Steelers Interviewed Hue Jackson For OC Job
The Steelers interviewed former Browns head coach Hue Jackson earlier this week for their offensive coordinator vacancy (Twitter link via Dianna Russini of ESPN.com). However, it doesn’t seem that Jackson will get the job, since quarterbacks coach Matt Canada has been ticketed for a promotion.
[RELATED: Steelers To Promote Matt Canada To OC]
At one point in time, Jackson was regarded as one of the NFL’s top offensive gurus. Then, he went 3-36-1 record across two-and-a-half tumultuous seasons with the Browns and his stock plummeted. The Browns placed much of the blame on Jackson’s shoulders. Jackson, naturally, sees things differently. Jackson has been out of the NFL picture ever since, save for a brief return to the Bengals as an assistant to Marvin Lewis in late 2018.
While his work as a dual head coach/OC with the Browns was ineffective, Jackson did lead the Bengals to a No. 2 ranking in offensive DVOA in 2015, his last season as strictly an offensive play-caller. Jackson won’t make his comeback in Pittsburgh, but other teams could still consider the veteran coach in this cycle.
Dwayne Haskins To Visit Steelers
Former Washington Football Team quarterback Dwayne Haskins will meet with the Steelers on Thursday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The former first-round pick could provide quarterback depth and upside for Pittsburgh on a low-cost, low-risk deal. 
The Panthers also kicked the tires on Haskins recently, though that meeting ended without a deal. No one’s expecting greatness from Haskins — at least, not immediately — but he would likely come on a minimum-salary contract.
Before his late-season release, Haskins averaged 6.3 yards per attempt with 12 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. After getting dumped by Washington, Haskins mutually parted ways with agent David Mulugheta. He’s since caught on with Goal Line Football agency and his new reps are searching for his best fit.
Washington had high hopes for Haskins in 2019. Ultimately, his Week 16 performance in 2020 was the final straw. Starting in place of Alex Smith, Haskins completed just 50% of his throws for 154 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was leapfrogged by Taylor Heinicke and responded poorly, prompting head coach Ron Rivera to show him the door.
Steelers Extend DC Keith Butler
The Steelers made a key staff change last week, promoting Matt Canada to replace offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. But the team will not part ways with DC Keith Butler. The longtime Pittsburgh coordinator agreed to terms on a one-year extension Wednesday, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). Butler has overseen Pittsburgh’s defense since the franchise split with Dick LeBeau in 2015, and while Butler’s units as a whole have not measured up to his predecessor’s Super Bowl-winning crews, the Steelers have led the NFL in sacks in each of the past four seasons and have ranked in the top three in DVOA in each of the past two.
- Although the Steelers are coming off another home playoff defeat, Mike Tomlin does not appear to have moved toward a hot seat. Steelers ownership is not believed to have any desire to move away from Tomlin, per The Athletic’s Ed Bouchette (subscription required). Tomlin had the Steelers at 11-0 this season and managed to have last year’s largely Ben Roethlisberger-less team at 8-8, leading to Coach of the Year consideration in both cases. However, the Steelers lost five of their final six games this year and have lost home playoff games three times since 2014. Tomlin is signed through the 2021 season.
Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order
With the Divisional Round in the books, the 2021 NFL Draft order is mostly complete. The Rams, Browns, Ravens, and Saints now have their draft spots locked in, though the Rams’ first-round pick belongs to Urban Meyer and the Jaguars. The Rams traded those rights to Jacksonville as a part of the Jalen Ramsey blockbuster.
Here’s the updated draft order, through the top 28:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. San Francisco 49ers
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints
Steelers To Promote Matt Canada To OC
For the second time in four offseasons, the Steelers are preparing to promote their quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. Matt Canada is expected to replace Randy Fichtner in that role, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (on Twitter).
A career college coach until last season, Canada interviewed for the Dolphins’ OC position this week. But the Steelers evidently liked what they saw in Canada’s first year as their QBs coach.
While this is nominally the same as the Steelers promoting Fichtner to replace Todd Haley in 2018, Canada has only been with the franchise a year. Fichtner had worked with the team throughout Mike Tomlin‘s tenure. This promotion decision will involve a new voice rising to the top of Pittsburgh’s offensive staff.
Prior to joining the Steelers last year, Canada enjoyed a nomadic career at the college level. Although the 48-year-old coach became Maryland’s interim HC in 2018, Canada served as offensive coordinator at eight schools between the 1997 and 2017 seasons — including LSU, Wisconsin and North Carolina State.
Despite the Steelers’ 11-0 start, they deteriorated quickly. Pittsburgh’s run game became a stunning nonfactor down the stretch, and the offense overall ended up 24th in total yardage by season’s end. The Steelers committed five turnovers in their opening-round loss to the Browns, and they parted ways with Fichtner this week. With Ben Roethlisberger‘s future uncertain and multiple longtime starters due for free agency, the Steelers will turn to Canada in an attempt to get their offense back on track.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/15/21
Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts given out:
Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
- WR Reggie Davis, WR Jester Weah
Detroit Lions
- DB Godwin Igwebuike, DE Robert McCray, TE Hunter Thedford
Green Bay Packers
Las Vegas Raiders
- QB Kyle Sloter
Pittsburgh Steelers
- S John Battle, DT Demarcus Christmas, T Anthony Coyle, FB Trey Edmunds, WR Anthony Johnson, T Jarron Jones, LS Christian Kuntz, T John Leglue, TE Kevin Rader, LB Tegray Scales, DL Calvin Taylor, P Corliss Waitman, T Brandon Walton, WR Cody White, CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- QB Josh Johnson, OL Corbin Kaufusi
Seattle Seahawks
- DT Myles Adams
Tennessee Titans
- T Paul Adams, WR Rashard Davis, TE Parker Hesse, WR Cody Hollister, TE Tommy Hudson, LB Jan Johnson, T Brandon Kemp, QB DeShone Kizer, K Tucker McCann, C Daniel Munyer, DE Nate Orchard, LS Matt Orzech, WR Chester Rogers, LB Tuzar Skipper
Washington Football Team
Titans Interview Teryl Austin For DC Job
Teryl Austin is back on the defensive coordinator radar. The Titans have interviewed the veteran assistant for a DC role, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Working with the Steelers the past two years, Austin served as a defensive coordinator from 2014-18 — with the Lions and Bengals. He has coached the Pittsburgh secondary, while helping Mike Tomlin with game management, over the past two seasons.
Although the Titans held the Ravens to 20 points and registered five sacks in Sunday’s loss, they finished as the NFL’s worst third-down defense and recorded just 19 sacks this season. Following Dean Pees‘ retirement, Tennessee went without a true defensive coordinator this year. Outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen called defensive plays. Mike Vrabel referred to Bowen as a de facto defensive coordinator, but the team is interested in more experience on its defensive staff.
Austin’s 2014 Detroit defense fared quite well, ranking third in scoring and second in yards allowed. After Ndamukong Suh‘s Miami move, however, Detroit’s unit fell off in the years that followed. Austin resurfaced in Cincinnati under Marvin Lewis in 2018, but the Bengals fired him prior to that season’s conclusion.
Interestingly, Austin has met with the Titans previously. The team interviewed him for its then-vacant head coaching position, which ended up going to Mike Mularkey, in 2016.
Steelers Drop OC Randy Fichtner
On Thursday morning the team announced that offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner will not have his contract renewed. The same goes for offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and defensive backs coach Tom Bradley. 
“I want to thank all three of the coaches for their commitment and dedication to the Pittsburgh Steelers,” said head coach Mike Tomlin in a statement. “They have all played integral roles in our success and I am appreciative of their efforts. Personally, Randy and I have been in Pittsburgh since I hired him in 2007, but our relationship began well before that. He has been a friend of mine for years and wish his family nothing but the best, and I am eternally grateful for our relationship both on and off the field.”
Fichtner worked his way up the Steelers’ ranks to serve as the team’s OC for the last three seasons. Things went well enough in his first year as Todd Haley‘s replacement, but the wheels came off in 2019 and 2020.The Steelers finished last in the NFL this year with 1,351 rushing yards. The previous season wasn’t much better — they placed 29th in 2019 with 1,447 yards.
Meanwhile, Fichtner and Ben Roethlisberger seemed to have a falling out. The Steelers waited a bit to make it official, but Fichtner’s dismissal doesn’t come as a huge surprise.
GM/HC Notes: Colbert, Panthers, Jets, Smith
Here is the latest from the GM/head coach carousels. Five GM vacancies and seven HC openings remain as of Wednesday afternoon.
- Before making his way to Pittsburgh, Kevin Colbert spent many seasons in Detroit. The Lions have been connected to making a push for a Colbert Motor City return, but they have not asked the Steelers for permission to interview him, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. The Steelers gave Colbert an extension last year. After working with the Lions throughout the 1990s as their pro scouting director, Colbert has been with his hometown Steelers since 2000.
- The Panthers continue to go through second interviews. After meeting with 49ers exec Adam Peters and Titans staffer Monti Ossenfort again this week, Carolina brought back Chiefs assistant player personnel director Ryan Poles and met again with Seahawks VP of football operations Scott Fitterer. Poles is one of a few Chiefs execs to receive interest this offseason, while Fitterer has been on the GM interview circuit for a few years. The Seahawks promoted him in September.
- The Jets finished up Robert Saleh‘s second interview Wednesday but appear set to identify more finalists soon. They want to speak with Titans OC Arthur Smith again, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (on Twitter). The Jets are not alone in pursuing Smith, who has interviewed for six HC jobs thus far. The Falcons are also high on the second-year OC.
- Although Brian Daboll has not completed quite as extensive an itinerary as Smith has, he has impressed the Jets. Gang Green is high on the third-year Bills OC, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. Daboll met with the Jets on Sunday. He cannot meet with the team in person until the Bills’ season concludes.
2021 NFL General Manager Search Tracker
This year’s NFL GM carousel figures to be more active than usual. The Falcons, Lions, Panthers, Texans, and Jaguars are all on the hunt for a new front office leader. And that’s only the official list. The real tally shows six clubs looking for a GM, since the Washington Football Team is expected to install a GM to work alongside head coach Ron Rivera. By mid-January, we could easily see a couple more jobs opening up — that’d put ~25% of the NFL on the market.
We’ll keep track of the GM candidates for each club here, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make general manager changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:
Updated 1-19-21 (7:02pm CT)
Atlanta Falcons
- Morocco Brown, Colts college scouting director: Interviewed
- Terry Fontenot, Saints VP/assistant GM: Hired
- Brad Holmes, Rams director of college scouting: To receive second interview, finalist for position
- Anthony Robinson, Falcons director of college scouting: Interviewed
- Joe Schoen, Bills assistant GM: To be interviewed
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Interviewed; finalist for position
Carolina Panthers
- Mike Borgonzi, Chiefs player personnel director: Rumored candidate
- Nick Caserio, Patriots VP of player personnel: Interviewed
- Ed Dodds, Colts assistant GM: Interviewed; name withdrawn from search
- Scott Fitterer, Seahawks VP of player personnel: Hired
- Champ Kelly, Bears assistant player personnel director: Interviewed
- Omar Khan, Steelers VP of football and business administration: Interviewed
- Jeff Ireland, Saints assistant GM: Interviewed
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Browns VP of football operations: Interviewed
- Monti Ossenfort, Titans player personnel director: To receive second interview
- George Paton, Vikings assistant GM: Rumored candidate; withdrew name from consideration
- Adam Peters, 49ers VP of player personnel: To receive second interview
- Ryan Poles, Chiefs assistant player personnel director: Received second interview
- Jerry Reese, former Giants general manager: Interviewed
- Joe Schoen, Bills assistant GM: Interviewed
- Pat Stewart, Panthers player personnel director: Interviewed
- Samir Suleiman, Panthers director of player negotiations: Interviewed
- Brandt Tilis, Chiefs football administration director: Interviewed
Denver Broncos
- Terry Fontenot, Saints vice president of pro personnel: To receive second interview
- Champ Kelly, Bears assistant director of player personnel: Interviewed
- George Paton, Vikings assistant GM: Hired
- Brian Stark, Broncos director of college scouting: To be interviewed
- Dave Ziegler, Patriots assistant player personnel director: To be interviewed; bowed out of search
Detroit Lions
- Kevin Colbert, Steelers general manager: Rumored candidate
- Thomas Dimitroff, former Falcons general manager: Interviewed
- Terry Fontenot, Saints assistant GM: Interviewed
- Brad Holmes, Rams director of college scouting: Hired
- Jeff Ireland, Saints assistant GM: Interviewed
- Rob Lohman, Lions director of pro scouting: Interviewed
- Lance Newmark, Lions director of player personnel: Interviewed
- Kyle O’Brien, Lions VP of player personnel: Interviewed
- George Paton, Vikings assistant GM: Interviewed
- Scott Pioli, former Chiefs GM/NFL Network analyst: Interviewed
- Louis Riddick, ESPN analyst/former Eagles exec: Interviewed
- John Schneider, Seahawks general manager: Rumored candidate; signed Seahawks extension
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Interviewed
Houston Texans
- Matt Bazirgan, Texans player personnel director: Interviewed
- Malik Boyd, Bills pro scouting director: Interviewed
- Nick Caserio, Patriots VP of player personnel: Hired
- Scott Cohen, Ravens football research director: Interview requested
- Omar Khan, Steelers VP of football and business administration: Interviewed; received job offer
- Trent Kirchner, Seahawks VP of player personnel: Interviewed
- Ozzie Newsome, Ravens executive vice president: Preferred candidate
- Louis Riddick, ESPN analyst/former Eagles exec: Interviewed
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Trent Baalke, interim Jaguars GM: Expected to be hired
- Ray Farmer, former Browns general manager: To be interviewed
- Terry Fontenot, Saints assistant GM: Interview requested
- Jerry Reese, former Giants GM: Interviewed
- Louis Riddick, ESPN analyst/former Eagles exec: Interviewed
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Interviewed
Washington Football Team
- Ryan Cowden, Titans VP of player personnel: Interview requested
- Marty Hurney, former Panthers general manager: Expected to be hired; joined team in non-GM role
- Martin Mayhew, former Lions general manager: Hired
- Nick Polk, Falcons football operations director: Interview requested
- Rick Smith, former Texans general manager: Mentioned as candidate
- JoJo Wooden, Chargers player personnel director: Interview expected