at least have been involved in. It is unlikely that team owner Dan Snyder would have allowed Allen to make such a move if Allen’s job was in jeopardy, and if Allen is safe, the expectation is that Gruden is safe as well.
John Keim of ESPN.com agrees, and he says that when it comes to Snyder, there are usually some rumblings that a head coach or executive will be fired. Keim indicates there have been no such rumblings to date, and while Gruden will meet with Snyder at some point soon, it seems that Gruden and Allen will be returning in 2019 (Twitter links).
Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky is a different story. Manusky is in his second year as the Redskins’ DC, and if he were fired, his replacement would be the fourth DC during Gruden’s tenure. Rapoport suggests that Manusky, who has been a source of player frustration, is definitely on the hot seat, and Keim tweets that Manusky is the obvious target if the team wants to make a high level coaching change. But Keim also wonders if Manusky, whose locker room support was a major factor in his promotion to DC in 2017, and whom some players still love, is really the problem.
Buccaneers To Bring Back Jameis Winston
Although the Buccaneers can entirely absolve themselves of Jameis Winston‘s $20.9MM cap hit for 2019 (barring injury), they are going to give the former No. 1 overall pick another shot, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports that Tampa Bay intends to bring Winston back next season.
As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets, there was never any indication that the Bucs were going to move on from Winston, but today’s report is the first time we have heard something definitive on the matter. And it’s not as though Winston’s status with the club was a certainty. He was suspended for the first three games of this season due to a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, which stemmed from an allegation that he groped a female Uber driver in 2016 (Winston and the driver reached a settlement last month). Plus, while he is a clearly talented and capable signal-caller, he is prone to inconsistent play.
But as Greg Auman of The Athletic observes, the Buccaneers would have to spend at least $20MM to land a QB as good as Winston, and even if they parted with Winston and tried to land a future franchise signal-caller in the draft, that would mean resetting the franchise’s clock in a big way (Twitter link). Auman does, however, think it would be reasonable for Tampa Bay to draft a QB prospect in the middle rounds of the 2019 draft to serve as a backup and potential challenger to Winston (Twitter link).
The fact that the Bucs are playing Winston in today’s meaningless finale — and are therefore exposing him to injury, which would trigger the $20.9MM guarantee — suggests that the club is indeed comfortable with Winston moving forward. But the team is also expected to fire head coach Dirk Koetter, and the new head coach may feel differently about Winston and may prefer to go in a different direction. It is unclear whether that will be a factor in the team’s hiring process.
Assuming he does return, Winston will try to break something of a dubious record in Tampa Bay. If he lands a second contract with the Bucs, he will be the first quarterback that the team has drafted in its 44-year history to do so.