Extra Points: Dolphins, Gruden, Browns, Titans
As the Dolphins search for their next head coach, the areas they’re prioritizing when talking to candidates are quarterback and defense, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Dolphins brass wants to hear from prospective head coaches how they plan to help the two improve after an up-and-down fourth season from Ryan Tannehill and a year in which the defense finished 25th overall.
Further, per Salguero, interim head coach Dan Campbell‘s only chance to get a promotion to the full-time role is if he presents Miami’s hierarchy with two proven coordinators willing to join his staff. Whether it’s Campbell or someone else, the Dolphins want a coach who has real solutions to repair their problems on both sides of the ball.
More from around the NFL:
- A report Thursday night stated that ex-head coach Jon Gruden is interested in the Eagles’ job, but CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets otherwise. Gruden to the Eagles is “not happening and not discussed,” La Canfora offers.
- With perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas facing an uncertain future with the Browns, Cleveland.com took a look at which teams could be candidates to acquire the 31-year-old during the offseason. The list consists of the Packers, Broncos (who tried to acquire Thomas at this season’s trade deadline), Colts, Titans, Jaguars, Chiefs, Vikings and Patriots.
- It was reported earlier Thursday that the Titans received permission to speak with Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard regarding their vacant general manager job. The two are likely to powwow Monday, reports Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link).
- Marc Ross, another candidate for the Titans’ GM job, might make the most sense for Tennessee if the club is looking to promote interim head coach Mike Mularkey, notes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Ross, who’s currently the Giants’ vice president of player evaluation, was a member of Buffalo’s front office when Mularkey was its head coach from 2004-05.
- The NFL has chosen the staffs of the Cowboys and Jaguars to coach the 2016 Reese’s Senior Bowl from Jan. 25-30, according to a press release. The Cowboys will coach the North team against the Jags-led South squad.
Latest On Titans’, Lions’ GM Searches
The Titans have requested and received permission to interview Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard for their GM opening, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While it’s not clear yet exactly when Ballard will meet with the team, Buccaneers director of player personnel Jon Robinson will interview for Tennessee’s GM vacancy on Friday, sources tell Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross is meeting with the Titans about the position today, a day after the club announced that it had interviewed former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew for the job. In addition to those four candidates, Chris Polian of the Jaguars will interview with Tennessee at some point, though there has been no indication yet that Vikings assistant general manager George Paton will do so — the Titans put in a request to talk to him, but Paton rarely explores jobs outside his current role in Minnesota.
Meanwhile, the Lions, who also requested an interview with Paton, continue their GM search as well, and it’s beginning to sound more and more like they’ll wrap up the interview process by this weekend, which could allow the club to have a GM in place early next week, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Finalizing a decision on that job would allow the Lions to move on to determining whether coaches will be made to the coaching staff.
Kevin Abrams (Giants), Bob Quinn (Patriots), and Trent Kirchner (Seahawks) have been identified as outside candidates for Detroit’s GM job, with current interim GM Sheldon White also earning a meeting about the permanent position.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Browns’ Ray Farmer, Mike Pettine
Earlier this month, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggested that it’s not realistic to expect Browns general manager Ray Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine to both return to Cleveland next year. According to Rapoport’s report, the deteriorating relationship between the coaching staff and the front office made it “unfathomable” that the Browns would want to have Farmer and Pettine continue working together in 2016.
Today, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) explores that same line of thinking. Citing sources within the Browns organization, Cole reports that Farmer’s seat appears hotter than Pettine’s, with the head coach considered the more likely candidate to keep his job. Cole’s sources indicate that Farmer’s draft selections and roster decisions are more to blame for Cleveland’s struggles this season than the job Pettine has done with the talent – or lack thereof – he has been given.
While Cole doesn’t go so far as to say that the Browns will fire Farmer in January, it sounds like that’s a realistic possibility. If owner Jimmy Haslam does decide to replace Farmer, Cole expects Chris Ballard (Chiefs), George Paton (Vikings), and Duke Tobin (Bengals) to receive consideration for the job, since those executives are viewed by the NFL as some of the top general manager candidates around the league.
With one week until the NFL’s Black Monday, I’d imagine there are several scenarios still in play in Cleveland, but it sounds like any outcome that involves both Pettine and Farmer staying in their current roles is extremely unlikely.
Breer’s Latest: GM Candidates, Dolphins, Cutler
Albert Breer’s usual Friday column at NFL.com has arrived one day early this week, in advance of Christmas Day. Breer’s Week 16 notebook focuses on general manager candidates around the league, with one current GM suggesting that the most important thing for a team is for its GM and coach to be on the same page.
“That is the most important thing,” the veteran GM said. “And it is for multiple reasons. The coach and GM have to share a vision. And once you start that relationship, you have to have clearly defined roles. If it’s that [the coach] is coaching and I’m bringing [players] in, once I start to veer and step over that line, everything becomes blurred and dysfunction follows.”
After detailing the importance of the rapport between a coach and GM, Breer identifies a number of potential candidates for jobs that will open up this offseason, examining front office executives who are on the rise and on the cusp of getting their first big shot (such as Chris Ballard of the Chiefs, Nick Caserio of the Patriots, and Brian Gaine of the Texans), as well as those that deserve a second chance at a GM position (like Mark Dominik, Jeff Ireland, and Scott Pioli).
Here are a few more highlights from Breer’s piece:
- The Dolphins have begun to vet possible candidates for their head coaching job, and the team is taking a closer look at the 2006 and 2009 coaching cycles to help identify important characteristics for those candidates. Those were the two years that former Jets executive Mike Tannenbaum hired new coaches – Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan – so the current Dolphins exec is very familiar with what he and his former team looked for at the time, and what they may have missed in other candidates. The overarching idea for Miami is to break away from the group-think mentality that may keep the club from considering a strong option.
- While it may have seemed unlikely a year ago, it now looks like a lock that the Bears will keep Jay Cutler on their roster for 2016, whether or not offensive coordinator Adam Gase remains in Chicago. Cutler’s partially guaranteed salary for next season will become fully guaranteed on St. Patrick’s Day, so the club figures to finalize its decision by then.
- A source tells Breer that the NFL expects to decide before the Super Bowl whether or not a 2016 regular season game will take place in Mexico. The league’s charge to make it happen has “slowed a bit,” according to Breer, who notes that there are several issues still to overcome to make Azteca Stadium game-ready.
- In Breer’s view, the Packers did well to lock up Mike Daniels to a four-year extension rather than having to consider using the franchise tag on him. As a defensive end in a 3-4 system, Daniels isn’t quite as valuable as elite 4-3 DE pass rushers, but his franchise salary would be the same as those players. Teams like the Jets (this year) and Eagles (next year) will face similar dilemmas for Muhammad Wilkerson and Fletcher Cox, respectively.
Latest On Lions’ GM Search
The Lions announced on Thursday that they’ve established an advisory board to lead the search for a new general manager, while continuing to consult with the league’s career development advisory panel. That panel has met twice already and will meet twice more before the end of the season, but Tom Pelissero of USA Today has already learned the identities of five of the leading candidates.
According to Pelissero, some of the early frontrunners are Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard, Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, Vikings assistant GM George Paton, Jaguars director of player personnel Chris Polian, and Packers director of player personnel Eliot Wolf. All five executives have been linked to the job in one fashion or another, though many have speculated that the Lions will not be able to lure Wolf away from Green Bay, where he is thought to be the heir apparent to the GM job. Ballard and DeCosta, two highly-respected NFL execs, were on last year’s list cultivated by the panel. The Jets used the panel last year to make their hire of Mike Maccagnan, who was then the Texans’ director of college scouting.
On Thursday afternoon, the Lions hired Rod Wood as the team’s new president, taking over the position previously held by Tom Lewand. Wood, of course, will be an integral part of the team’s advisory board to find its next GM. That group also includes owner Martha Firestone Ford and the team’s board of directors and vice chairmen, all of whom are members of the Ford family.
Extra Points: Moore, Kerrigan, Chiefs
We heard near the start of the offseason that veteran wide receiver Lance Moore asked the Steelers to release him, and the team eventually obliged. Having landed with the Lions, Moore opened up to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about his desire to move on from Pittsburgh.
“I knew the day after the playoff loss that we had, I knew that I didn’t want to be there anymore,” Moore said. “They made me inactive. And I knew at that point that the writing is on the wall. I could see what their future plans were for me; it was the first time in my career that I was a healthy inactive.
“People always ask me what happened or what didn’t go right, or why did it go so wrong?” Moore continued. “I really don’t know, other than I was hurt early in the year, it never quite clicked for Ben and I, and young guys played well. I guess that’s (it).”
As Moore looks to earn a roster spot in Detroit, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the NFL…
- Speaking to reporters today, including Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link), Washington pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan said there’s no update on his contract negotiations. However, Kerrigan also acknowledged that his agent is handling all those talks, so he may not be up to date on the latest developments.
- Discussing the team’s stadium situation, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the Chargers have an obligation to try everything they can to make it work in San Diego before deciding to move to Los Angeles.
- The Chiefs announced five front office promotions today, with the most notable being Chris Ballard‘s elevation from director of player personnel to director of football operations. Ballard spoke to the Bears about their general manager job this past winter, and also drew interest from the Jets and Eagles.
- The man who beat out Ballard for the GM job in Chicago, Ryan Pace, discussed his latest additions to the Bears organization, as Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com outlines.
- In an effort to identify the most player-friendly contracts among veteran quarterbacks, Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) ranks Joe Flacco‘s deal atop the list, with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers close behind.
NFC North Links: Suh, Briggs, Pace
There seemed to be a belief that Ndamukong Suh‘s tenure with the Lions was over. General manager Martin Mayhew hushed those rumors, saying the team would do whatever it could to keep the defensive tackle in Detroit.
“We’re going to leave every option open,” Mayhew said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “We’re not going to get into the plusses and minuses of anything in terms of working this out. I think it’s important for you guys to know that we want him back and we are willing to franchise him, transition him, whatever, but not get into the details of each tactic.”
Meanwhile, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press opines that the Lions shouldn’t throw all of their money at Suh, suggesting the team would be better off spreading the money around.
Let’s check out more notes from the NFC North…
- Suh and Bears linebacker Lance Briggs headline Field Yates’ list of big-name free agents who could change teams this offseason (Insider-only link via ESPN.com).
- It was a bit of a surprise when the Bears hired Ryan Pace as their next general manager. Many believed Chris Ballard was the favorite for the position, but Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times says the executive’s familiarity with the franchise may have actually hurt his chances.
- Pace wouldn’t discuss the value of his contract with the Bears, but Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets that the pact is for five years.
- Following the hiring of Pace, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the Bears will interview former Bills head coach Doug Marrone for the same position. The two previously worked together in New Orleans, and Florio says members of the Saints organization believe Marrone will be considered.
Coach/GM Notes: Falcons, Bears, Jets, Eagles
According to our head coaching search tracker, there are eight candidates involved in the Falcons‘ hunt for Mike Smith‘s replacement, and if no new names are added to that list, the team’s first round of interviews should conclude tomorrow after a meeting with Todd Bowles. So it makes sense that Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests today (via Twitter) that Atlanta intends to bring in its finalists for a second round of interviews. According to Rapoport, Rex Ryan will be among those finalists, though it’s not clear yet who will join him.
Here are a few more items from around the league related to coaches and front offices:
Coaching:
- Todd Bowles and Frank Reich completed their interviews with the Jets today, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). Bowles’ next visit will be with the Bears.
- A Tuesday report indicated that the Bears would likely meet with Mike Shanahan about their head coaching position after hiring a new general manager, but despite Shanahan’s past success with Jay Cutler (and Brandon Marshall), he’s not currently on Chicago’s list of candidates, says Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We’ll have to see if anything changes on that front after the team makes its GM hire.
- After sitting in on the Raiders‘ interview with Shanahan, John Madden is expected to be in attendance for Tony Sparano‘s meeting with the club as well, tweets Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com.
- In the wake of Perry Fewell‘s dismissal, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com offers a few suggestions for the Giants to consider for their defensive coordinator job, including Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson, who Graziano thinks could be among New York’s top candidates.
Front office:
- The Bears confirmed that they interviewed Chris Ballard and Ryan Pace for their GM vacancy, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- Jon Robinson‘s interview with the Jets will take place tomorrow, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
- The Jets announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve lined up an interview with Buccaneers personnel executive Jon Robinson for their general manager position. The club also confirmed the candidates they’ve spoken to so far: Chris Grier (Dolphins), Trent Kirchner (Seahawks), Bill Kuharich (Browns), Mike Maccagnan (Texans), Rick Mueller (Eagles), and their own Rod Graves.
- The Jaguars have granted pro director Chris Polian permission to interview with the Eagles for their GM job, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network (via Twitter).
- The Fritz Pollard Alliance, which works with the NFL on minority hiring issues, has filed a complaint with the league over Washington‘s general manager search, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Washington spoke to Jets executive Rod Graves about the GM job, but didn’t run the request for permission by the league, and seemed to do it only as a formality while working out an agreement with Scot McCloughan, so as to abide by the Rooney Rule.
- Meanwhile, the Dolphins appear to have evaded a Rooney Rule violation by changing the role of recently-hired Mike Tannenbaum, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains. The club has altered Tannenbaum’s and Dennis Hickey‘s duties since first announcing the hiring, so that Tannenbaum doesn’t qualify as a GM-type hire, meaning the club wouldn’t have needed to meet the Rooney Rule.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Gaine, AP, Lions
As the last NFC North team left standing prepares to host its divisional playoff game this Sunday, let’s round up a few items on the Packers‘ division rivals….
- A scouting director who has worked directly with Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard thinks Ballard should be “a lock” as the Bears‘ next general manager, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. That same source believes that if Ballard lands the Chicago job, he could look at ex-Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub as a head coaching candidate.
- While Ballard may be the favorite for the Bears‘ job, multiple sources tell Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link) that Texans executive Brian Gaine is interviewing for the position today. A league source suggests to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link) that Gaine may be consultant Ernie Accorsi‘s top recommendation for the team.
- The first court date in Adrian Peterson‘s legal case challenging his suspension will be February 6, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Vikings running back and the NFLPA will likely push to get resolution in time for the start of March’s free agent period, to allow Peterson the opportunity to reach the market along with everyone else, if Minnesota decides to cut him.
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said on Monday that he has yet to decide whether to make changes to his coaching staff, and strongly defended the work of offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. Kyle Meinke of MLive.com has the details and the quotes from Caldwell.
East Notes: Roman, Shanahans, Ballard, Bills
Add another name to the Bills head coaching candidate list, as Buffalo has requested permission to interview 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Roman isn’t expected to return as San Francisco’s play-caller, and unlike SF defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, he isn’t a candidate for head coach. Roman, who’s also in the running for the Buccaneers OC position, is the 14th coach linked to the vacancy in Buffalo. You can follow all the news surrounding the six open coaching slots with our tracker. Here’s more from the East divisions…
- One of the 14 with ties to the Bills job is Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, whom the club is hoping to interview by the end of the week, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN (via TwitLonger). Austin reportedly prefers to meet on Saturday.
- The Eagles have requested permission to interview Chiefs executive Chris Ballard for a personnel role (Twitter link via Schefter), but Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com writes that not only is permission expected to be denied, but Ballard probably wouldn’t take the meeting, as the job wouldn’t involve final say over the 53-man roster and draft decisions (which now belongs to head coach Chip Kelly thanks to Friday’s front office shakeup). Ballard is viewed as the favorite for the Bears GM post, where he presumably would have total control over the team’s makeup. The Eagles are also interested in Dolphins scouting director Chris Grier, Lions exec Sheldon White, and one internal candidate, assistant director of player personnel Ed Marynowitz (identified by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk over the weekend).
- We heard earlier tonight that several clubs could be aiming to reunite Mike and Kyle Shanahan as head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively, but the Bills might have another idea in mind. Per John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link), Buffalo is interested in hiring Kyle as head coach, and installing Mike in a GM role. The Bills have already requested permission to interview Kyle, and the team did lose out on hiring Bill Polian to a football-czar position, so the alignment could make some sense.
- Washington is the latest team up in Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap’s offseason previews — the club has roughly $13.4MM in cap space, and in Fitzgerald’s view, should opt to let nearly all of its free agents walk.