Latest On Los Angeles Relocation
The latest on Los Angeles:
- The Rams‘ relocation bid contends that they have the best plan for both the city of Los Angeles and the NFL, as Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno write of the Los Angeles Times write. “The Rams’ Inglewood project presents the league and all of the member clubs with the best opportunity for successful long-term operations in Los Angeles,” the application said. Of course, the Rams are going up against a joint bid from the Chargers and Raiders, who claim that their Carson plan projected to open in 2019 is the best choice. Although the developers at the Inglewood site have long said their stadium would be ready for the 2018 season, the Rams’ application targets 2019 as the proposed start date as well.
- The L.A. Times duo points out that the Rams are looking for more than regular NFL dates to be held at their venue – they also want to host the Pro Bowl, NFL Combine, and other major league events. The Rams also argue that they have the strongest L.A. fan base of the three teams seeking to relocate. That’s a bold claim considering the proximity of Oakland and San Diego.
- The mayor of St. Louis has fired back at the Rams’ comments in the application, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes. Some highlights of Francis G. Slay’s comments on Twitter include: “I’d rather blame the Rams for an unimaginative offense than for harsh words in a sales document,” and “Blame Kroenke. #kroenkecomplaints.“
- The Coliseum has been ID’s as a likely temporary site until a permanent L.A. stadium is built, but that venue has only committed to hosting one NFL team, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. It is possible that the NFL would need a second temporary site in order to bring over a second team.
- Every owner entering meetings in New York City today is adamant about voting next week and not pushing the relocation vote off any further, Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego tweets.
Sean Payton To Remain Saints’ Head Coach
After several days of deliberation and speculation, Sean Payton has decided to remain in New Orleans as the Saints’ head coach, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Payton confirmed today at an afternoon press conference that he’s not going anywhere, adding that he hopes to spend the rest of his career with the team.
Despite the fact that he was the only possible candidate who already held a head coaching position, Payton’s name has been mentioned as frequently as anyone’s this week, as rumors swirled about the possibility of him leaving New Orleans for one of the six teams with a head coaching vacancy. Although he wasn’t linked to every open job, Payton was viewed as a viable candidate for the 49ers’ and Giants’ jobs, among others.
After leading the Saints to five playoff berths and a Super Bowl in his first seven seasons with the franchise – not counting the 2012 campaign, during which he served a year-long suspension – Payton has seen his team finish with a 7-9 record in back-to-back seasons.
With Drew Brees possibly entering the final year of his contract and the team potentially entering a full-fledged rebuild, there seemed to be a good chance that Payton or Brees, or both, would leave New Orleans this winter. But Payton is staying put, and said today that it’s “a good assumption” that Brees will be his quarterback in 2016 (Twitter link).
Of course, for Payton to leave the Saints, the club would have had to let him out of his contract, which has two years remaining on it. Already one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL, Payton would’ve likely wanted a raise and an extension if he joined another club, and any deal would’ve required his new team to part ways with some sort of compensation for the Saints, likely in the form of a high draft pick.
While Payton and the Saints are unlikely to confirm whether or not they explored the possibility of the head coach’s departure, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link) hears that multiple teams spoke to New Orleans about that possibility, with Payton’s salary demands acting as a major roadblock.
A report earlier this week indicated that the Colts expressed some interest in Payton prior to extending Chuck Pagano, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that the trade market for Payton was fairly quiet, with the exception of perhaps the 49ers. For now then, despite all the rumors, Payton’s contract and his status in New Orleans remain unchanged, according to La Canfora (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Welker, Browns, Workouts
Earlier today, our own Zach Links joined David Schultz of 103.7 The Game to talk about all of the latest NFL head coaching rumors, including what might happen with the Saints and Sean Payton. You can listen to that conversation right here:
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL:
- Wes Welker didn’t exactly make a huge impact for the Rams during his stint with the team this season, but he enjoyed getting back on the field, and intends to continue his career in 2016 “as long as I feel good and am having fun,” he tells Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Although Chris Matthews and B.J. Daniels no longer play in Seattle, they’ll both probably be rooting for the Seahawks to come out of the NFC in the playoffs, since they could benefit financially from the team’s success. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explains that situation, along with several others, in an enlightening breakdown of how the NFL’s postseason pay works.
- The Browns‘ new front office structure is creating a little confusion, so Conor Orr of NFL.com explores how Paul DePodesta and Sashi Brown will work together, and what their roles will be in Cleveland.
- According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Packers recently worked out tackle Cody Booth, wide receivers Jarrod West and Conner Vernon, linebacker Kacy Rodgers, and defensive linemen Davon Walls, Ethan Hemer, Lavon Hooks, and Quayshawne Buckley.
- Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has workout updates for a couple more clubs, tweeting that safety Shaun Prater, along with CFL wide receivers Eric Rogers, Kenny Stafford, and Terrell Sinkfield, worked out for the Bears. Per Wilson (Twitter link), Washington recently auditioned CFL linebackers Willie Jefferson and Dexter McCoil, as well as wide receiver A.C. Leonard.
Coach Rumors: Payton, Browns, Colts, Jags
With six NFL teams currently in the market for a head coach, the future of Sean Payton has been one of the biggest questions marks around the league this week. We may soon have an answer on what 2016 has in store for the Saints head coach, though perhaps not as soon as initially expected. According to Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link), Payton’s Wednesday afternoon press conference has been postponed by an hour, to 2:00pm CT.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Saints are hoping GM Mickey Loomis can convince the longtime head coach to remain in New Orleans. However, if Payton decides he wants to pursue another job, the Saints will shift their focus to playing interested teams off one another in order to drive up his price, per Rapoport.
As we wait on Payton’s presser, let’s round up several more coaching-related notes…
- It looks like the Browns will be the first team to get a shot at interviewing the Bengals‘ coordinators. With Cincinnati scheduled to play on Saturday night, Cleveland plans on interviewing Bengals OC Hue Jackson on Sunday, tweets Rapoport. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com adds (via Twitter) that Bengals DC Paul Guenther is scheduled to meet with the Browns on Sunday as well.
- Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) hears that Ravens linebacker coach Ted Monachino, who has a history with Chuck Pagano, will be a strong candidate for the Colts‘ defensive coordinator vacancy.
- Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley indicated today that he’s prepared to cast a wide net for the team’s newly-opened defensive coordinator position — while there may be in-house candidates in Jacksonville, Bradley intends to do due diligence (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com).
- It sounds like 49ers linebackers coach Clancy Pendergast may be headed back to college. Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that Pendergast has been offered USC’s defensive coordinator job – a position he held in 2013 – and has received interest from Oregon too.
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.
Draft Updates: Conklin, Ogbah, Neal, Aguayo
All-American offensive tackle Jack Conklin will forgo his senior season at Michigan State and enter the 2016 NFL draft, according to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the offensive line prospect will be represented by Sean Howard and Vanguard Sports.
As Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets, Conklin has a realistic chance of coming off the board within the top 20 picks of this year’s draft. ESPN’s Todd McShay is particularly bullish on the Spartans’ tackle, ranking him as the third-best offensive lineman in this year’s draft class, and placing him 13th overall in his first mock draft (both Insider-only links).
Conklin isn’t the only college player whose intentions to declare early have been reported or announced today. Here’s the latest:
- Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who was reportedly having preliminary meetings with agents over a month ago, will forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility to enter this year’s draft, he announced in a statement on Twitter. Miller tweets that he has an early second-round grade on Ogbah for the time being.
- Florida safety Keanu Neal announced on Instagram that he will be heading to the NFL, rather than playing out his senior year with the Gators.
- Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo announced (via Twitter) that he will enter this year’s draft. As Joe Reedy of The Associated Press notes (via Twitter), Aguayo graduated from school early last month.
- North Carolina State has announced that tight end David Grinnage will skip his senior season and will enter the 2016 draft, according to Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press (Twitter link).
Browns To Interview Cowboys’ DBs Coach
After having lined up interviews with several of this year’s “hot” head coaching candidates, the Browns have scheduled a meeting with a lesser-known coach. According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cleveland will interview Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson for its head coaching job. Josina Anderson of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that the meeting will take place on Friday.
Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Sean McDermott, Doug Marrone, Paul Guenther, and Matt Patricia, who are all either coming off successful years as coordinators or are former NFL head coaches, reportedly have interviews on tap with the Browns in the coming days. And while one of those assistants, or another well-known candidate, could ultimately land the Cleveland job, the team’s interview with Henderson is another sign that the franchise is thinking outside the box this offseason.
The Browns’ unorthodox approach to putting together a staff was on display on Tuesday, when the club announced it had hired Paul DePodesta away from baseball’s New York Mets to play a key role in the Cleveland front office.
In a piece discussing the DePodesta hiring, Tom Verducci of SI.com suggested that the former MLB executive and the Browns will be targeting a head coach who “may not have much experience but who is comfortable implementing the business practices and systems endorsed if not create by the front office” — perhaps Henderson fits that bill.
Henderson, a former NFL defensive back himself, has coached the Cowboys’ secondary since 2012, when he was hired away from the Browns. While 2015 was a dismal all-around year in Dallas, Henderson’s group wasn’t a disaster – per Football Outsiders, the team ranked 17th in terms of passing defense DVOA.
Be sure to check out our head coaching search tracker for the latest details on the Browns’ hunt for Mike Pettine‘s replacement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
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.
Coach Notes: Dolphins, Gase, Raiders, 49ers
The Dolphins announced on Tuesday evening that they have completed head coaching interviews with former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
The Dolphins have several more candidates lined up this week, including Bills assistant head coach Anthony Lynn, former Bills head coach Doug Marrone, and their own interim head coach Dan Campbell. However, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears that, at the start of the search, team owner Stephen Ross‘s favorite candidate is Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who is scheduled to meet with Miami on Thursday.
Having seen multiple coaches with previous head coaching experience fail in Miami over the last decade or so, Salguero is unconvinced that Gase is the right man for the job, suggesting that the Dolphins need a more seasoned NFL coach for the role. As we wait to see if the team agrees with that assessment and passes on Gase in favor of someone with more experience, let’s round up a few more Wednesday morning coaching notes…
- Speaking of Gase, the Eagles confirmed that they interviewed the Bears offensive coordinator for their head coaching position on Tuesday. Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Tuesday’s marathon meeting lasted for about eight hours.
- A year after Jack Del Rio took over as the team’s head coach, the Raiders don’t plan to make any changes to his coaching staff, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- There’s a good chance that the 49ers‘ new head coach will be a quarterback-friendly, offensive-minded candidate, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. A few of the candidates already linked to the Niners, including Sean Payton, Hue Jackson, and Mike Shanahan, definitely fit that bill.
- After firing defensive coordinator Greg Manusky on Tuesday, the Colts also parted ways with tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts and secondary coaches Mike Gillhamer and Roy Anderson, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Earlier today, we recapped the latest updates on the Giants‘ head coaching search.
Zach Links contributed to this post.