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Latest On Titans’ Ownership Situation

By | at January 26, 2016 6:35 pm

The root of the NFL’s concern over the Titans’ ownership situation stems from the fact that there was no clear succession plan in place when team founder Bud Adams passed away, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Adams’ heirs have attempted to make Amy Adams Strunk the controlling owner, but she still doesn’t have the “clear, legal power to do the things that a controlling owner must be able to do.” While the easiest solution would be to have Strunk buy out the remaining two-thirds of the franchise, she may not have the necessary resources, so the Titans are attempting to come up with another solution. Titans generic (featured)

[RELATED: Titans Hire Terry Robiskie]

Recently, Titans president and CEO Steve Underwood refuted the notion the Titans are for sale, though he did confirm that the NFL and the team are engaged in dialogue regarding ownership status.

“The league has never once indicated to us that they are attempting to force the sale. I’ve never heard those words used. I think they’re continuing to work with us on trying to resolve the ownership issues, and in the meantime, none of those things are affecting the operation of the club,” Underwood said.

Luke Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

 

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49ers Hire Jim O’Neil As DC

By | at January 26, 2016 5:20 pm

New 49ers coach Chip Kelly has hired former Browns defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil to fill the same position in San Francisco, a source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. O’Neil was chosen over 49ers outside linebackers coach Jason Tarver, who will stay on board with the same title. Jim O'Neil (vertical)

[RELATED: 49ers To Hire Chip Kelly]

Last year, the 49ers ranked 29th in the NFL in yards allowed and placed 18th in the league in points allowed at 24.2 points per game under the watch of Eric Mangini. Under O’Neil, the Browns were top ten in yards allowed and scoring under O’Neil in 2014, but they plummeted towards the cellar last season. Cleveland ranked 27th in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed in 2015 and new head coach Hue Jackson opted to let him go upon taking over this offseason.

In his three seasons as Eagles head coach, Kelly’s teams had defend more plays than any other squad in the NFL. The Eagles faced a league-high 1,148 plays last season and Kelly will need one heck of a defense if things unfold similarly for the 49ers this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

9 comments Newsstand San Francisco 49ers

Jets DE Sheldon Richardson Avoids Jail Time

By | at January 26, 2016 4:47 pm

Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson – who was charged with resisting arrest, speeding, and running a red light – has agreed to a deal that allows him to avoid jail time, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. According to his lawyer, Richardson was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and fined $1,050, and received a two-year suspended sentence and bench probation. With the legal process now concluded, the NFL will complete its own investigation and could suspend the Jets defensive lineman at some point. Sheldon Richardson (vertical)

Richardson, 25, was clocked at 143 mph during a high-speed chase, with a legally registered handgun and a 12-year-old relative in the car. The star defensive lineman has asserted in the past that the incident does not define him as a person and has worked with the team psychologist to help him move beyond the arrest. Just two weeks prior to that incident, Richardson was slapped with a multi-game suspension stemming from marijuana use.

Richardson‘s contract is up after the 2016 campaign and his off-field issues will certainly come up when the two sides reach the bargaining table. Richardson has been mentioned in the past as a trade candidate, but he could be a tough sell given all that has gone on with him. Even though he won’t be facing jail time for his offseason mishap, he could start the 2016 season suspended for as many as six games.

In 2015, Richardson appeared in 11 games and made 10 starts for Gang Green. In that time, he tallied 35 total tackles, 5.0 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. Recently, GM Mike Maccagnan stated that “it’s not impossible” for Gang Green to keep all of its top defensive linemen, including Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, and Leonard Williams. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

 

Luke Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/26/16

By | at January 26, 2016 3:44 pm

Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL, including the Cardinals signing their entire practice squad to new deals for 2016:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

New England Patriots

0 comments Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers New England Patriots Transactions

North Notes: Megatron, Packers, Haslam

By | at January 26, 2016 2:35 pm

There’s no decision yet, and no exact timetable, for Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson as he considers whether or not to continue his playing career, agent Bus Cook tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Shortly after the regular season ended, Megatron issued a statement indicating he was considering retirement, but Lions fans will have to wait at least a little longer before finding out what the wideout’s future plans are.

“Nothing to report,” said Cook, who is currently in Mobile, Alabam for the Senior Bowl. “Have to wait and see. He has to think about what he’s going to do and then go from there.”

As we wait to find out what Johnson decides, let’s check out a few more items from out of the NFL’s North divisions….

  • After a weekend report suggested that Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was frustrated by the team’s lack of free agent spending, general manager Ted Thompson said on Monday that there’s no problem between him and McCarthy, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, Cole suggests there may be “growing tension” in Green Bay after McCarthy’s latest postseason loss.
  • Cole also has an update on the Browns (video link), reporting that team owner Jimmy Haslam is in Mobile for Senior Bowl practices, in an effort to take on a more “hands-on approach” as the head of the franchise. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) confirms Haslam’s attendance, but says the Browns owner plans to leave today after having dinner with scouts on Monday night.
  • The Browns have added Ken Delgado to their coaching staff as an assistant defensive line coach and former Titans assistant Cannon Matthews as an assistant defensive backs coach, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
  • The Bears announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve named Richard Hightower their new assistant special teams coach. Hightower replaces Derius Swinton, who joined the 49ers last week.
  • Justin Tucker‘s impressive track record when it comes to clutch kicks should give him some leverage when he and the Ravens discuss a new contract this winter, writes Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com.
3 comments Cannon Matthews Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers

Falcons Hire Phil Emery, Ruston Webster

By | at January 26, 2016 2:34 pm

2:34pm: The Falcons have officially confirmed that they’ve hired Emery and Webster as national scouts.

1:07pm: The Falcons appear set to add a pair of former general managers to their front office, according to reports. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the Falcons will add former Bears general manager Phil Emery to their scouting and personnel department, while a Pro Football Talk tweet suggests ex-Titans GM Ruston Webster will join the team as well.Phil Emery

[RELATED: Falcons to retain general manager Thomas Dimitroff]

Earlier this month, in announcing that head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff would return to the Falcons for the 2016 season, owner Arthur Blank indicated that the front office would undergo a bit of a shake-up this winter.

“We are going to make a number of changes to our pro personnel and college scouting departments and that process began this week,” Blank said at the time. “It will take some time, but we will be adding talent on the pro personnel side and re-organizing both of these groups to best align with the shared vision of Coach Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff. I expect these changes will produce positive results for our team.”

Since then, the Falcons parted ways with director of player personnel Lionel Vital, and now it appears that the team will add a pair of notable names to its front office. With Emery and Webster set to join a group that already features Dimitroff, Rich McKay, former Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, and former Rams general manager Billy Devaney, the Falcons’ front office will include several executives with GM experience.

Emery was let go by the Bears at the end of the 2014 season along with head coach Marc Trestman, while the Titans opted not to retain Webster at the end of the 2015 campaign, when his contract expired.

2 comments Atlanta Falcons Newsstand

Brent Celek, Eagles Agree To Extension

By | at January 26, 2016 1:07 pm

1:07pm: According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Celek’s new deal is three years in total, so he’ll be locked up through the 2018 season.

12:01pm: For the second time in as many days, the Eagles have struck a deal on a contract extension for a tight end. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Eagles and Brent Celek have agreed on a three-year, $13MM contract that features $6MM in guaranteed money. The agreement comes on the heels of Monday’s five-year extension for top tight end Zach Ertz.Brent Celek

After averaging nearly 60 receptions per season from 2009 to 2012, Celek, who turned 31 on Monday, has seen his production dip in recent years. During Chip Kelly‘s tenure with the Eagles, and since the arrival or Ertz, Celek never caught more than 32 balls in a season, averaging about 413 yards per year.

Still, with Kelly out of the picture, the new Eagles decision-makers valued Celek enough to keep him around, adding guaranteed money to an expiring deal that no longer featured any. The former fifth-round pick had been set to earn a base salary of $4.925MM in 2016, the final year of his contract. However, Philadelphia could have cut him without carrying any dead money.

Instead, the Eagles will lock up Celek through at least 2018 – it’s not clear yet whether the extension is for three new years, or three total years – and almost certainly will reduce his cap number for 2016. It’s not clear how much of Celek’s $6MM guarantee is fully guaranteed, so the new deal probably doesn’t assure him of a roster spot beyond ’16, but he has some extra security for at least one more year.

According to Caplan (Twitter links), Eagles ownership and Howie Roseman recognized Celek’s value to the team and liked the way he has transitioned from a pass-catching tight end to one who is also a solid blocker. The Eagles would like the veteran tight end to finish his career in Philadelphia, so he may stick around for a few more years yet.

Celek’s new contract looks somewhat similar to the three-year, $12.3MM pact signed by Browns tight end Gary Barnidge in December. Barnidge, who is a year younger than Celek, hauled in 79 passes in 2015, but had only 44 receptions during the first seven years of his NFL career. Both deals currently crack the top 20 annual salaries for tight ends, though that might not last long, with young players like Travis Kelce, Jordan Reed, and Coby Fleener eligible for extensions.

A report last week indicated that the Eagles were also interested in getting contract extensions done for tackle Lane Johnson and defensive end Vinny Curry, so negotiations for those players figure to be ongoing in the coming days and weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

1 comment Newsstand Philadelphia Eagles Transactions

NFC West Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Graham

By | at January 26, 2016 11:08 am

The Cardinals will have a handful of key contributors eligible for free agency this offseason, and if you ask the players on the roster which of those free-agents-to-be is the most important to re-sign, you won’t necessarily get the same answer. While one Cardinals player suggested to Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic that locking up safety Rashad Johnson should be the team’s top priority, another gave his vote to an offensive tackle.

“Bobby [Massie],” the player said. “I thought he had a great year. Whether he stays here or whether he doesn’t, he’s going to get paid a lot of money.”

As we wait to see how the Cardinals approach their offseason, let’s check in on a few more items from out of the NFC West….

  • The Cardinals may have a few notable players eligible for free agency, but head coach Bruce Arians remains excited about how the roster looks for 2016, writes Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com. “Looking at the team that’s coming back versus where we were this time last year, very few holes to fill,” Arians said. “[GM] Steve [Keim]’s already off starting to do it and this offseason already has begun.”
  • While Chip Kelly should have the final say on who the 49ers‘ starting quarterback will be in 2016, team management would like to see Colin Kaepernick get another opportunity, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole indicates that the 49ers front office views Kaepernick’s $11.9MM base salary as reasonable for a starting quarterback, and believes he has the potential to bounce back under Kelly.
  • Kelly didn’t use a fullback during his three seasons as the head coach in Philadelphia. What does that mean for 49ers fullback Bruce Miller? Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com examines the issue, suggesting it’s not a lock that Miller will be looking for a new home this offseason.
  • Following up on John Schneider‘s comments about the Seahawks planning to bring back tight end Jimmy Graham next season, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com breaks down why it makes sense to take the GM at his word.
1 comment Arizona Cardinals San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks

Longest-Tenured Head Coaches In The NFL

By | at January 26, 2016 9:44 am

The NFL is a league of relative parity, one where a perennial contender can bottom out practically overnight and a team expected to finish at the bottom of its division can win it. As such, it’s probably not a surprise that NFL head coaches’ jobs are rarely safe, with most coaches around the league just one or two underachieving seasons away from being replaced.

Of course, there are exceptions to that rule, as is the case in New England, where Bill Belichick just completed his 16th season as head coach of the Patriots. However, while there are several long-tenured coaches across the NFL, most men in the position are relative newcomers. Over a third of the league’s 32 coaches have coached no more than one season with their respective teams, and only 11 have been with their current teams for more than three years.

A coach like Belichick has such a proven track record that a poor 2016 season wouldn’t jeopardize his position. But as is the case every year, there are likely several names on the list below who won’t still have their jobs by next January. Even longer-tenured head coaches aren’t always safe — Tom Coughlin had been with the Giants since 2004, placing him third on this list, before the two sides parted ways earlier this month.

Here’s the list of the current head coaches in the NFL, ordered by tenure, along with the month and year in which they assumed the role:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati Bengals): January 14, 2003
  3. Mike McCarthy (Green Bay Packers): January 12, 2006
  4. Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints): January 18, 2006
  5. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 22, 2007
  6. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008
  7. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010
  8. Jason Garrett (Dallas Cowboys): November 8, 2010 (interim; permanent since January 2011)
  9. Ron Rivera (Carolina Panthers): January 11, 2011
  10. Jeff Fisher (Los Angeles Rams): January 13, 2012
  11. Chuck Pagano (Indianapolis Colts): January 25, 2012
  12. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013
  13. Mike McCoy (San Diego Chargers): January 15, 2013
  14. Bruce Arians (Arizona Cardinals): January 17, 2013
  15. Gus Bradley (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 17, 2013
  16. Bill O’Brien (Houston Texans): January 2, 2014
  17. Jay Gruden (Washington): January 9, 2014
  18. Jim Caldwell (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2014
  19. Mike Zimmer (Minnesota Vikings): January 15, 2014
  20. Rex Ryan (Buffalo Bills): January 12, 2015
  21. Todd Bowles (New York Jets): January 14, 2015
  22. Jack Del Rio (Oakland Raiders): January 15, 2015
  23. John Fox (Chicago Bears): January 16, 2015
  24. Gary Kubiak (Denver Broncos): January 19, 2015
  25. Dan Quinn (Atlanta Falcons): February 2, 2015
  26. Mike Mularkey (Tennessee Titans): November 3, 2015 (interim; permanent since January 2016)
  27. Adam Gase (Miami Dolphins): January 9, 2016
  28. Hue Jackson (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2016
  29. Chip Kelly (San Francisco 49ers): January 14, 2016
  30. Dirk Koetter (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 15, 2016
  31. Ben McAdoo (New York Giants): January 15, 2016
  32. Doug Pederson (Philadelphia Eagles): January 18, 2016
3 comments PFR Originals

PFR Social Media Feeds By Team

By | at January 26, 2016 9:01 am

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

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AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

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