HEADLINES

Aaron Kromer

Latest On Bills OL Coach Aaron Kromer

July 12th, 2015 at 4:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The details of Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer‘s arrest are pretty unsettling, and while it’s obviously too early for speculation, it’s hard to see how Buffalo can keep Kromer on staff. Let’s take a look at some reaction to the incident, as well as some preliminary options if the Bills do decide to move on from Kromer…

  • If Kromer loses his job as a result of his arrest, Buffalo will need to find someone to fill his role, and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com runs through several options. Promoting assistant OL coach Kurt Anderson probably makes the most sense, writes Rodak, as Anderson is the only Bills coach who has dealt with club’s offensive line since the spring. Other options might include asking OC Greg Roman to handle dual roles, or hiring from the outside, which is unlikely. Rodak adds that Buffalo did interview both Chris Foerster and Mike Solari during the offseason, but both have since found work with other teams.
  • Along the same lines, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) says the Bills could look to bring Pat Thomas — who was the club’s offensive line coach from 2013-14 — back in the fold. Thomas was let go by the Rex Ryan regime following last season, so it’d be a little strange for him to return to Buffalo at this point. Ex-Jaguars O-line coach George Yarno could also be an option, per Cole; Yarno is doing quite well in his recovery from cancer, so much so that he could re-enter the coaching ranks.
  • In a separate piece, Rodak examines which Bills offensive lineman would be most affected by the loss of Kromer, pointing to two young lineman — Seantrel Henderson and Cyrus Kouandjio — as two players whose outlook might change if Kromer is out. Henderson, for his part, was recently demoted to the second team, and Rodak believes he might actually benefit from a change in coaches. Kouandjio, however, seems to have to taken to Kromer, so the loss of a position coach would presumably have an adverse effect.

Bills OL Coach Aaron Kromer Arrested

July 12th, 2015 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Former Bears offensive coordinator and current Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer was arrested on Saturday night by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Police arrested Kromer on a misdemeanor battery charge, the department confirmed today in a press release (Facebook link).

According to the Walton County Sherrif’s Office, Kromer and his son allegedly confronted a group of three boys – who had been fishing – over the use of beach chairs. The victims told Walton County deputies that Kromer grabbed their fishing pole and threw it in the water, then pushed one of the boys to the ground and punched him in the face. The victim, identified as a juvenile, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), also said Kromer threatened to kill his family if he reported the incident to the police.

While Walton County police continue to look into the incident, and Kromer has not yet been found guilty, we’ve seen NFL teams release players following lesser charges this offseason. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bills decided to part ways with their offensive line coach without waiting for the legal process to play out, though there has been no indication yet which way the team is leaning.

Kromer was at the center of another story in Chicago last season, when he admitted to being the leak for a report in which an anonymous Bears source criticized the play of quarterback Jay Cutler. Having gone from an interim head coach in New Orleans to an offensive coordinator in Chicago to an offensive line coach in Buffalo, Kromer had already seen his coaching career trending in the wrong direction in recent years. If the Bills decide to let him go, it’s hard to imagine the former Bears OC landing another job in the NFL this year.

Coach Notes: Capers, Fangio, Bills, Kubiak

January 17th, 2015 at 12:23pm CST by Ben Levine

Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers is not planning on retiring anytime soon. The 64-year-old has had to work some overtime since he joined the organization in 2009, as the team’s made the playoffs in each of his six seasons. However, the former Panthers and Texans coach isn’t tiring.

“I would like to coach as long as I enjoy it and feel I have something to offer,” Capers told Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel. “If I didn’t feel I have something to offer I wouldn’t do it anymore.

“I’m enjoying it. My health’s excellent. You can talk to anybody here… who spends the most hours here? And I’d like to think (I have something to offer).”

Other coaching notes from the around the league:

  • Following reports that the Bears had requested permission to interview Vic Fangio, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 in D.C. tweets that the team will indeed meet with the former 49ers defensive coordinator. Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets that Fangio will then travel to meet with Washington this evening.
  • In the same tweet, Barrows notes that former 49ers defensive backs coach Ed Donatell will likely follow the coordinator wherever he goes.
  • Aaron Kromer has signed a two-year deal with the Bills to become the team’s offensive line coach, according to ESPN’s John Clayton (via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak on Twitter). The former Bears offensive coordinator was fired in late December.
  • Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post says Gary Kubiak is the right choice for the Broncos head coaching opening. The writer believes the coach’s communication abilities will allow him to flourish with Peyton Manning. Reversely, if Manning decides to retire, the coach would also be the “perfect man” to groom a young, developing quarterback.

Coach Updates: Fangio, Allen, Kromer, Tarver

January 16th, 2015 at 8:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears have requested permission to interview ex-49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for the same position, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Previous reports indicated Fangio was released from his San Francisco contract earlier today, so technically Chicago shouldn’t need to ask the Niners for approval. Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com “continues to hear” (Twitter link) that former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen is the favorite for the Bears DC job.

Here’s the latest on the coaching front…

  • The Bills have hired former Bears assistant Aaron Kromer as their offensive line coach, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). FootballScoop.com was the first to hear the Kromer rumblings, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted the two sides were “closing in” on a deal. Additionally, Rapoport says (Twitter link) that Buffalo has also hired David Lee as its quarterbacks coach. Lee worked with new Bills coach Rex Ryan with the Jets from 2013-14.
  • After hiring his defensive coordinator earlier today, new Jets head coach Todd Bowles has added another staff member, ex-Cardinals linebackers coach Mike Caldwell (Twitter link via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic). Per Somers, Caldwell will be named an assistant head coach in New York after the Cards let him out of his contract.
  • It’s been speculated that former Raiders DC Jason Tarver could have a role on Jim Tomsula’s 49ers staff, and today Tarver interviewed for a position with San Francisco, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Tarver previously spent ten years with the Niners, beginning in 2001.
  • The 49ers will not retain special teams coordinator Brad Seely, reports Maiocco. Seely, a 22-year NFL coaching veteran, had been with SF since 2011. Meanwhile, Maiocco adds that the Bills have requested an interview with Niners offensive assistant Ronald Curry, who has not been fired by San Francisco.
  • The Browns continue to interview candidates for their vacant offensive coordinator position, and met with Jim Hostler today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Hostler, currently a senior offensive assistant with the Bills, was the 49ers’ play-caller during the 2007 season.

Bears Fire Phil Emery, Marc Trestman

December 29th, 2014 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

9:14am: Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer has also been fired by the Bears, according to Yates (Twitter link via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com).

8:38am: The Bears have made a major change in their front office, according to Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN.com, who report (via Twitter) that the club has parted ways with general manager Phil Emery. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk had tweeted earlier this morning that word was “trickling out” of Chicago indicating that Emery had gotten the axe. In addition to firing Emery, the team has also let go of head coach Marc Trestman, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Hired by the Bears in January 2012, Emery oversaw a solid 10-6 season in his first year with the club, but the team’s record slipped to 8-8 in 2013 and 5-11 in 2014, resulting in his ouster today. Along the way, Emery made a number of questionable decisions, including locking up quarterback Jay Cutler to a seven-year, $126MM contract extension that included a sizable chunk of guaranteed money. Additionally, no team was more active in free agency this past offseason than the Bears, and the results of the team’s spending spree weren’t overly impressive.

The hiring of Trestman can also be viewed as one of the decisions that ultimately led to Emery’s dismissal. The former head coach of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes was considered an offensive – and quarterback – guru, but struggled to find success with Cutler, particularly during the 2014 season. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that Trestman could be a highly-regarded offensive coordinator candidate this winter, adding that if he were a head coaching candidate like Todd Bowles, he’d give Trestman a call.

In his two seasons at the helm in Chicago, Trestman compiled an overall record of 13-19 (.406), and failed to earn a playoff berth.

Jay Cutler Unhappy With Coaching Staff

December 14th, 2014 at 6:00pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier this week, Bears’ offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer was revealed to have spoken to the media about the organization’s doubts of quarterback Jay Cutler‘s abilities as the signal caller in Chicago. Despite a public apology, Cutler is extremely unhappy with the coaching situation, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Cutler’s contract is guaranteed at least through 2015, and there is an expectation on his part that staffing changes will occur in the offseason, according to La Canfora. Due to the comments made by Kromer, La Canfora believes that organization will have grounds to fire him with cause.

Kromer’s job was not safe to begin with, amidst reports that head coach Marc Trestman is already on the hot seat. The Bears would most likely be reluctant to fire a coaching staff only two seasons into its tenure, but the recent unrest could convince them otherwise. If there is a serious rift between the coaching staff and Cutler, it might be logical to move on from one of the two, and Trestman could lose that battle.

Trestman has not only upset his quarterback, but possibly his entire team. Reports that Trestman addresses the team from behind in meetings, and the tremendous focus on offense might be growing tired, especially considering the lack of success on that side of the ball and overall. With a number of problems surfacing for Trestman, Kromer’s comments may be the last straw that brings a short and uneven NFL coaching career to an early end.

NFC Notes: Bears, Saints, Giants

December 13th, 2014 at 6:25pm CST by Ben Levine

The Aaron Kromer saga continues in Chicago. It was revealed yesterday that the Bears offensive coordinator was the anonymous source who claimed the organization had doubts about Jay Cutler as their quarterback. Kromer eventually addressed those comments (via ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright):

“I made a very poor decision of talking about things outside the building and I admit that, can’t take that back. But I recognize I made a mistake. When I did, [I] instantly went right to the offensive unit and apologized as well as apologized to Jay in front of the offense that he was singled out in the situation. I wish I wouldn’t have made that mistake. It’s happened, and we’re a group and a unit. We worked it out together. The rest will be handled internally, and we’ll work through that.”

Meanwhile, head coach Marc Trestman gave a brief opinion on the situation:

“I was clearly disappointed with Aaron. He clearly knows what he did was wrong.”

Let’s take a look at some other assorted notes from around the NFC…

  • A couple of teams had their eye on Bears quarterback David Fales prior to his promotion from the practice squad. Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times says (via Twitter) that the Patriots and Chargers had interest in the sixth-round pick.
  • Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweeted a list of players who tried out for the Saints: kicker Dustin Hopkins and wide receivers Michael Campbell, Danny Coale, Willie Snead and Ifeanyi Momah.
  • Saints coach Sean Payton dismissed reports that he’d be a candidate for the open Michigan job, stating he has “no interest in any other job but this one” (via team’s Twitter).
  • Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News explored the Giants draft options outside of the quarterback position. The writer mentioned Nebraska defensive lineman Randy Gregory, Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, Alabama wideout Amari Cooper, and Alabama safety Landon Collins.

Extra Points: Saints, Kromer, Patriots, Lions

December 12th, 2014 at 10:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints are known for pushing the limits of the NFL’s salary cap, and the club will have some tough decisions to make prior to the 2015 season, as Bill Barnwell of Grantland and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com outline. For his part, Barnwell classifies New Orleans’ offseason strategies as high-variance — when the team hits on free agents, the plan works, but when new additions struggle, the scheme fails. While Barnwell believes that the Saints will be in “salary cap hell” when Drew Brees‘ play begins to deteroriate, Triplett thinks it’s possible that the team continues with its current tactics, cutting players and restructuring contracts year-after-year in order to create financial relief. Here’s more from around the league…

  • In his latest notes column for NFL.com, Albert Breer looks at some potential general manager candidates, looks at the free agency case of Patriots safety Devin McCourty, and points to the Falcons head-coaching job as perhaps the most desirable position that could be available this offseason.
  • Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer isn’t considering resigning after revealing that he was the source for a story that painted Jay Cutler in a negative light, tweets Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com.
  • The Patriots worked out former LSU defensive back Delvin Breaux, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Breaux, 24, currently plays for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. As Reiss notes, New England could be looking at players to sign to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Rugby star Jarryd Hayne visited with the Lions today, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hayne, who has also met with the 49ers and Seahawks, is trying to start his NFL career as a running back.

Extra Points: Bears, Stanton, Draft, Conduct

December 12th, 2014 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Last week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Bears are having serious doubts about Jay Cutler going forward. In a bizarre twist, offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer confessed to the team that he was the anonymous source for parts of the report and apologized for his actions, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. One source said that Cutler shook his head during Kromer’s apology and two players that spoke with Biggs were stunned by what they had witnessed. Head coach Marc Trestman, Kromer, and others on the staff could be on the hot seat this offseason.

  • Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton has been diagnosed with a sprained ACL and MCL, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link). As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the injury isn’t expected to end the 2014 season for Standon, who is considered week to week. That’s good news for the Cards, who will hope to have the QB back in time for their first playoff game.
  • Three NCAA underclassmen – Tulane cornerback Lorenzo Doss (Twitter link), Syracuse safety Durell Eskridge (Instagram link), and Virginia defensive end Eli Harold (Twitter link) – announced via social media this week that they’ll leave school early to enter the 2015 NFL draft.
  • The NFLPA and its leaders may not like the league’s new, more “robust” conduct policy, but they only have themselves to blame for ceding so much power to Roger Goodell and the NFL, writes Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.
  • Giants co-owner John Mara tells Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com that the new conduct policy is “a step in the right direction” for the NFL, and also answered questions regarding the Ray Rice case and the pending Robert Mueller report.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC North Notes: Kromer, Packers, Lions

May 18th, 2014 at 4:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer may not call the plays in Chicago (noted offensive mastermind/head coach Marc Trestman performs that duty), but that doesn’t mean his impact on offensive production is limited. Working mostly with the offensive line, Kromer molded a unit that was among the league’s worst in 2012 into one of 2013’s elite lines. The Bears’ line, infused with talent in the forms of Jermon Bushrod and Kyle Long, gave up only 30 sacks (fourth-fewest in the NFL), and finished with a fifth-best 5.5% adjusted sack rate (per Football Outsiders).

Kromer will expand his duties in 2014, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times, as the coordinator aims to work more with the Bears’ quarterbacks and receivers. “It’s given myself a chance to broaden my horizons and not spend 100 percent of my time with the offensive line when it comes to practice and meeting time,” said Kromer. “Sometimes an offensive line coach can get pigeon-holed into just doing that job.”

More items from the NFC North:

  • Packers general manager Ted Thompson doesn’t sound like he’s ready to leave Green Bay just yet, telling reporters he’s “just getting started” after the conclusion of the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. Reports surfaced earlier this month that indicated Thompson might be nearing the end of his tenure in Green Bay.
  • Retired NFL kicker Jason Hanson was at the Lions’ rookie minicamp over the weekend, primarily to help seventh-round kicker Nate Freese, who had a 86.4% field goal-conversion rate while at Boston College, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • In a separate piece, Twentyman writes that Lions second-year receiver Corey Fuller has an extra reason to want to make the Detroit roster: to play against his brother (and now, divisonal rival), Bears first-round corner Kyle Fuller.
  • The Lions have changed their approach with regards to undrafted free agents, according to Justin Rogers of MLive.com. While the team had previously waited until the sixth- or seventh-round to make contact with potential UDFAs, Detroit now starts placing calls to prospects as early as the fourth round. This strategy of displaying early interest in a players aided the Lions in signing Kansas State offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas.
  • In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling opines that the battle for the Vikings starting QB job between Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Cassel could play out much like the Russell Wilson–Matt Flynn situation during Seattle’s 2012 training camp.