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AFC Mailbags: Jags, McFadden, Chiefs, Jets

January 24th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off the morning by checking out some notes from the AFC…

AFC Links: Browns, Phillips, Williams, Jets

January 23rd, 2015 at 10:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

New Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo did not study quarterback Johnny Manziel before accepting the position in Cleveland, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

“I’ll be honest with you. I’m going to be flat out honest with you because it’s the only way I know how to be. I have not. I’ve not watched the games from last year with Johnny. Obviously, I studied Johnny coming out of college and spent some time with Johnny,” said DeFilippo. “I wouldn’t say it was a lot of time, but I spent some time with Johnny. He flew out to Oakland and spent a day with him. Can you get an overview on a guy in one day? No, but you can get a grasp of what he thinks and how he’s feeling and those things. I got along with Johnny when we met with him, but I can’t tell you that I’ve watched the games yet. No, I have not.”

This could mean DeFilippo is not convinced that Manziel will be the quarterback of the future in Cleveland. That point is only further confirmed when he admitted during his pressure that the quarterback situation is still in flux. “We’re not sure if our starting quarterback is in the building right now or not,” said DeFilippo. “If he is that’s great. If he’s not, that’s great too.”

Here are some more links from around the AFC:

  • The Browns are pursuing former journeyman quarterback Steve Walsh to be their new quarterbacks coach, writes Alex Marvez of Fox Sports 1. Walsh has been coaching high school football for the past six years, but has turned down a number of opportunities to coach at a higher level.
  • The Broncos are still looking for a defensive coordinator, and one possibility could be former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, writes Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). Phillips served as the Texans defensive coordinator for three years under new Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, and the two could reunite in Denver.
  • The Broncos have not hired a defensive coordinator, but they have hired Bill Kollar as their defensive line coach, according to USA Today. Kollar spent the last six years coaching the defensive line for the Texans.
  • The Jets have a pressing need a cornerback, and new GM Mike Maccagnan will have a number of options to improve the position, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. He writes they could go after Antonio Cromartie or Byron Maxwell in free agency, but an intriguing prospect in the draft could be Quinten Rollins of the University of Miami (Ohio).
  • Bills star pass rusher Mario Williams will be playing for a new defensive coordinator for the sixth straight year, writes Kevin Patra of NFL.com. With head coach Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, the defense will switching back to a 3-4 base. Williams is excited to play outside linebacker. “I look forward to it,” he said. “So hopefully if (Ryan) hears this, this is my call-in: Will Linebacker. So hopefully it works out.”
  • Colts pass rusher Robert Mathis is still recovering from a torn Achilles that forced him to miss all of 2014, but there is no guarantee he will be back in time for next season’s training camp, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. “He’s still in recovery,” said general manager Ryan Grigson. “He’s a freak and you hope that he has an athletic genetic freak type of recovery so that he’s ready day one of training camp. But that information is not clear yet or a timeline is not there because it’s a tough injury. Hopefully in a couple months from now, we’ll be able to have some information on that.”

Kris Richard Likely To Become DC

January 23rd, 2015 at 8:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

PFR’s Luke Adams has been keeping track of all the defensive coordinators hired and fired as the offseason goes on, but after the Super Bowl there will likely be two more openings that will need to be filled. The currently open Falcons head coaching job is expected to be filled by Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, which will create a need for the Seattle to replace him. Quinn will also have to hire a coach to run his defense in Atlanta, should he get the job.

Seahawks defensive backs coach Kris Richard is expected to fill one of those roles, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Richard came to Seattle with Pete Carroll after spending two years as an assistant coach under Carroll at USC. He also played for Carroll at USC.

Richard was drafted by the Seahawks as a third-round pick in 2002, playing three seasons with the team as a cornerback. Florio believes this connection to Seattle could sway him to choose the Seahawks over the Falcons should he be offered both jobs.

All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman pressed for his coach to get more attention earlier this month, praising what Richard has accomplished in his time with the team, writes Clare Farnsworth of Seahawks.com.

“He took kind of a ragtag bunch of DBs in 2011 and made them perennial All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, and you don’t hear his name being mentioned as much for D-coordinator jobs and things like that. Which I think it should be,” said Sherman. “We obviously know what kind of coach he is and what he’s done. But obviously everybody else doesn’t.”

Whichever way he decides, Richard will likely be calling a defense for the first time in his career in 2015.

Seahawks GM Talks Wilson, Maxwell, Lynch

January 23rd, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Rob DiRe

Seahawks general manager John Schneider addressed reporters in a press conference today, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times transcribed some of the GM’s more notable comments. Here are the highlights from the presser:

On a potential contract extension for Russell Wilson:

We don’t have a timetable. At the appropriate time we are able to speak to his representatives and we’ll do that. We are not in a situation where we can yet.

On being better prepared for a late start to free agency after going to a second Super Bowl:

I’m just saying we’re more prepared for what other people would think about our free agents or how we feel about other people’s free agents. Last year by the time we got to the combine it was just s whirlwind and you’re meeting with agents down there and other teams and so I just feel like we could do a better job this year.

On the potential free agency of Byron Maxwell:

Yeah, it is. That quite frankly is one of our first priorities is to talk to Maxie. Now I think he like a lot of our other unrestricted guys, I think he is going to be highly sought after and he should be. But we would at least like to have the opportunity to retain him.

On Marshawn Lynch‘s status going forward:

He’s under contract next year. He’s a warrior. Goes out there every weekend and lays it on the line. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better running back in the National Football League.

On if he is tired of Lynch’s “act”:

No. I kind of love his act.

Schneider also spoke on the Percy Harvin trades, both from the Vikings and to the Jets, discusses what it meant to go to another Super Bowl, and reflects on the success he has achieved during his time with the team. It can all be found in Condotta’s write-up.

Cole’s Latest: Murray, Harris, Maxwell

January 23rd, 2015 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agency is still about a month and a half away, but rumors are already starting to swirl about some of the players that could reach the open market on March 10. In his latest video report, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report weighs in on a few of those players, including the top running back eligible for free agency. Here are the highlights:

  • Reiterating that the Cowboys will use their franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant if necessary, Cole says that if the team wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, the running back probably won’t come cheap. Cole’s sources expect Murray to command between $7-10MM annually on a new deal, and at this point, Dallas seems unwilling to go that high. Cole echoes a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, which suggests that at last check, the Cowboys’ best offer was worth just $4MM per year, though I’d expect the club to increase that offer before letting Murray walk.
  • David Harris is viewed as the top inside linebacker eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and he’s not overly committed to re-signing with the Jets, according to Cole. While a return to New York is possible, Harris would like to play for a contending team, and may be open to taking a little less money to make that happen.
  • The Seahawks have locked up impact players like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Michael Bennett, and others, and a big extension for Russell Wilson is around the corner. Given the commitments to those players, the team may have to part ways with cornerback Byron Maxwell. Per Cole, Maxwell is expected to reach the open market and will be a “hot commodity” if he’s available.

Steelers Re-Sign Brad Wing

January 23rd, 2015 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have locked up punter Brad Wing for another season, signing him to a one-year contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. After spending his first full NFL season in Pittsburgh in 2014, Wing had been eligible for exclusive rights free agency, meaning he could only sign with the Steelers, unless the team let him go.

Wing, who turns 24 next week, punted 61 times, recording 43.7 yards per punt and a net average of 38.6 yards. Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly high on the LSU’s performance, ranking him 28th out of the league’s 32 regular punters, with a -7.6 grade (subscription required).

Because he was only an exclusive rights free agent, Wing is unlikely to receive more than the minimum salary, which will be $510K for a player with his experience. There may also be a signing bonus in the deal, but it would be very modest.

Here are Friday’s other minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional minor transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Cowboys have signed defensive end Lavar Edwards and safety Keelan Johnson to reserve/futures contracts, as Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News writes. Edwards spent time on the Cowboys’ active roster and practice squad this season, while Johnson, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month for an aggravated assault charge, last played for the Eagles in 2013.
  • Defensive end Sam Montgomery has signed a new deal with the Bengals, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Montgomery spent the entire 2014 season on Cincinnati’s practice squad after being waived by the team at the end of the preseason.

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets‘ first free agent signing under new GM Mike Maccagnan is offensive tackle Sean Hooey, who inked a reserve/futures deal, according to the team (Twitter link). Hooey was cut by the Rams at the end of the 2014 preseason, and briefly landed on the team’s practice squad before being released from that unit as well.

Latest On Teams Still Seeking DCs

January 23rd, 2015 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

This morning, we took a look at where the ongoing offensive coordinator searches stand, and this afternoon we’ll shift our focus to the remaining defensive coordinator vacancies.

While the OC openings are fairly clear cut, three potential defensive coordinator positions are still up in the air due to the Falcons’ head coaching search. No matter which head coach they hire, the Falcons will likely be in the market for a new defensive coordinator, and both of their finalists are current DCs for another team — if Atlanta hires Dan Quinn, as expected, the Seahawks will have to find a new coordinator. If their arrangement with Quinn falls through, the Falcons would likely turn to Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, leaving Detroit to find a replacement.

In addition to those clubs, three more clubs are also currently hunting for a new defensive coordinator, so there are plenty of situations to examine. Let’s dive right in, with the help of our OC/DC search tracker….

Arizona Cardinals

After Todd Bowles landed in New York as the Jets’ new head coach, the early word out of Arizona was that the Cardinals would likely promote an internal candidate to replace Bowles, with James Bettcher, Brentson Buckner, Kevin Ross, Nick Rapone, and Tom Pratt as potential options. However, that report was published over a week ago, and there’s been no indication that the Cardinals are much closer to hiring Bowles’ replacement.

The team is reportedly interested in bringing aboard Dick LeBeau, but it appears it would be as a linebackers coach or perhaps as a senior defensive assistant. A report on Wednesday suggested that LeBeau was still interested in a coordinator position, so perhaps that’s why nothing has been finalized with the Cards yet. Arizona has also been linked to Mike Nolan, but it’s not entirely clear what Nolan’s situation is in Atlanta. Presumably, the new head coach will look to replace Nolan, but he remains under contract with the Falcons for now, having signed a two-year extension a year ago.

Atlanta Falcons

Speaking of those Falcons, there’s not much we know about their defensive coordinator job at this point. If Dan Quinn gets the head coaching job – and every indication is that he will – he could bring a coach from Seattle with him, particularly since most of the most attractive outside candidates will have found work by the time Quinn officially comes aboard (after the Super Bowl). It’s possible that Mike Nolan sticks around in Atlanta, but it seems unlikely at this point.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos targeted Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph early in their search. Denver actually interviewed Joseph for its head coaching opening, though it’s not clear if he was ever a viable candidate for that spot — I expect that interview served the dual purpose of ensuring that the Broncos adhered to the Rooney Rule and allowing the team to get a feel for Joseph as a DC candidate. The only problem? While the Bengals were willing to let Joseph interview for a HC job, the club is now unwilling to let him out of his contract for a DC position.

Denver hasn’t given up on its No. 1 target — Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who wrote earlier this week that the Bengals and the NFL should do the right thing and allow Joseph to leave Cincinnati for a promotion, says the Broncos continue to monitor the situation. If the Bengals don’t budge though, the Broncos will have to move on to other options, and that could mean speaking to former head coach Wade Phillips, who has been mentioned as a candidate.

Oakland Raiders

Like the Broncos, the Raiders appear to have a clear preference for the coach they’d like to hire. Former Falcons head coach Mike Smith has been cited as Jack Del Rio‘s top candidate since Del Rio landed Oakland’s head coaching job, and the two sides have been in contact, but it seems Smith isn’t fully sold on the opportunity. If he was, the Raiders would likely have locked him up already.

With Smith no sure thing, the Raiders have former Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker on their radar and have also been linked to Wade Phillips. The club may ultimately turn to the NCAA ranks, as a Thursday report suggested, though no specific college candidates have been reported yet. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wrote that if the Raiders do hire a coach from a college program, that would probably signal that the team was turned down by other candidates, and that Del Rio intends to call defensive plays, meaning that the new coordinator would have less latitude.

Seattle Seahawks

We’re including the Seahawks here rather than the Lions because it looks like a near-lock that Dan Quinn will head to Atlanta, with Teryl Austin returning to Detroit. Still, there’s no indication yet who would replace Quinn for the ‘Hawks. With so much talent on the defensive side of the ball in Seattle, the position could intrigue some big-name candidates who perhaps haven’t been interested in the other openings, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the club ultimately opts for an in-house promotion — of course, that’s assuming that Quinn doesn’t take the best internal candidates with him to Atlanta.

Extra Points: NFLPA, Mayo, Van Pelt, Raiders

January 23rd, 2015 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL Players Association has formally filed a grievance against the league challenging the NFL’s new personal conduct policy, which was adopted in December despite the NFLPA’s objections, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The union contends that it didn’t have an opportunity to collectively bargain many key points of the new policy, arguing that the policy violates the CBA and that it was adopted “without the consent, and over the objections, of the NFLPA.”

While we wait to see what comes of the union’s grievance, let’s round up several items from across the NFL….

  • Injured Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo has been prioritizing his rehabilitation after a season-ending knee injury, and fully intends to get back on the field in 2015, but he has also developed an interest in coaching during his time spent on injured reserve, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I’m just trying to learn as much as I can,” Mayo said. “If I do choose to go down that road, hopefully I can apply some of these principles that I’ve learned from coach [Bill] Belichick in my coaching career.”
  • While a previous report revealed the Packers turned down the Rams’ request to speak to Alex Van Pelt about their offensive coordinator job, St. Louis wasn’t the only team rebuffed by Green Bay. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars and Bears were also denied permission to interview Van Pelt.
  • The Raiders have officially confirmed a handful of new additions to Jack Del Rio’s staff, announcing in a press release that they’ve hired Todd Downing (QB coach), Marcus Robertson (DB coach), Sal Sunseri (LB coach), and Mike Tice (OL coach).
  • The Jets also announced several new assistants in addition to their new coordinators. According to the team, Mike Caldwell (assistant HC/ILB coach), Mark Collins (OLB coach), Joe Danna (DB/S coach), and Karl Dorrell (WR coach) are among the new arrivals.
  • Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey isn’t phased by the fact that 2015 could be a make-or-break season for him and head coach Joe Philbin, suggesting that he approaches every season as if it’s make-or-break, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
  • The Texans have made some front office changes, promoting Jon Carr to director of college scouting and hiring Matt Jansen to the new position of college scouting coordinator, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links).
  • We learned yesterday that Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett met with the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl, but Miami is far from the only team to interview Lockett. The wideout, who is generating plenty of buzz in Mobile, tells James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he spoke to 28 NFL teams this week.

Jets Hire Kacy Rodgers As DC

January 23rd, 2015 at 2:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

JANUARY 23: The Jets have finally made the hiring of Rodgers official, confirming it in a press release. The team also announced the hiring of Bobby April as special teams coordinator.

JANUARY 16: New Jets head coach Todd Bowles has begun to fill out his staff, as Adam Caplan of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that Dolphins defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers will take over as New York’s defensive coordinator. Reports yesterday indicated that the Dolphins would not block Rodgers’ move to their division rival, and now it sounds like deal will be finalized at some point in the coming days (Twitter link via Caplan). Rodgers, 45, has worked as an NFL assistant since 2003, and his time in Miami overlapped with Bowles’ from 2008-11. He’ll replace Dennis Thurman, who followed ex-Jets coach Rex Ryan to Buffalo.

In South Beach, Rodgers worked with a Dolphins defensive line that included talented players such as Cameron Wake, Olivier Vernon, and Jared Odrick, and although the club’s entire defense tailed off near the end of the season, it still finished eighth in adjusted sack rate. Miami’s line did contribute to a defensive unit that ranked 24th in rushing yards allowed, however. In New York, Rodgers will employ a similarly talent defensive line — Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson lead a position group that helped the team Jets finish fifth in rushing yards allowed and fourth in adjusted sack rate.

The primary area of focus for Rodgers, then, will be Gang Green’s secondary, which allowed the third-highest passer rating to opposing quarterbacks, and finished 24th in DVOA against the pass. Chief among Rodgers’ assignments will be to mold two recent first-round defensive back selections, corner Dee Milliner and safety Calvin Pryor, in the hopes of fortifying a weak secondary.

Rodgers, a Tennessee alum, coached in the college ranks before joining the Cowboys as a defensive tackles coach in 2003. He’s been in his current role since ’08. As for scheme, it’s unclear what look what Rodgers will use as his base defense — the Dolphins ran an 4-3 front, while Bowles and the Cardinals employed a 3-4 defense. Regardless, the unit will surely look different that than the Ryan-led defense of recent years.

Browns Notes: Manziel, Hoyer, Carter

January 23rd, 2015 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Addressing the Browns’ decision to release offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan from his contract, head coach Mike Pettine suggested that Shanahan wanted to move on, and the team didn’t want the situation to drag out.

“It’s just very hard to win in the NFL (even) when everybody’s into it and they truly want to be there,” Pettine said. “And again if you have somebody that just doesn’t want to be there, I know it’s easy to say, ‘Hey he’s under contract, hold him to it,’ (but then) there’s a dark cloud over your coaching offices and I’ve been a part of that.”

According to Pettine, there was some discussion about trying to get compensation for Shanahan, who had two years left on his contract, but the head coach didn’t want to “get into that legal stuff.”

Here’s more on the Browns:

  • Initial reports suggested that Shanahan may have had an issue with the team’s commitment to Johnny Manziel, but Pettine dismissed the notion that the former OC wanted out because of Cleveland’s quarterback situation: “I think a lot of people are just putting that out there as a possible reason where he looked at it and said, ‘Hey, the QB situation’s not great and this is one of the reasons I want to get out of here.’ I won’t get into details, but in his reasoning to me that was not a part of it.”
  • While Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has often been cited as a catalyst for the Manziel pick, Haslam didn’t exactly rave about the young quarterback this week, suggesting that selecting a QB in the first round of this year’s draft is on the table. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal has the details and quotes.
  • Jeremy Fowler and Pat McManamon of ESPN.com spoke to nearly 20 Browns sources to try to determine what went wrong during Manziel’s first NFL season, and found a handful of worrisome patterns both on and off the field.
  • The Browns’ chief contract negotiator, Sashi Brown, reached out to Brian Hoyer‘s agent Joe Linta a week ago to re-open communications between the two sides, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi writes that while it may have seemed at one point like a foregone conclusion that Hoyer would be moving on, “that tide is turning” and the veteran could re-sign.
  • Hoyer is scheduled to sit down with Pettine, GM Ray Farmer, and new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo in the next week or two, and what he hears in those meetings may determine whether or not he instructs Linta to pursue a possible extension with the club. Linta on his client: “Brian would love to stay — if the situation were good for all parties. He’s looking forward to meeting those guys over the next couple of weeks.”
  • CFL receiver Duron Carter, who was previously said to be in talks with the Browns, Colts, and Vikings, is now down to two finalists, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s not clear which clubs are the finalists, but the Colts and Vikings have been cited as frontrunners throughout the process, so it’s possible Cleveland is no longer in the mix — that’s just my speculation though.
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