Ravens, Dolphins Talked Jarvis Landry Trade
The Ravens and Dolphins discussed a Jarvis Landry trade last offseason, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. However, Miami’s asking price was “prohibitive” and the deal did not go down. 
Landry is on the verge of free agency this year and it stands to reason that the Ravens could make a play for him. The Dolphins have interest in re-signing the wide receiver, but the two sides appear to be far apart on numbers. Recently, Landry characterized the talks as “disrespectful.” His agent, Damarius Bilbo, then made it clear that his client will not be taking a hometown discount to remain in Miami.
“How long has this franchise been around?,” Bilbo said. “It’s always going to be here. Take a discount? Absolutely not. This may be Jarvis’ first and last time to set himself up and his family up. He needs to strike and strike while the iron is hot. Plenty of guys that were drafted ahead of Jarvis have not performed to his level. Look at Jarvis’ performance level. If you want to compare him to the T.Y. Hiltons and the Doug Baldwins, those deals were done two or three years ago. It’s his time now. He’s next man up.”
It’s fair to wonder if Landry is actually in line for money that will top Baldwin ($11.5MM/year) and Hilton ($13MM/year). The 25-year-old is not much of a deep threat and there are other quality WRs about to hit the open market, including Sammy Watkins and Allen Robinson. However, Landry has averaged 100 catches for 1,010 yards over the past four seasons with 23 touchdowns over that span. There’s no denying that Landry moves the chains and the Ravens do like him as a player, so Zrebiec will not rule out the possibility of Baltimore making with that kind of cash.
It’s important to keep in mind that the early projections and demands for free agent wide receivers might not match up with what we actually see in March. Last year, there was talk of Alshon Jeffery, Kenny Stills, and Terrelle Pryor getting $12MM/season on multi-year deals. Here’s what actually happened: Jeffery wound up signing a one-year, $9.5MM contract (though he signed a lucrative extension in December), Stills got $8MM/year on a four-year pact, and Pryor signed a one year, $6MM deal. Landry could end up in the $13MM/year range, but don’t be surprised if he settles for seven figures instead.
Giants Hire James Bettcher As DC
The Giants have hired James Bettcher as their new defensive coordinator, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The former Cardinals DC also had an offer on the table from the Titans, but he turned them down. 
Bettcher was with the Cardinals since 2013 and spent the last three as DC. He was up for the Cardinals’ head coaching vacancy this offseason and even had the endorsement of Bruce Arians, but the gig ultimately went to Steve Wilks. Predictably, he had interest from multiple teams as a DC and he garnered two offers on the same day.
The Giants’ high-priced defense underperformed in 2017, finishing second to last in yards allowed and in the bottom third of DVOA. The Cardinals, meanwhile, allowed the sixth fewest yards in the league to opposing teams and had the fourth-best in DVOA in the NFL.
Bettcher’s arrival means that Steve Spagnuolo, the previous defensive coordinator and the Giants’ interim head coach for the final four games of the season, is out. At one point in time, it was thought that new head coach Pat Shurmur might keep Spags on board, but he’s opting to start fresh.
It’s not clear where the Titans and Mike Vrabel will go from here, but Packers cornerbacks coach Darren Perry has been mentioned as candidate for the DC vacancy.
Top 3 Offseason Needs: Chicago Bears
In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Chicago Bears, who posted a 5-11 record in 2017 and have since hired a new staff that includes former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy as head coach.
Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)
Pending Free Agents:
- Sam Acho, LB
- Prince Amukamara, CB
- Josh Bellamy, WR (RFA)
- Daniel Brown, TE (ERFA)
- Bryce Callahan, CB (RFA)
- Tom Compton, OL
- Benny Cunningham, RB
- Andrew DePaola, LS
- Kyle Fuller, CB
- Lamarr Houston, LB
- Dontrelle Inman, WR
- John Jenkins, DT
- Christian Jones, LB
- Sherrick McManis, CB
- Cameron Meredith, WR (RFA)
- Zach Miller, TE
- Mike Nugent, K
- Pat O’Donnell, P
- Cairo Santos, K
- Mark Sanchez, QB
- Patrick Scales, LS (ERFA)
- Bradley Sowell, T
- John Timu, LB (RFA)
- Mitch Unrein, DE
- Kendall Wright, WR
Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:
- Mike Glennon, QB: $16,000,000
- Akiem Hicks, DE: $9,600,000
- Kyle Long, G: $8,848,158
- Josh Sitton, G: $8,666,668
- Pernell McPhee, LB: $8,075,000
- Danny Trevathan, LB: $7,150,000
- Mitch Trubisky, QB: $6,598,281
- Dion Sims, TE: $6,333,333
- Bobby Massie, T: $6,100,000
- Charles Leno, T: $5,900,000
Other:
- Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $42,025,379
- Eighth pick in draft
- Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for WR Kevin White
Three Needs:
1) Add multiple receiving threats: Only two players topped 25 receptions for the Bears a season ago. One was Kendall Wright, who led Chicago in both catches (59) and yards (614) but is now an unrestricted free agent. The other was a rookie running back Tarik Cohen.
The Bears fielded — by far — the worst pass-catching unit the league, making No. 2 overall pick Mitch Trubisky‘s rookie campaign all the more difficult. Luckily, Chicago has the cap space and draft capital to revive its receiving corps under new offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. Finding roster space won’t be a problem, either, as both Wright and Dontrelle Inman are unrestricted free agents, Josh Bellamy is a restricted free agent, Kevin White and Cameron Meredith are coming off injury (Meredith is an RFA, too), while Markus Wheaton — who managed three receptions while earning $6MM in 2017 — will likely be released.
Even if we assume Bellamy, White, and Meredith will all return and be healthy in 2018, the Bears still need to bring in two or three new wide receivers over the next few months. Chicago currently ranks 12th in available cap space, but the club will almost certainly gain $11.5MM in room (and thus move to eighth in the cap space rankings) by trading or releasing quarterback Mike Glennon. As such, free agency should be the first avenue for the Bears as they seek to improve on their pass-catchers.
Chicago should compete at the top of the market, and that means the team’s initial calls should go to Jarvis Landry, Sammy Watkins, and a rehabbing Allen Robinson. Landry, notably, could potentially be targeting a Davante Adams-esque contract ($14MM annual salary, $30MM guarantees), which is a hefty total for a slot receiver. New head coach Matt Nagy didn’t use a typical slot receiver in Kansas City, so it’s unclear if Landry would be worth the deal he’s seeking. Robinson, meanwhile, should still generate a good deal of interest as he recovers from a torn ACL, but he will come at a much cheaper rate than Landry (and possibly on a one-year pact).
It’s not the end of the world if the Bears fail to land one of those aforementioned wideouts, but if they do, they need to hit the second tier of free agent receivers, a list that includes Paul Richardson, Terrelle Pryor, Marqise Lee, Jordan Matthews, John Brown, Mike Wallace, Danny Amendola, Donte Moncrief, and Brice Butler. Given his youth (age-25), Richardson is probably the only WR listed here that could eventually evolve into a No. 1 option, but that also means he’ll require a larger deal. Butler could be a particularly interesting, and Chicago could give him a clear chance to become a starter.
Even after (hopefully) adding an upper-tier pass-catcher, the Bears still need to take a few dart throws at low-cost options. Albert Wilson has spent his entire career working under Nagy in Kansas City, and though he’s never topped 45 receptions, he could theoretically offer scheme familiarity in Chicago. Jeremy Maclin could potentially be released by the Ravens later this year, and though he’ll be 30 years old when the season gets underway, he could be another target for the Bears given his time with Nagy in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. And Josh Huff enjoyed success under Helfrich at Oregon, so if he’s cut by the Saints in the near future, he could make for a worthwhile flyer.
After inking a few free agent wideouts, Chicago can still use the draft to supplement their offensive weaponry. The most obvious choice — and the only wide receiver worth selecting with a top-10 pick — will be Alabama’s Calvin Ridley, who totaled 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns over three seasons with the Crimson Tide. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) sent Ridley to the Bears in his first mock draft of the year, while Luke Easterling of USA Today calls Ridley a “sharp route-runner” and a “constant threat to beat defenses over the top.”
Of course, the Bears have enough needs that their first-round pick won’t necessarily be used on a wide receiver. If that’s the case, Chicago could target player such as SMU’s Courtland Sutton (an excellent size weapon at 6’4″), Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk (whom Matt Miller of Bleacher Report calls the best slot receiver in the draft), or Indiana’s Simmie Cobbs. The Bears don’t currently own a third-round pick thanks to the Trubisky trade, so they’ll likely need to secure a wideout in the first two rounds.
2) Fill holes at cornerback: On the whole, the Bears’ passing defense was acceptable under coordinator Vic Fangio, as the unit ranked 14th in DVOA. The only problem? Chicago’s top two cornerbacks — Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara, each of whom played at least 80% of the Bears’ defensive snaps — are scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in March, meaning the club could potentially have to find two new starters.
Whether or not the Bears can, or should, re-sign either Fuller or Amukamara depends entirely on asking price. Amukamara is still only 28 years old, but the NFL free agent market has deemed him worthy of only a one-year contract in each of the past two offseasons. Fuller, meanwhile, is a former first-round pick coming off the best season of his career, but he missed the entirety of the 2016 season with injury and has been up-and-down in his other NFL campaigns.Read more
Browns, Todd Haley Nearing Deal
The Browns are close to an agreement to make Todd Haley the team’s new offensive coordinator, according to a league source who spoke withPat McManamon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Haley boasts eight years of offensive coordinator experience, broken up by nearly three seasons as the Chiefs’ head coach. He has spent the last six seasons as the Steelers’ OC and the on-field results have been largely tremendous. Over the past four seasons, the Steelers were second in NFL scoring behind only the Patriots.
Off the field, however, is a different story. Haley has been in the papers for the wrong reasons as of late, including a frosty relationship with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a scuffle on New Year’s Eve that left him with a shattered pelvis. The Browns have dealt with their fair share of headaches from players, but they apparently feel comfortable with the fact that Haley
Before zeroing in on Haley, Cleveland interviewed former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for the job. Hue Jackson has gone without an OC the past two seasons and the results have been worse than any other two-year span in league history.
Cardinals Hire Steve Wilks As Head Coach
The Cardinals have officially hired Steve Wilks as their new head coach. The news was first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per the team’s announcement, it’s a four-year deal with a club option for year five.
Wilks has reportedly made a “very strong impression” on Cardinals ownership during the search process. Last week, Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, Falcons special teams coach Keith Armstrong, Eagles quarterbacks John DeFilippo, and incumbent defensive coordinator James Bettcher were all said to be in the mix, but Wilks came out on top.
“This is not really a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks told the team website. “We have the culture of winning here. We just have to be able to sustain it. It’s all about trying to get to the next level and the consistency you need to get to the next level. I believe building a culture based on three things: Trust, commitment and accountability.”
Wilks just finished his first year as a defensive coordinator with the Panthers, but has eleven previous seasons of experience as an NFL assistant. Both the Giants and Titans considered Wilks for their head coaching vacancies this year before choosing to hire Pat Shurmur and Mike Vrabel, respectively. Despite his relative lack of coordinator experience, it’s clear that Wilks is highly respected around the NFL.
DeFilippo missed out on the head coaching job in Arizona, but he could potentially become the team’s new offensive coordinator. Previous reports have indicated that Wilks would like to have the Eagles QBs coach as his OC, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) notes that the team also plans to talk to other candidates including Mike McCoy and Darrell Bevell.
Meanwhile, Wilks could already have a defensive coordinator in mind. Panthers linebackers coach Al Holcomb is a candidate to follow Wilks from Carolina to Arizona, according to Garafolo (on Twitter).
Wilks will have some serious tools to work with, including edge rusher Chandler Jones, linebacker Haason Reddick, cornerback Patrick Peterson, and safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Budda Baker. The return of David Johnson will bolster the team on the other side of the ball, but the Cardinals will have to address their quarterback situation in the wake of Carson Palmer‘s retirement. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is also thinking about calling it a career and he has indicated that the team’s head coaching hire will weigh heavily in his decision. With that in mind, a call to Fitzgerald might be one of the top items on Wilks’ to-do list.
Titans Officially Hire Mike Vrabel
It’s officially official now. In a Monday press conference, the Titans introduced new head coach Mike Vrabel to the local media. 
Vrabel is now the 19th head coach in franchise history and the fourth since 2011. He signed a five-year deal with the team, a significantly longer commitment than the organization gave to predecessor Mike Mularkey.
Vrabel met with team general manager Jon Robinson and instantly hit it off, according to Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk.
“You could see their connection right away from the history they have with one another – seeing the game in a similar way and talking the same language. Mike has a commanding presence and a deep knowledge for how he will attack this head coaching opportunity,” Strunk said in a statement issued over the weekend.
Vrabel, 42, served one season as Houston’s defensive coordinator after beginning his NFL coaching career as a linebackers coach with the Texans for three seasons. The 14-year NFL veteran won three Super Bowls as a player, spending the majority of his career in New England. He earned one Pro Bowl and one First Team All-Pro selection (2007).
Despite being highly thought of around the league, Vrabel’s first season as defensive coordinator did not jump off the page. Houston’s defense finished last in points allowed, middle of the pack in yards, and in the bottom ten in sacks.
At the outset of the search, Robinson made it clear he wanted a “leader of men.” Some believed that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was that guy, but Vrabel wowed Robinson in their meeting on Wednesday and the team never met with McDaniels. The team also interviewed Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, and Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Micah Powell contributed to this post.
Titans Moving On From Dick LeBeau
The Titans are moving on from defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, according to longtime beat reporter Paul Kuharsky. Although LeBeau is widely respected across the league, new head coach Mike Vrabel is looking to bring in his own staff. 
LeBeau first joined the Titans’ staff in 2015. In his his second season, he took over play calling when Mike Mularkey became the head coach. Things were trending up for the Titans D as they were 20th in yards allowed in 2016 but improved to 13th in 2017.
LeBeau, the innovator of the zone blitz, previously indicated that he would retire if the new Tennessee head coach did not keep him on staff. After all, given all of his accomplishments, there’s little left for LeBeau to prove. The octogenarian has coached in the NFL since the early 70s and he owns two Super Bowl rings thanks to his time as the Steelers’ DC. In 2010, LeBeau was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Titans’ search for a new DC will start immediately, though it’s not immediately clear whether Vrabel will cede play-calling responsibilities.
Jets Promote Jeremy Bates To OC
The Jets expected to promote quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates to offensive coordinator, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The OC job opened up last week when the Jets relieved John Morton of his duties. 
Bates has been the Jets’ top choice for the OC gig for a while, but he was reluctant to change jobs. Over the last week or so, the Jets managed to talk him into the promotion. Head coach Todd Bowles has emphasized the importance of keeping things steady from season to season and he has managed to do that, despite the change.
“It’s always good to have consistency and continuity, but in the NFL things change all the time,” Bowles said recently. “You have to be ready. If we keep the same scheme, that’s great. If we have to change for whatever reason, we’ll go from there.”
Bates is now an NFL offensive coordinator for the second time in his coaching career. His first stint came in 2010 with Pete Carroll‘s Seahawks, but lasted just one season.
Last year, the Jets offense finished 28th in total yards, 29th in first downs, 24th in passing yards, and 19th in rushing yards. If the Jets are to top their five wins from last season, they’ll have to do better across the board under Bates’ watch.
Bates got the most out of veteran Josh McCown last season and the Jets are hopeful that he can construct the right offense for their next quarterback, whoever he may be. The Jets have some holes to fill, but the good news for Bates is that they are armed with the No. 6 pick, lots of cap room, and some quality pieces, including a healthy Quincy Enunwa.
Colts Request Second Interview With Josh McDaniels
The Colts have requested a second head coaching interview with Josh McDaniels, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Of course, this is just a formality as McDaniels is widely reported to have already accepted the job. 
The Colts cannot make the hiring of McDaniels official until after the Patriots’ season is over. That means any plans for an introductory press conference will have to wait until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 4. However, the Colts can use the time between now and the big game to plan for the future.
The staff around McDaniels is already coming together. Last week, the team formalized plans to hire Raiders quarterbacks coach Jake Peetz as their new offensive coordinator and Cowboys linebackers coach Matt Eberflus as the club’s new defensive coordinator.
McDaniels will be tasked with turning the Colts around after a disappointing 4-12 season. On the plus side, they own the No. 3 pick in the draft and they may have their choice between North Carolina State pass rusher Bradley Chubb or Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.
Updated 2018 NFL Draft Order
With the conference championship games in the books, we now know the draft order for 30 of the first round’s 32 picks. Here’s the rundown:
1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)
2. New York Giants (3-13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)
4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)
5. Denver Broncos (5-11)
6. New York Jets (5-11)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
8. Chicago Bears (5-11)
T-9. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
T-9. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) (Note: The Raiders and 49ers have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broken by a coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 9 and the other club receiving the No. 10 pick.)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)
13. Washington Redskins (7-9)
14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)
15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
20. Detroit Lions (9-7)
21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)
23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
31. (New England Patriots (13-3) or Philadelphia Eagles (13-3))
32. (New England Patriots (13-3) or Philadelphia Eagles (13-3))