Coach Notes: Broncos, Phillips, Schwartz, Jets
As our offensive/defensive coordinator search tracker shows, hirings of OCs and DCs have slowed down a little in the last few days — the teams that headed into this past weekend with job openings on either side of the ball have yet to name their new coordinators, and in some cases those clubs may wait until after the Super Bowl to announce any official decisions.
Still, that doesn’t mean there’s no forward movement on any coordinator searches. An update out of Denver headlines our latest round-up of coaching-related items, so let’s dive right in….
- Former head coach Wade Phillips is in Denver today to interview for the Broncos‘ defensive coordinator position, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who notes that Phillips coached the team way back when John Elway and Gary Kubiak were players.
- While Phillips is a viable candidate for the DC job in Denver, the Broncos‘ top choice still appears to be Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports tweets that one potential scenario would see Phillips getting the job for 2015, then transitioning to a senior assistant role in 2016 when Joseph is freed from his contract in Cincinnati.
- Former Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz confirmed that he’s being selective about the next job he takes, as Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun writes. “I saw the opening up in Buffalo as a good opportunity, so I took it,” Schwartz said. “But no, right now, I can’t see myself doing anything else. Coaching is something I love, something I have a passion about. Another opportunity will present itself. I’m not too concerned.” Schwartz reportedly had two years remaining on his contract in Buffalo when the team let him go, which is perhaps contributing to his patient approach to finding another job.
- Titans assistant receivers coach Kevin Patullo will be the new quarterbacks coach for the Jets, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Patullo previously worked with new Jets OC Chan Gailey in Buffalo.
- Former Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is currently considering multiple options, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The 49ers reportedly have an offer out to Fewell, and the Bengals could be in the mix as well, though Raanan writes that Washington may have the edge.
- The Jaguars have fired running backs coach Terry Richardson and are interviewing former Raiders running backs coach Kelly Skipper for the newly-opened job, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Skipper worked with new Jags OC Greg Olson in Oakland.
- Speaking of the Jaguars, their current defensive backs coach DeWayne Walker is drawing interest from other teams, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- Earlier today, we learned that Rob Chudzinski, an offensive coordinator target for both the Rams and 49ers, would stick with the Colts and receive a new title.
Coordinator Updates: Kiffin, Gase, Musgrave
Let’s take a look at a few notes regarding various coordinator vacancies:
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has emerged as the favorite to land the 49ers offensive coordinator opening, with Colts special assistant Rob Chudzinski also under consideration.
- Citing ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson tweets that Eagles QB coach Bill Musgrave has become a “hot contender” for the Raiders‘ offensive coordinator position.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Jim Schwartz will be very selective in choosing his next job, as he has two contract years left. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora adds (via Twitter) that he would not be surprised if Schwartz sat out the 2015 season altogether, though things may have been different if the Cowboys‘ defensive coordinator job had become available.
- Rapoport tweets that Adam Gase is interviewing with the Jaguars today regarding their offensive coordinator vacancy, but he reiterates that the Raiders, Rams, Falcons, and Bears all have permission to talk to Gase. La Canfora, though, tweets that he would be surprised to see Gase land with Chicago or Oakland, where he would be reunited with former Denver coaches.
- The Falcons are impressed with Gase, whom Teryl Austin would bring with him if Austin were hired as Atlanta’s head coach, according to a tweet from La Canfora. Although we heard earlier today that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has established himself as the presumptive favorite for the Falcons’ head coaching vacancy, La Canfora tweets that, if Seattle wins today, Atlanta will have to weigh the risks of waiting two weeks to hire Quinn and possibly missing out on top coaching candidates like Gase.
Bills, DC Jim Schwartz Part Ways
As expected, after a Monday report indicated that Rex Ryan would be bringing Dennis Thurman to Buffalo as his defensive coordinator, the Bills have formally parted ways with incumbent DC Jim Schwartz, releasing him from his contract, the team announced today in a press release.
“I have the utmost respect for Jim and what he has been able to accomplish throughout his career and I know he feels the same about me,” Ryan said in a statement. “Jim’s defenses are always tough and ranked near the top of the league standings. I wanted to give Jim the opportunity to pursue other opportunities and so we have terminated his contract. He did a terrific job with the Bills defense this past year and our plan is for our defense to continue to play well and be a dominating force.”
As PFR’s Dallas Robinson noted in his story on the Bills’ expected hiring of Thurman, the move is a little surprising, since Schwartz did a great job with Buffalo’s defense in 2014 — the unit finished second in the NFL in DVOA. But Ryan and Schwartz have different defensive philosophies and wouldn’t have been a natural pairing.
The former Lions head coach will now have the opportunity to pursue other DC openings, so we’ll have to see if teams whose searches appear to be winding down, such as Washington or the Giants, decide to give Schwartz a call.
AFC East Notes: Fox, Jets, Schwartz, Bills, Fins
Ex-Broncos head coach John Fox has declined to interview for the Jets’ head coaching vacancy, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). As Schefter notes, Fox probably wouldn’t turn down a chance at a HC job unless he another opportunity already lined up. Such an opportunity might exist in Chicago, where Fox friend Ernie Accorsi is advising the Bears’ head coaching search. The Jets will presumably remain focused on Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is believed to be their top choice. Here’s more from the AFC East…
- Jim Schwartz won’t return as the Bills defensive coordinator, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Schwartz, who led a Buffalo defense that finished second in DVOA, was expected to be offered a spot on the club’s coaching staff by incoming head coach Rex Ryan, but apparently that fell through. The news coincides with Rich Cimini of ESPN.com’s report (Twitter link) that Ryan will look to bring many of his Jets assistants with him, including defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. It’s just my speculation, but two NFC East teams — the Cowboys and the Giants — could be among those with interest in Schwartz.
- Defensive coordinator isn’t the only Bills position that will be filled by a new face in 2015, and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looks at the changes in store for the Buffalo staff next season.
- There aren’t any legitimate candidates for the franchise tag on the Dolphins’ roster, opines James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker points to tight end Charles Clay and defensive lineman Jared Odrick as two options who might be franchised, but ultimately concludes that the price tag ($8.2MM for Clay, $11MM for Odrick) is too steep.
- The Dolphins‘ chain of command following the addition of former Jets exec Mike Tannenbaum is a bit complicated, as Mike Tanier of Bleacher Report writes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Canty, Ravens, Jets, Bills, Dolphins
Ravens defensive lineman Chris Canty is considering retirement following the team’s 35-31 loss to the Patriots yesterday, reports Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The 32-year old veteran has one year remaining on his contract.
“I love being a part of the National Football League, but obviously, there’s another side to it,” said Canty. “You have to think about your future. You have to think, ‘Can your body take the pounding going through a regular season and being able to stay healthy?’ The last couple of years I’ve been pretty banged up, so it’s a situation where I’ll take some time away from the game, spend some time with my family and make a decision when we have to make a decision.”
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- The Ravens could lose defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo, who is a candidate for the Giants’ defensive coordinator opening, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Zrebiec notes that the offensive coaching staff should stay in tact.
- The Jets are still looking to fill their head coaching vacancy, and the team has targeted Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, reports Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that as long as Jets owner Woody Johnson is content waiting for Quinn to become available, he will be the team’s next head coach (via Twitter). Quinn will join new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan in this rebuilding project.
- Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has not decided whether he would be interested in staying with the team, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). Schwartz will meet with Rex Ryan once his deal is finalized.
- Dolphins’ wide receiver Brian Hartline is under contract for 2015, but it isn’t certain the team will bring him back, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “I understand there’s a business side,” Hartline said. “So when there is transition, you have to find out if you’re part of that transition or you’re not. Because of that, there’s probably a little bit of unrest that’s new to me that I haven’t experienced before.” Hartline would like to remain with the team.
Reaction To Bills Hiring Rex Ryan
The Bills hiring Rex Ryan happened quickly and was a surprise to many fans and pundits around the NFL. Here’ more on the move:
- Ryan decided to take the Bills job after the Falcons moved slowly, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes the Bills made him feel wanted. Ryan thought he had the Atlanta job after the 2007 season, but felt strung along and was not going to let that happen again.
- The move might be good for the Bills, but it isn’t bad for the Falcons, writes Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The team has other options, and ultimately, he believes Ryan was turned off because he was not fully embraced by general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports was among those surprised, believing Ryan would rather take the open job with the Falcons. He writes that the Bills were viewed as possibly the worst job available, with no quarterback and no first round pick this year (via Twitter).
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com agrees that this might have been a questionable decision for Ryan, as he goes from one bad quarterback situation to another (via Twitter).
- Bills’ first-round pick Sammy Watkins is excited to have Ryan on the way to Buffalo, according to his Instagram.
- Ryan was believed to be most interested in the Falcons job, according to La Canfora (via Twitter). Not only does Atlanta have Matt Ryan and Julio Jones as an established offense, but they also play in a poor division with a driven owner, writes La Canfora (via Twitter). The bonus is that he would be closer to Clemson, where his son plays college football.
- Falcons owner Arthur Blank had tremendous interest in Ryan, but the process was delayed due to a death in the Blank family, writes La Canfora (via Twitter). “I understand on some level Rex being worried about not getting any coaching job,” writes La Canfora (via Twitter). “But more patience and I think he coulda had his top job.”
- Ryan has reportedly asked defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to remain in his position as Bills defensive coordinator, but they would be an odd marriage, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN. The two coaches have different philosophies when it comes to scheme and how to pressure quarterbacks.
Coach Updates: Bills, Raiders, Jags, Quinn
Earlier this morning, we rounded up a handful of coaching-related updates. Plenty more items have surfaced over the course of the day, so let’s check in on the latest:
- The Bills are looking to line up an interview with former Jets coach Rex Ryan, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter).
- The Bills have spoken with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz about their head coaching vacancy, according to Tim Graham of The Buffalo News.
- The Bills have a number of head coaching interviews set up for this week — Tim Graham of the Buffalo News writes that the team’s meeting with Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will happen on Wednesday, while Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will speak to the club on Saturday. Additionally, a source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that the 49ers have given offensive coordinator Greg Roman permission to pursue the Bills’ HC job, and that interview will take place on Friday.
- After speaking to several outside candidates, the Raiders will conduct their interview with interim head coach Tony Sparano tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links).
- Former Raiders head coach John Madden sat in on Oakland’s interview with Mike Shanahan in recent days, multiple sources tell Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Bair adds that it’s not clear how involved Madden is in the Raiders’ coaching search, but “it speaks some to the legitimacy of Shanahan” as a candidate for the job.
- A pair of candidates’ names have surfaced as the Jaguars search for a new offensive coordinator. Rapoport tweets that Jacksonville has asked to speak to Vikings running back coach Kirby Wilson, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link) says Roman will also interview for the position.
- Preparing for the possibility that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan leaves Cleveland this winter, the Browns have “reached out to guys like Charlie Weis,” tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- A longtime NFL executive who has been involved in many interviews for coaches tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is “the most impressive candidate” he has seen.
NFC Coaching, GM Notes: Bears, Bucs, Eagles
The Bears have tried to hire young assistant coaches time and time again, and as much as they hope the next one might be the best, they could just end up with another Marc Trestman, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. Rather than go after Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, or Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Haugh believes the Bears should go in a different direction.
He suggests the team seriously consider Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, who worked as a scout for the Bears for over a decade. Haugh thinks that it makes sense to pair him with Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub, who had one of the best units in the league for years with the Bears before moving to Kansas City.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The Buccaneers are interviewing Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter for their open offensive coordinator job, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Schefter reports that there is mutual interest between the two parties.
- The Eagles have changed up their organizational structure, Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com looks at the relationship between owner Jeffrey Lurie, executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman, and head coach Chip Kelly, and how those relationships have evolved over the past week.
- Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer also wrote about Kelly’s power grab against Roseman. Even though it resulted in promotions for both, Kelly clearly grabbed the upper hand in the Eagles’ organization in terms of executing his own vision for the team.
- Washington requested permission to speak with Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for the team’s own defensive coordinator opening, but the Bills denied Washington’s request, reports Schefter (via Twitter).
Latest On Bills’ Head Coaching Search
The Bills, after seeing head coach Doug Marrone opt out of his contract on New Year’s Eve, officially kicked off their search for a new head coach yesterday by requesting permission to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase. As Buffalo looks to play catch-up to the five other teams looking to fill head coaching vacancies, we’ll track all of today’s updates on the club’s coaching hunt right here. The latest:
- It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bills set up an interview with Mike Shanahan, since “there is some interest” there, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Based on La Canfora’s wording, it’s not clear if it’s the Bills or Shanahan with the interest, but I’d guess it’s probably coming from the team.
- The Bills have now scheduled interviews with Bevell and Quinn, according to Graham (Twitter link).
- As we noted in this evening’s round-up of coaching rumors, the Bills weren’t able to line up an interview with McDaniels this weekend, according to Peter King of TheMMQB.com.
Earlier updates:
- The Bills have requested interviews with Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and Quinn, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- As hoped, the Bills’ interview with Reich will go down on Sunday in San Diego, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- According to Graham (Twitter links), Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula will sit in on the Bills’ head coach interviews, which will be conducted by Whaley and Brandon. Graham notes that the next Buffalo head coach will report directly to Terry Pegula, who – according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) – would still like to hire a football czar to “oversee the building.”
- The Bills are trying to arrange an interview with Reich for Sunday in San Diego, before he leaves to interview with the Jets, tweets Graham. According to Graham (via Twitter), even though Reich was viewed as a Bill Polian favorite, and Polian is no longer ticketed for Buffalo, mutual interest between the Chargers’ offensive coordinator and the Bills remains high.
- General manager Doug Whaley is leading the Bills’ coaching search, and Gase will be the first candidate to interview on Saturday, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter). Graham adds that the club will also speak to offensive coordinator Frank Reich, as expected, while John Wawrow of The Associated Press tweets that Bills CEO Russ Brandon will serve as an advisor to Whaley during the process.
- According to Graham (via Twitter), the Bills also have interest in talking to Rex Ryan about their head coaching opening, but nothing has been scheduled at the moment.
- Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and current Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz are two names to keep an eye on for potential interviews with the team, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WGR550. We’ve previously heard Schwartz mentioned as a possible candidate, and Quinn is no surprise either, considering he’s already been linked to several teams with head coaching vacancies.
- Speaking of Schwartz, Bills defensive players are pushing for the defensive coordinator to remain in Buffalo, writes Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests promoting Schwartz to head coach could provide much-needed stability and continuity for the club.
- John Kryk of the Toronto Sun (all Twitter links) thinks the Bills shouldn’t hire a head coach until they install a new football czar, since it seems clear that the Pegulas want to hire one. If they do hire one, that new czar can decide whether or not to keep Whaley, and if they don’t hire one, they should announce they aren’t looking, and promote Whaley to VP of football operations.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Lions Notes: Suh, Leshoure, Lawson
Lions All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was identified by the league as one of 21 “at-risk” players who have “teetered on the boundaries of the league’s new way of doing on-field business,” reports NFL.com’s Albert Breer. As a result, NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent is seeking out the 21 players to address the issue directly. “There’s been pushback, and some anger,” says Breer, but in Suh’s case, Vincent was encouraged by their in-person sit-down.
“He was very receptive, he understood, he cared about the perception, his reputation, and I told him we’re not trying to take the edge he plays with away,” Vincent said. “I said, ‘We’ve seen you adjust, we’ve seen an adjustment in your play, let’s keep that going.’ … We met for hours, talking about the example he sets, the role model he’s become, and emphasizing his adjustment. What he did was set the bar with his approach, since he was first.”
That news will probably be met with a collective eye roll from opposing players and fans who have grown tired of Suh’s lip service, but all eyes will be on him to see if he cleans up his act under a new coaching staff expected to incorporate more discipline than Jim Schwartz’s teams exhibited.
Here’s a few more Lions news and notes:
- Running back Mikel Leshoure was a second-round pick in 2012, but he’s fourth on the Lions’ depth chart as the preseason kicks off, writes Mlive.com’s Kyle Meinke. However, people around the team seem to think that’s more a reflection of the team’s depth at the position rather than Leshoure underachieving. Even though new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi comes from New Orleans, where the Saints used a stable of capable runners, it’s difficult to envision the Lions carrying Leshoure as a projected inactive or severing ties, particularly if he has trade value, as Meinke’s Mlive colleague Justin Rogers suggests. “Mikel Leshoure still looks the part of a former second-round pick,” says Rogers. “The fourth-year running back has the size, speed and strength teams covet in the backfield, but it’s increasingly clear he’ll struggle to see the field in Detroit…Leshoure has looked good during the early stages of training camp and has been rewarded with plenty of reps with the first-team offense. But no matter how much work he gets and how well he practices, it’s difficult seeing a role for Leshoure without an injury to another player.”
- “An area of concern for Detroit at this point might be Ezekiel Ansah,” says ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. Ansah (shoulder) is still on the active physically unable to perform list, and while he’s been working on the side with trainers, Rothstein wonders how far behind he’s falling physically and/or mentally, especially with the team implementing a new scheme.
- Fourth-rounder Nevin Lawson isn’t expected to have a major impact this season, but he’s in an enviable position to learn and grow, according to Fox Sports Detroit’s Dana Wakiji, who points out that the rookie stands to benefit from practice reps against Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate and tutelage from Rashean Mathis. With the Lions adding Drayton Florence to the mix, Lawson will likely begin the year fifth on the depth chart, as the team is willing to take a patient approach with his development.
- It looks as if veteran Kevin Ogletree is establishing himself as the No. 3 receiver, says Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarrez in the Detroit Free Press.