Jack Del Rio - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Sign Jack Del Rio To Four-Year Deal

February 10th, 2017 at 7:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders have signed head coach Jack Del Rio to a new four-year contract that locks him up through the 2020 campaign, the club announced today.

“The Raiders have torn up Jack Del Rio’s original contract and rewarded him with a new four-year deal,” said Raiders owner Mark Davis in a written statement. “We are excited to continue building on the strong foundation that has been established and this is a significant step in achieving that goal.”

As Davis notes, this is a completely new contract for Del Rio, who was already signed through the 2018 season. Reports last month indicated Oakland intended to start negotiations with Del Rio, who just completed his second season as head coach, soon. Del Rio led the Raiders to a four-win improvement during his first go-round as coach in 2015, then took the Raiders back to the postseason for the first time in 14 years this January.

The 53-year-old Del Rio won 12 games for the second time in his career, and although he has yet to win a division title in 10 years as a head coach, the Raiders came close to accomplishing that this season after failing to sniff such a perch in years.

Raiders, Jack Del Rio To Talk Extension

January 22nd, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

On the heels of leading the Raiders back to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, Jack Del Rio will begin extension talks with the team this week, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter).

Del Rio is signed through the 2018 season already, but Mark Davis is obviously pleased with the job the coach has done in his two years at the helm. Oakland improved by three wins from 2014 to ’15 and the 12-win 2016 campaign represented a five-victory improvement for a franchise that hadn’t fielded a winning team since 2002. The 53-year-old Del Rio won 12 games for the second time in his career, and although he has yet to win a division title in 10 years as a HC, the Raiders came close to accomplishing that this season after failing to sniff such a perch in years.

This could be viewed as a formality, but the Raiders have been anything but stable in their recent past, moving on from coaches quickly as the likes of Tom Cable and Hue Jackson discovered. But the organization resides on much firmer ground under Del Rio, whom Reggie McKenzie hired from the Broncos. The McKenzie-led Raiders are moving on a steadier course than they did during Al Davis’ final years, so this latest partnership looks like it will be lasting long-term.

Del Rio now also could be faced with shepherding a Raiders move to Las Vegas, but the Raiders managed to thrive with that looming over their 2016 season, giving Del Rio a chance at coach of the year acclaim.

AFC Notes: Bolts, Raiders, Dolphins, Joeckel

October 8th, 2016 at 9:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a second straight Chargers season faces the prospects of being overrun by injuries, the team is planning to expand its offseason studies in this area. The organization appears set to devote more resources to researching injuries come 2017, given what’s happened over the past month.

“I can assure you this year is going to be more in-depth and thorough than ever before,” Chargers president John Spanos said, via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

This year’s Chargers have lost numerous key players, from the preseason injury to Stevie Johnson to the early-season carnage that’s taken out Keenan Allen, Danny Woodhead, Jahleel Addae, Manti Te’o and now Jason Verrett. Antonio Gates and Joey Bosa have also missed extensive time due to injuries. This comes after 2015’s spate of maladies that helped put the Bolts in the top five of a draft for the first time since 2004.

Gehlken points out the early portion of this decade did not bring the trouble the past two years have, with ACL and Achilles tears sparse before the ’15 season. Several within the organization said they’ve never seen anything like what’s happened to the Chargers on the health front the past two years, per Gehlken.

Here’s more from the AFC as most of its franchises prepare for their fifth games.

Al Davis‘ death staggered the Raiders and left them without a true GM for most of the 2011 season, but it ended up triggering the franchise’s steady climb back to respectability, Kevin Acee of the Union-Tribune writes. In addition to Reggie McKenzie drafting better than his predecessor, at least in the several years before his death, the Raiders hired a coach in Jack Del Rio who demanded facility upgrades, Acee writes.
The Dolphins aren’t sold on Ja’Wuan James‘ long-term potential at right tackle, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. A Dolphins source questioned the third-year player’s drive, noting the team hasn’t done enough to provide competition for him at that spot. Billy Turner replaced James against the Browns before James reacquired the job due to a Turner injury. “That was a wasted pick for a first-rounder,” former front-office executive Ken Herock told Jackson. “He should have been a third- or fourth-rounder. I questioned his strength, his recovery ability. Those are things I didn’t see.” Pro Football Focus rates James as the No. 44 tackle thus far in 2016 among the 75 who qualify as full-timers.
Jackson also notes Chiefs center Mitch Morse and Chargers inside linebacker Denzel Perryman drew support from members of the Dolphins front office during Day 2 of the 2015 draft, but Mike Tannenbaum opted to trade down and snag defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who has not produced to this point, in the second round.
Luke Joeckel‘s surgery could make a return to the Jaguars more likely in 2017, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes. Although the former No. 2 overall pick has not panned out, a strong season at guard would have created a robust market for Joeckel instead of one that could well be tepid due to a small work sample at his second position. Joeckel proved ill-equipped at left tackle, prompting the Jags to bring in Kelvin Beachum, and played just 155 snaps at left guard before undergoing surgery to repair his ACL, MCL and mensicus. O’Halloran notes the team liked what they saw from Joeckel inside. He stands to be a UFA if not re-signed after the Jags declined his fifth-year option.
The Broncos are planning to give Paxton Lynch his first NFL start Sunday after deeming Trevor Siemian unfit to return.

Extra Points: Lions, Colts, Broncos, J. Smith

January 8th, 2016 at 9:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Now that the Lions have hired Bob Quinn as their new general manager, Detroit coaches are wondering if they still have a job, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Obviously, there will be some turnover as a new regime takes over, but two Lions coaches told Birkett they have not been updated as to the status of their employment.

However, the club’s head coach, Jim Caldwell, might be one of the lucky ones, as a Patriots insider tells Mike O’Hara of Lions.com that Quinn is likely to retain Caldwell for 2016. Detroit’s upper management has been adamant that the new GM would get to decide Caldwell’s fate, and while we’ll have to wait for official word, at least one source thinks Caldwell will get to stay.

Meanwhile, while interim GM Sheldon White was thanked in a team statement, there’s been no indication as to whether he’ll revert back to his old position of director of player personnel, tweets Paula Pasche of the Oakland Press.

Coaching Notes: USC, Payton, Fisher, Fins

November 30th, 2015 at 11:19am CST by Luke Adams

It wasn’t an NFL coaching job, but the USC head coaching position was expected to have an impact on the NFL, since a number of the school’s potential candidates were current coaches or coordinators around the league. However, the Trojans announced today (via Twitter) that interim coach Clay Helton will become the team’s permanent head coach going forward, meaning that Chip Kelly and other coaches around the NFL can be crossed off the list.

It sounds like USC did reach out to Kelly to gauge his interest before deciding to move forward with Helton though. According to FootballScoop.com (Twitter link), USC officials met with Kelly last week, but the Eagles head coach prefers to remain in the NFL. Similarly, USC checked in on Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, who told the Trojans he’s not leaving Oakland, tweets Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News.

Here are a few more coaching-related items from around the league:

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com believes that the Saints should “go ahead and start sniffing around” for teams that may be interested in giving up a draft pick or two for head coach Sean Payton, since this winter looks like a good time for an overhaul. La Canfora identifies the Browns, Colts, Dolphins, and Titans as teams that might have interest in Payton, and suggests that the draft pick return could be “substantial.”
Having lost four games in a row, Jeff Fisher‘s Rams are in a downward spiral, and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the team to make coaching change at season’s end.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) hears that the decision to fire offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was made by Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell, who had “shown signs of displeasure” with the offense during the club’s last few games.
The Giants could have taken a commanding lead in the weak NFC East division with a win over Washington on Sunday, but the fact that the team couldn’t get it done puts head coach Tom Coughlin on the hot seat, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
Several weeks ago, with his team scuffling along at 2-5, head coach Bill O’Brien didn’t exactly look safe in Houston. Four wins later though, Texans owner Bob McNair is giving O’Brien credit for the team’s success, telling Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, “I think he’s doing a fine job.”

Coaching Notes: Chargers, Caldwell, Fox, Del Rio

October 31st, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Ben Levine

As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com writes, it hasn’t been a great three weeks for the Chargers defense. In that span, the unit has allowed 30 first-half points to the Raiders, 548 yards to the Packers, and a game-winning touchdown to the Michael Vick-led Steelers.

Defensive coordinator John Pagano understands that he may be on the hot seat if his squad doesn’t turn it around.

“It starts with: we’re all accountable, No. 1; myself,” Pagano said (via Tom Krasovic of The San Diego Union-Tribune). “We’ve got to do a better job. We didn’t play good. We didn’t coach good.”

“This might be adverse times for us as a football unit, but it’s not adversity that will overcome us. There’s bigger things out there in life that we or guys will go through. This is something that we’ve got to grow from right now, and learn from as a team. Sometimes, it’s not an easy path.”

Let’s check out some more coaching notes from around the NFL…

Smith also believes that Lions coach Jim Caldwell shouldn’t be comfortable with his job security, noting that any decision would be made by owner Martha Ford. Caldwell fired three assistants earlier this week, and Smith wonders if the decision may have come from ownership. Facing a potential 1-7 start to the season, the writer says the coaching moves could be Caldwell’s final opportunity to “reinvigorate” his offense.
Bears head coach John Fox understands that it can be difficult for players to adapt to a new leader, and he likes what he’s seen despite his team’s 2-4 start. “We’re battling, and there are a lot of changes,” said told Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. “You’ve got players learning new systems in all three phases, players getting used to the coaches, coaches getting used to the players.”
There have been rumblings that USC could pursue Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, a USC alum, as a replacement for Steve Sarkisian. However, general manager Reggie McKenzie shut down those rumors. “We talked when we first came together–he wants to be the coach of the Oakland Raiders,” McKenzie told Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. “His mind is not looking anywhere else… He’s sincere and I’m sincere with this. We don’t see that as an opportunity for him. He wants to be here. He’s going to do well here in Oakland, believe that.”

AFC Notes: Browns, Titans, Steelers, Raiders

March 25th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

ESPN reports that Browns officials were told at this week’s owners meetings that the team will face “severe” discipline for violating an NFL policy. Cleveland will be punished for the actions of general manager Ray Farmer, who admitted to sending text messages (reportedly to members of the club’s sideline) during games last season. That violates the league’s electronic device policy, and it could cost the Browns in the form of fines or the loss of draft picks. The extent of the Browns’ punishment will be announced next week.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets that the odds of the Steelers extending the contract of defensive end Cameron Heyward prior to the season are “100%.” Heyward will make just under $7MM in 2015, the last year of his deal, and could hit free agency in 2016. The four-year veteran finished last season with a career-high 7.5 sacks, giving him 15 since entering the league in 2011. The former first-round pick has appeared in all 64 of Pittsburgh’s regular-season games since he joined the club, and has finished in the top 20 of Pro Football Focus’ ranking system (subscription required) for 3-4 defensive ends three straight years.
Linebacker James Harrison seems to regard his recent decision to re-sign with the Steelers as bittersweet. The Titans were also vying for Harrison’s services, and choosing Pittsburgh over Tennessee means he won’t get to continue working under defensive guru Dick LeBeau. The 77-year-old left the Steelers after 11 seasons and joined the Titans’ staff in February. “You don’t want to let (coach LeBeau) down, you want to be loyal to him to a fault,” Harrison said on the “Ike Taylor Show,” according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “It came down to I had to take a step back and look at it and it was a business. Both offers being the same, it wasn’t a good business move to go to Tennessee because I would have to uproot everything and I already had everything in Pittsburgh combined with the fact my legacy is in Pittsburgh.”
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie isn’t content with his team’s offensive line. “I don’t have enough offensive linemen on the roster. I want to bring some good ones in,” McKenzie said, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. The Raiders’ biggest O-line need is at right guard, an area they could address in the upcoming draft. “Right guard is going to be a competitive situation in camp,” said new head coach Jack Del Rio.

West Notes: Manning, Knighton, Tomsula

February 15th, 2015 at 10:16pm CST by Rob DiRe

Peyton Manning faded down the stretch in 2014, and many may have forgotten that he threw for over 4.700 yards and 39 touchdowns, leading a 12-4 Broncos team to a first round bye. Granted, I won’t argue that he was spectacular at season’s end, but he certainly represents the team’s best chance of success in 2015. Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post writes that while Manning needs to come back, he also needs to take a pay cut. Even carving $5MM off of his cap number would give the team the flexibility to invest in the offensive line, which could be worth more to Manning than the money at this point.

Here are some other notes from our two West divisions:

Demaryius Thomas would like to come to an agreement with the Broncos on a long-term contract, but it is more likely that he has the franchise tag placed on him, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
The Raiders are bereft of talent, but new coach Jack Del Rio could look to bring an important piece to the middle of the defense, as the team is expected to pursue defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, according to CSNBayArea.com. Del Rio drafted Knighton when he was with the Jaguars, and the pair traveled to Denver together when Del Rio received the defensive coordinator job with the Broncos.
The 49ers were reportedly close to hiring former Broncos offensive coordinator and current Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase. However, Gase turned down the job after he was told he would have to promote defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to defensive coordinator, according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Gase turned down the offer, and Tomsula was hired shortly after.
49ers running back Frank Gore is looking for a commitment from the team as free agency looms, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Barrows writes that while Gore is committed to returning, he is unsure of his future with the team with Carlos Hyde emerging as a playmaking running back.
Inglewood mayor James T. Butts is confident that football will return to Los Angeles, writes Josh Peter of USA Today. “Let me put it to you this way, buddy: It’s going down,” says Butts. “This is a happening thing. As far as everybody being all in, everybody’s all in.”

Jack Del Rio On MJD, Carr, Draft

February 12th, 2015 at 8:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio sat down with local beat writers to discuss a number of topics. Here’s a look at some of the highlights, courtesy of Raiders.com:

What’s your biggest need right now?

I think the biggest thing is for us as a football team to develop the mentality. I don’t know if I would get into a specific position that you would say, ‘Hey we need to address this position.’ We’ll clearly increase the talent level, look to add to the talent level, but I think it’s important we develop the players that are here. We want to create a competitive environment where guys enjoy coming to work, coming to work with great energy and compete their tails off every day. I think with that, the mentality that we’re looking for will be developed and built and this football team will change, will transform.

On whether old friend Maurice Jones-Drew still has something left in the tank:

He thinks he does. We talked about it. We need to find that out. It’s something we need to find out. If he feels healthy – I think the first thing would be to make sure that he keeps his weight where it needs to be. He understands that, so he can be explosive again. We need to find out if he can be explosive again.

On getting a veteran quarterback to mentor Derek Carr:

It’s ideal to have that, and if works and that is the case then that would be good. It’s not something that has to be. It’s something that would be ideal for a young player to have, to have a veteran guy there that can help him as he prepares as a younger player, and really it’s good to have a room that’s strong and understands what it is to prepare every day. Everyone in the room approaches it like they’re the guy and everybody works really hard at the process.

On the idea of having to go out-of-house to get a No.1 receiver for Carr:

I quit trying to ‘number’ the receivers quite a while ago. We’re going to have good players. I talked about when I was in Dallas in ’89, Kenny [Norton] and I were together, and the offensive line was just ridiculed all the time. They can’t block anybody, this and that, and then when you look at who won the Super Bowl a couple of years later, a lot of those same guys were playing on the offensive line, so we’ll see. We’re going to work to develop our guys, the receivers, everybody that we have here, we’re going to work to develop them to their fullest. We will add talent. We will create competition and we’ll see, there might be a surprise or two where somebody becomes maybe more than people outside of our building feel he could be.

Coach Notes: 49ers, Jets, Falcons, Raiders

January 14th, 2015 at 9:23pm CST by Ben Levine

After promoting one coach earlier today, it sounds like the 49ers will be parting ways with the rest of their coaching staff. Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez reports (via Twitter) that the organization plans on dismissing all assistants except running backs coach Tom Rathman. A member of that coaching staff told CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco that they are “in the dark” regarding the team’s plans (Twitter link). Its unclear if any of the remaining coordinators, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, are safe.

Meanwhile, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets that “several” 49ers assistants will likely join former offensive coordinator Greg Roman with the Bills, while others will likely follow Fangio.

Let’s take a look at some more coaching notes from around the league…

Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is set to interview with the Broncos on Friday, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Austin was late arriving to Atlanta, and D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that his second interview with the Falcons will be pushed back to Thursday.
The Raiders want to talk to Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice, but Atlanta is denying them permission, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Cardinals linebacker coach Mike Caldwell will likely join Jets head coach Todd Bowles in New York as the team’s assistant head coach, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Phoenix.
ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson says Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is “aiming high” in his coaching staff search, and the writer notes that Kyle Shanahan could be among the offensive coordinator candidates (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.