HEADLINES

Jim Hostler

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.

AFC Notes: Rice, Browns, Knighton, Jets

January 15th, 2015 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

A hearing had been scheduled for today for Ray Rice‘s grievance against the Ravens, which alleged that the club owed him $3.5MM for cutting him hours after in-elevator footage of him striking his then-fiancée surfaced in September. However, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the two sides have reached a settlement agreement. While the exact amount that the Ravens are paying Rice isn’t known, the settlement signals the formal end of Rice’s appeals processes and his relationship with the Ravens. The veteran running back has been paid and reinstated, so now it’s just a matter of waiting to see if any clubs will be willing to sign him to a new contract this offseason.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter links) have a pair of updates on the Browns‘ offensive coordinator search, reporting that Raiders senior offensive assistant Al Saunders and Bills senior offensive assistant Jim Hostler will interview for the job. Saunders will speak to the team on Tuesday, according to Cabot, while Hostler’s interview will happen this week, per Ulrich.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter link), free-agent-to-be Terrance Knighton indicated that he hasn’t gotten from the feeling from the Broncos that they’ll bring him back for next season. With Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio becoming the new head coach in Oakland, the Raiders figure to be linked to the big defensive tackle as he nears free agency.
  • New Jets general manager Mike Maccaganan is “strongly considering” hiring ex-Jaguars GM Gene Smith to his front office staff, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports has another Jets update, tweeting that Falcons defensive backs coach Joe Fanna will be joining Todd Bowles‘ staff in New York.
  • Longtime Jaguars fullback Greg Jones, who announced his retirement today, has interest in coaching and said he’d like to eventually become an offensive coordinator (Twitter link via Vito Stellino).
  • Bills president Russ Brandon spoke to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News about the Bills’ new front office structure, which will involve GM Doug Whaley having final say on the 53-man roster, while head coach Rex Ryan decides on the coaching staff and active gameday rosters.

Ravens Hire Gary Kubiak As OC

January 27th, 2014 at 1:50pm CST by David Kipke

1:50pm: The Ravens have officially announced the hiring of Kubiak as the team’s offensive coordinator and Dennison as the QB coach.

12:19pm: The Ravens will officially announce their new offensive coordinator later this afternoon, according to the team (Twitter link). Wilson tweets that Dennison is expected to join the staff under Kubiak, though it’s not clear if any other additions will be announced today.

11:07am: While there are still some details to be ironed out, everything points to Kubiak becoming the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator, tweets Zrebiec.

According to Michael Preston of the Baltimore Sun, Kubiak is trying to put together an offensive staff before he officially accepts the job, meaning the team’s old coaches could be in trouble. Preston adds that Kubiak’s hiring has been pushed by Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and owner Steve Bisciotti rather than Harbaugh (Twitter links).

MONDAY, 8:06am: The third candidate in the mix for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator job appears to be Gary Kubiak, who has emerged as the favorite for the position, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, former Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison has also spoken with John Harbaugh over the last few days, though based on Schefter’s report, it sounds as if Dennison may be drawing Baltimore’s interest for another spot on the staff, rather than the OC vacancy.

SUNDAY, 10:53pm: The Ravens have recently interviewed a third candidate in their search to fill the offensive coordinator vacancy previously occupied by Jim Caldwell, according to Jeff Zrebiec and Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. Until now, it was believed that former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and current Ravens wide receivers coach Jim Hostler were the only remaining candidates.

Former Steelers running back coach Kirby Wilson, who appears poised to join the Vikings’ staff, had also been in the mix for the Ravens’ position, but was informed this weekend that Baltimore was going in a different direction.

Coaching Notes: Ravens, Cowboys, Browns

January 26th, 2014 at 1:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens are likely to decide on a new offensive coordinator by Monday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The choice is expected to be either former Redskins offensive Kyle Shanahan or current Ravens receivers coach Jim Hostler. Shanahan, the son of former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, also has play-calling experience with the Texans, while Hostler spent the 2007 season as offensive coordinator with the 49ers. Either candidate would be replacing Jim Caldwell, who left to become the head coach of the Lions.

  • Scott Linehan may be offered the title of Cowboys’ passing game coordinator, according to Ed Werder and Chris Mortensen of ESPN. In such an arrangement, Linehan would be installed as the primary play-caller, a responsibility that currently belongs to offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Linehan, the former head coach of the Rams, was most recently the offensive coordinator of the Lions.
  • If Linehan takes the Cowboys job, the Browns may look at Callahan as an offensive coordinator candidate under new head coach Mike Pettine, notes Albert Breer of NFL Network (via Twitter).
  • Breer also tweets that former Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is a possible choice as quarterbacks coach in Cleveland.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Ravens, Jones

January 24th, 2014 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns finally filled the last head coaching opening in the NFL yesterday, hiring Mike Pettine away from the Bills. Pettine indicated at yesterday’s press conference that if Cleveland’s search had lasted much longer, he would have withdrawn his name, so as not to leave the Bills hanging indefinitely. But now that he’s got the Browns job, Pettine will look to fill out his staff. Here’s the latest on that front, along with a couple other AFC North items:

  • The Browns have interest in former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak for their offensive coordinator position, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets that it’s unlikely Kubiak lands in Cleveland.
  • The Ravens are also in the market for an offensive coordinator, with their search in the final stages. The club interviewed internal candidate Jim Hostler and ex-Redskins coordinator Kyle Shanahan for the second time on Thursday, and will have a second interview with Kirby Wilson of the Steelers today, according to Jeff Zrebiec and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Heading for unrestricted free agency, wide receiver Jacoby Jones says he’d love to return to the Ravens, as Ray Frager of CSNBaltimore.com writes.