HEADLINES

49ers, Rams To Interview Chudzinski For OC

January 25th, 2015 at 7:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

Colts offensive assistant Rob Chudzinski will make himself available for interviews starting on Tuesday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Chudzinski is expected to be in the running to fill a vacancy at offensive coordinator for some team.

Both the 49ers and Rams are at the top of the list of teams that have expressed interest in speaking with Chudzinski. He is likely considered a finalist with both organizations. While the Colts initially blocked Chudzinski from interviewing, his contract with the Colts expires sometime next week, and he will be free to pursue other coaching opportunities.

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is very high on the former Browns head coach, and if he decides to stay with the team he could be in position for an increased role in 2015.

Chudzinski started in the NFL as a tight ends coach for the Browns, eventually serving in the same role with the Chargers during the breakout career of Antonio Gates. Chudzinski also served as offensive coordinator with the Browns and Panthers before taking the Browns head coaching job in 2013.

He only lasted one season as the Browns head coach, going 4-12 before being fired and replaced by Mike Pettine. He then joined the Colts as a special assistant to the head coach. Chudzinski had previously worked with Pagano while coaching on the staff for the University of Miami between 1995 and 2000.

East Notes: Fins, Clay, Pats, Ayers, Washington

January 25th, 2015 at 4:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins would like to re-sign impending free agent tight end Charles Clay, and are preparing an offer with the intention to submit it to Clay’s representatives in the coming weeks, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Clay, who turns 26 in about three weeks, earned $1.431MM in base salary last season, and should be in for nice pay increase despite a somewhat disappointing campaign that saw him catch 58 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns. I profiled Clay as an extension candidate before the season, and while the four-year, ~$21MM contract I projected at the time now seems a tad high, a $4MM AAV isn’t out of the question.

Let’s look at some more notes from the two East divisions:

  • In the same article, Jackson passes along some other Dolphins news, including Miami’s visit with defensive tackle prospect Danny Shelton, and league-wide interest in Dolphins executives Chris Grier and Adam Engroff.
  • The NFL bears significant responsibility in the DeflateGate scandal, argues Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Despite vowing to investigate the matter fully, the league hasn’t discovered much in the way of evidence or intent, writes Florio. Instead, the Patriots and the NFL as a whole are now being tarnished in what is the most important week in the league calendar.
  • Akeem Ayers doesn’t have any hard feelings towards the Titans regarding the trade that sent him to the Patriots, as the linebacker tells Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal. “They made a decision that they felt like they needed to make,” said Ayers. “…I just took it as motivation and especially being here on this team, I feel like they did me a favor, honestly…I came here and I did a good job here and we’re going to the Super Bowl.” New England acquired Ayers and a seventh-round pick for a 2015 sixth-rounder. A free agent at season’s end, the 25-year-old Ayers registered 20 tackles and four sacks in nine games with the Pats.
  • Washington would like to speak with Packers senior personnel executive Alonso Highsmith about its director of personnel position, but hasn’t heard back from Green Bay as of yet, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.

PFR Originals: 1/18/15 – 1/25/15

January 25th, 2015 at 2:17pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Week In Review: 1/18/15 – 1/25/15

January 25th, 2015 at 1:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

  • The Broncos hired ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak as head coach.
  • The Falcons plan to hire Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their head coach following the Super Bowl.
  • The NFL investigated the inflation levels of the Patriots’ game balls, and determined that 11 balls used in the first half were deflated.
  • Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is leaning towards returning for the 2015 season.
  • The Broncos will likely place the franchise tag on pending free agent receiver Demaryius Thomas.
  • 84 underclassmen declared for the 2015 draft.
  • We learned the Colts had suspended running back Trent Richardson for two games, a move that could affect the guarantees in Richardson’s contract. He’ll serve the second game of the suspension in 2015, granted he’s still on the Indianapolis roster.

Coaching:

  • 49ers – DC Eric Mangini and TE coach Tony Sparano (link)
  • Bears – DC Vic Fangio (link) and OC Adam Gase (link), fired DC Mel Tucker (link)
  • Broncos – OC Rick Dennison (link)
  • Browns – OC John DeFilippo (link)
  • Falcons – OC Kyle Shanahan (link)
  • Jaguars – AHC/OL Doug Marrone (link) and OC Greg Olson (link)
  • Jets – OC Chan Gailey (link)
  • Ravens – OC Marc Trestman (link)
  • Raiders – OC Bill Musgrave (link)
  • Saints – defensive assistant Dennis Allen (link)
  • Washington – DC Joe Barry (link)

Signed:

Released:

Other:

Sunday Roundup: Morris, Harman, Graham

January 25th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some links from around the league as the Seahawks and Patriots prepare to head off to Arizona:

  • We learned earlier today that the Falcons, who will name Dan Quinn as their next head coach on February 2, will also hire Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for an assistant-defensive coordinator hybrid position. NBC4’s Dianna Marie Russini tweets that Morris will not be the team’s defensive coordinator and that he will serve as an assistant of some kind.
  • Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com adds that Wade Harman, the Falcons’ assistant offensive line coach in 2014, will be named as the team’s next tight ends coach. Harman served as the Ravens‘ tight ends coach for 15 years before coming to Atlanta in 2014.
  • Washington has 12 players eligible for unrestricted free agency, and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com offers his thoughts as to which of those players the team should re-sign.
  • LeGarrette Blount has fallen out of favor with both collegiate and professional organizations in his football career, but Adam Kurkjian of the Boston Herald writes that Blount’s second stint with the Patriots has proven that his true home is in New England.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe wonders if the Buccaneers’ hiring of Mike Bajakian as their quarterbacks coach signals that they have already decided to draft Marcus Mariota with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Volin points out that Bajakian’s spread-option attack is much better suited to Mariota’s skillset than Jameis Winston‘s.
  • Marc Sessler of NFL.com writes that Saints tight end Jimmy Graham will use tonight’s Pro Bowl as a gauge to determine whether he should undergo offseason shoulder surgery.
  • Mike Klis of the Denver Post says the Broncos have reached a crossroads, and he believes the team will have more questions with Peyton Manning than without.
  • Surprise Pro Bowler Justin Forsett reaffirmed this week that he wants to remain with the Ravens, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. The journeyman veteran is tired of bouncing around the league and would like to establish a long-term relationship with the team that gave him the best chance to finally enjoy a breakout season.

Eagles’ Front Office Creating Confusion

January 25th, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Rory Parks

When the Eagles announced new roles for head coach Chip Kelly and GM Howie Roseman earlier this month, with Roseman elevated to the role of executive vice president of football operations and Kelly appointed to oversee the player personnel department, there were bound to be some growing pains as Philadelphia’s front office adapted to its new structure and other teams figured out how to interact with that structure.

However, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer says there may be more to this situation than the expected transitional hurdles. Roseman was conspicuous only by his absence at the Senior Bowl, which has led some league insiders to wonder about Roseman’s true role with the club. After Kelly was granted complete control over personnel, Roseman was expected to be in charge of the salary cap and contracts. But a number of agents who represent Eagles with possible contract situations have said they were unsure who would be handling negotiations, while others said they still expected to work with Roseman.

Meanwhile, director of football administration Jake Rosenberg met with agents representing players both on and off of the Eagles roster last week, and he is currently conducting contract talks with impending free agent Jeremy Maclin. At the same time, Kelly gave his phone number to two agents with Eagles players, which represents “another indicator of his increasing say over all facets of football operations.”

The fact that Roseman was vacationing with his family while Kelly was scouting college all-star practices has created the perception that the front office restructure was not as peaceful as initially thought, and that Philadelphia is currently a hostile, divided organization.

Citing ESPN’s Adam Caplan, Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com writes that at least two people turned down the chance to interview for the Eagles’ vacant GM post, with one of the candidates saying he wanted to work for an organization in which the coach, GM, and owner were on the same page. This is not to say, of course, that the team will be unable to hire a quality GM, or that the key players in Philadelphia’s front office cannot overcome whatever turmoil there might be. But it does make one wonder if the organization’s internal dynamics will detract from its ability to navigate through the offseason as smoothly as it would like.

Colts Favorites To Land Duron Carter

January 25th, 2015 at 10:43am CST by Rory Parks

The Colts “appear to have the edge” in landing highly-coveted CFL star Duron Carter, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. PFR”s Luke Adams pointed out on Friday that Carter was down to two finalists and posited that the Browns had fallen out of contention. Holder confirms that speculation, writing that the Vikings are the “other team to watch” in the Carter sweepstakes but making no mention of Cleveland whatsoever.

Carter’s story has been well-documented, and Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report published a detailed piece several days ago describing Carter’s fall from burgeoning star at Ohio State to a player that no NFL club wanted even as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Since then, however, Carter has resurrected his career after excelling with the Montreal Alouettes in back-to-back seasons, displaying the type of athleticism and natural ability that can make an NFL executive’s mouth water.

Since the end of the CFL season, Carter has been auditioning for a number of NFL clubs, finally concluding his workouts last week. It was not long ago that the Vikings were considered the favorite to sign Carter, but it was later revealed that Minnesota was not the top bidder for Carter’s services, and now Indianapolis appears to have taken the lead. The Colts, of course, have been in the mix all along, and we learned back in November that the imminent departure of Reggie Wayne, combined with GM Ryan Grigson‘s willingness to take chances, Grigson’s connections with the CFL, and Indianapolis’ history of gambling on players with “baggage” suggested that Carter may soon be playing his home games in Lucas Oil Stadium.

One thing that has rarely been discussed in the myriad articles discussing where Carter might land and what he might bring to the table is the type of deal he might command. As Holder points out, financial details will of course play a role in Carter’s decision, but it is unclear what those details might be. Holder does note that Carter, who amassed 1,939 receiving yards during his two years in Montreal, does have personal relationships with current Colts Jonathan Newsome and Trent Richardson, but Minnesota also holds the attraction of being the place where Carter’s father, Cris, resurrected his own career and became a Hall-0f-Famer.

Per a CFL-NFL agreement, Carter cannot sign with an NFL club until February 10, but when he is eligible to sign, the smart money appears to be on the Colts.

Falcons To Hire Dan Quinn As HC

January 25th, 2015 at 9:52am CST by Rory Parks

It may be little more than a formality at this point, but D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that current Seahawks DC Dan Quinn will be named the new head coach of the Falcons on Monday, February 2 in Atlanta.

We learned last week that Atlanta planned to hire Quinn whenever Seattle’s season ends, and, one way or another, the Seahawks’ season will be over at the end of Super Bowl XLIX on February 1. It has been clear for several weeks that Quinn was the Falcons’ top choice to replace Mike Smith, and they have demonstrated all along they were willing to wait for their man. In the meantime, Atlanta named Kyle Shanahan as the team’s new offensive coordinator, and it was also reported that Seahawks defensive backs coach Kris Richard could follow Quinn to Atlanta to become the Falcons’ new defensive coordinator.Dan Quinn (vertical)

However, Ledbetter also reports that the Falcons plan to hire Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for a hybrid assistant-defensive coordinator position. Quinn himself is expected to call the defensive plays, so it remains unclear if Morris’ hiring will affect Richard in any way.

As for Quinn himself, he has engineered two excellent defenses in his two seasons as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, defenses that have played a starring role in at least one, and perhaps two, Super Bowl victories. As our Dallas Robinson recently wrote, “Both of [Quinn’s] Seahawks defenses have finished first in DVOA per Football Outsiders, and in 2014, Seattle allowed just 268 yards per game and 15.9 points per game, both first in the league.” The 44-year-old also brings a decade of NFL experience with him, much of which came as a defensive line coach for the 49ers, Dolphins, and Jets.

Quinn also worked as defensive line coach for Seattle from 2009-2010 before moving to the college ranks as Florida’s defensive coordinator during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. But after returning to the NFL as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator in 2013, Quinn has met with nothing but success, and he immediately established himself as one of the top assistants in the league.

The Falcons, of course, were once considered the favorite to land Rex Ryan, who ultimately became head coach of the Bills, and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was also frequently linked to Atlanta’s top job. The Falcons also interviewed Adam Gase, Josh McDaniels, Doug Marrone, and Keith Armstrong, but Quinn boasted the strongest defensive background of any head coaching candidate this year, with the possible exception of Ryan. For a team that has talent on the offensive side of the ball but a porous defense, Quinn seems to be an almost perfect fit. And, as of February 2, he can begin going to work for his new club.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

North Notes: Hoyer, Gordon, Lions

January 25th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Rory Parks

After hearing last night that the Browns would be interested in bringing back Brian Hoyer, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com delves into the never-ending Hoyer-Johnny Manziel saga once again. Specifically, Grossi notes that one of the most overlooked aspects of that conversation is the fact that Hoyer was returning from his first major injury and surgery in 2014. and that it is therefore reasonable to expect a natural uptick in his performance in 2015. Grossi also notes that, if Cleveland does bring Hoyer back, it is unlikely the team would sign another veteran quarterback like Josh McCown, but someone like Mike Glennon may be an option if Manziel does not return.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the team’s north divisions:

  • The issues concerning Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon often take a backseat to the team’s quarterback drama, but Grossi points out in the piece linked above that the Browns are taking the position that Gordon was active for only five games during the year and therefore fell one game short of qualifying for a credited season towards free agency. If Cleveland is right, and if Gordon does not prevail in a potential grievance protesting the suspension, Gordon will be under contract for 2015 and will be a restricted free agent in 2016.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that, even though Lions wide receiver Ryan Broyles was healthy for the first time in his career in 2014, he appeared in just five games and is likely down to his last chance in Detroit.
  • Kyle Meinke of the Detroit Free Press looks at the Lions‘ options for upgrading their offensive line in free agency, pointing out that the team is unlikely to have enough cap space to sign the top linemen on the market, but a solid second-tier option like guard Orlando Franklin or tackle Michael Roos could be in play.
  • As they look to address perhaps their biggest position of need, the Ravens met with USC cornerback Josh Shaw during Senior Bowl week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Coley Harvey of ESPN.com writes that tackle Marshall Newhouse is one of the free agents the Bengals will likely let go this offseason.

Extra Points: Luck, Vikings, Pro Bowl

January 24th, 2015 at 10:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the league as we wrap up this Saturday evening…

  • We heard earlier this week that the Colts were preparing a “blockbuster mega deal” for franchise quarterback Andrew Luck. That was apparently news to the former first-overall pick, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets that Luck was surprised about the inquiries regarding an extension. As a result, Holder believes a new contract is not “imminent.”
  • Colts linebacker Andrew Jackson was arrested in Kentucky early Friday morning, reports Sabrina Adams of Fox 59 in Indy. The rookie was reportedly taken in for “careless driving and suspicion of DUI.”
  • The Vikings have struggled since their Super Bowl run in 2009, making the playoffs just once. However, general manager Rick Spielman is happy with the progress his players have made. “Our team got older when we went through our Super Bowl run when we had Brett Favre and I knew we had to get younger,” Spielman said told Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune. “That takes some time, and we’ve been able to accomplish that over the last couple of years and with the number of draft picks that we had. Now you’re hoping that those guys would develop and some of those guy are developing into pretty good football players for us. That cycle will be hopefully the guys that we extend and keep around for a while.”
  • The Pro Bowl is coming back to Hawaii. According to Gll Brandt of SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Dan Leberfeld JetsConfidential.com on Twitter), the league’s All-Star game will return to the Aloha State for the next three seasons. The 2014 Pro Bowl will take place at the same site as the Super Bowl, the University of Phoenix Stadium.
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