HEADLINES

Joe Barry

NFC East Notes: Romo, Sproles, Redskins

December 30th, 2016 at 2:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will likely make his season debut this weekend against the Eagles, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer and Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The veteran signal-caller hasn’t taken the field since Thanksgiving of 2015.

According to Archer and Schefter, the 36-year-old will see the field for only a series or two before handing off to Mark Sanchez. The Cowboys are presumably hoping to limit the chance of an injury as they look to shop the veteran quarterback this offseason.

Romo missed the first several months of the season as he recovered from a back injury. By the time he returned, rookie Dak Prescott was in complete control of the Cowboys’ starting quarterback gig. The last time the veteran played in at least 15 games was 2014, when he threw for 3,705 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC East…

  • Veteran running back Darren Sproles announced that the 2017-2018 campaign will likely be his final season in the NFL, writes ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. While the 33-year-old would prefer to end his career with the Eagles, he understands that it’s not necessarily his decision. “That’s not up to me. That’s up to the people upstairs. I’ve got nothing to do with that,” Sproles said. “But that’s the plan.” Over the offseason, Sproles inked a one-year extension with Philly that would keep him on the team through next season. Sproles hasn’t done anything to prove that he couldn’t be productive next season, as the 12-year veteran has compiled 406 rushing yards (the second-highest total of his career) and 423 receiving yards in 15 games this season.
  • This weekend could be the final time defensive tackle Bennie Logan takes the field as a member of the Eagles, writes Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. The 27-year-old has averaged more than 12 starts a season for Philly since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2013. For what it’s worth, the impending free agent would like to stick around. “Trying to start over and do something new, is something I’m not looking forward to,” the defensive tackle said. “Because I enjoy being here, the city and everything. This is where I see myself at.”
  • The Redskins defense has underperformed this season, and the team ranks towards the bottom of the league in many defensive metrics. As a result, defensive coordinator Joe Barry has naturally found himself on the hot seat. Despite his lack of job security, the coach isn’t thinking about whether he’ll be out of a job. “That’s a good question,” he told Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “Those are things that we will obviously address, but right now, I’m just 1,000 percent on the Giants, and I’m not even thinking a day past that right now.”

Bears Hire Vic Fangio As DC

January 20th, 2015 at 4:30pm CST by Luke Adams

4:30pm: The Bears (on Twitter) announced the hiring of Fangio.

10:01am: After mulling over his decision for several days, Vic Fangio has decided to join John Fox‘s staff with the Bears, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). According to La Canfora, the former 49ers defensive coordinator drew significant interest from both Chicago and Washington, and finally made his decision this morning.

Fangio had been considered a candidate for the 49ers’ head coaching opening, but was passed over in favor of fellow Niners assistant Jim Tomsula. At that point, the team agreed to release the defensive coordinator from his contract to pursue other opportunities. Fangio interviewed for the DC jobs in Chicago and Washington, and according to La Canfora, both teams “wanted him badly.”

After ranking 13th in DVOA in 2013, Fangio’s defense in San Francisco improved in Football Outsiders’ rankings in 2014, placing fifth overall. The Niners became a top-five defense despite being without suspended linebacker Aldon Smith for much of the season, and injured linebacker NaVorro Bowman for the entire season. Patrick Willis and first-round rookie Jimmie Ward also finished the year on injured reserve.

Having landed Fangio, the Bears figure to turn their attention to locking up an offensive coordinator. The team has reportedly been denied permission to speak to Mike Mularkey of the Titans and Jim Bob Cooter of the Lions, and has also been linked to Colts assistant Rob Chudzinski.

La Canfora adds (via Twitter) that former 49ers defensive backs coach Ed Donatell will also likely be joining Fangio in Chicago in the same role. Donatell was released from his Niners contract at the same time as Fangio, and the duo was viewed as a potential package deal.

As for Washington, the team appeared set to hire Chargers assistant Joe Barry as its defensive coordinator before Fangio became available, so it would make sense to revisit that possibility. John Keim of ESPN.com tweets as much, suggesting that – based on conversations he has had – Barry “has to be at the top of the list now” for Washington.

Washington Hires Joe Barry As DC

January 20th, 2015 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

4:15pm: Washington made it official with an announcement, according to Chargers PR director Bill Johnston (on Twitter).

11:21am: Just over an hour after reports indicated that Vic Fangio would be joining the Bears as their new defensive coordinator, Washington has decided on a DC of its own, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport, who reported last Wednesday that the club planned to hire Joe Barry, tweets that Barry is indeed back on track to become the team’s new defensive coordinator — “for real this time.”

As I noted when Rapoport’s initial report surfaced, Barry has one previous stint as a defensive coordinator under his belt, with the Lions from 2007 to 2008. Of course, Barry left that position at a low point, following the club’s 0-16 campaign in ’08. Barry’s run in Detroit is perhaps best remembered for prompting one reporter to ask his father-in-law, head coach Rod Marinelli, if he wished his daughter had “married a better defensive coordinator.”

Since leaving the Lions, Barry has worked as an assistant for the Buccaneers, USC, and the Chargers, holding the position of linebackers coach at each one of those stops. As Washington’s new defensive coordinator, Barry will be tasked with turning around a unit that finished 27th in DVOA in 2014, including 32nd against the pass. The team also allowed 27.4 points per game this season, tied for the third-worst mark in the NFL.

While Barry’s hiring has yet to be officially announced, it would be a surprise at this point if it was derailed again. It seems that Washington’s plan to hire Barry only got delayed when Fangio became available — according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Washington badly wanted to hire the former 49ers defensive coordinator, who ultimately chose the Bears instead.

During the club’s search to identify a replacement for Jim Haslett, Washington also reportedly interviewed Raheem Morris, Eric Mangini, Ed Donatell, Clancy Pendergast, and Wade Phillips.

Latest On Washington’s DC Search

January 16th, 2015 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

After being released from his contract in San Francisco to pursue other opportunities, former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will interview with Washington for the club’s defensive coordinator job, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, who tweets that a meeting could happen on Saturday.

A report earlier this week suggested that Washington intended to hire Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry as its new defensive coordinator. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who originally reported that Barry would likely be hired after Raheem Morris was eliminated from contention, suggests things changed when Fangio became available. Per Rapoport, Fangio’s biggest advocate in Washington is new general manager Scot McCloughan (Twitter links).

As Rapoport points out, Fangio has no ties to either head coach Jay Gruden or GM Bruce Allen, whereas Barry worked with both men years ago in Tampa Bay. So if the team were to hire Fangio, it would be a departure of sorts from the usual operating procedure.

Fangio should have several potential suitors, with a report yesterday indicating that every team with an opening at defensive coordinator had expressed interest in the veteran coach. Still, as we saw yesterday when Washington moved quickly to hire Bill Callahan away from the Cowboys, the team appears ready and willing to shell out the money required for top-notch assistants. Fangio had been one of the league’s highest-paid defensive coordinators in San Francisco, so he likely won’t come cheap.

NFC East Notes: Washington, Linehan, Giants

January 15th, 2015 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

There’s still no action on Washington‘s defensive coordinator hunt, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (all Twitter links), who hears that the team does indeed have interest in Vic Fangio, though it remains unclear if an interview is being scheduled. As Jones notes, Washington could still end up hiring Joe Barry, as had been previously reported, but it appears the team has pumped the brakes a little on making a final decision — as more candidates become available, the process of making a hire is perhaps lasting a little longer than expected.

Let’s round up a few more notes from around the NFC East….

  • As I speculated earlier today, Scott Linehan‘s new deal with the Cowboys will indeed include the official offensive coordinator title, since Bill Callahan is expected to leave the team, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Linehan, who is signing a three-year contract, essentially played the role of OC in 2014, since he called the club’s plays while Callahan primarily worked with the offensive line.
  • Owner Jerry Jones believes the Cowboys are capable of being major players in free agency, but isn’t sure exactly how active they’ll be, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’d love to have the opportunity to improve that pass rush in the range of something that we could afford and make sense logically,” Jones told reporters.
  • The Giants have informed Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson that they’re going a different direction with their defensive coordinator hire, a source tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (Twitter link).
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap previews the Giants‘ offseason, examining the team’s cap situation and potential approach to free agency.

Washington Plans To Hire Joe Barry As DC?

January 15th, 2015 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 8:15am: Former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who isn’t returning to San Francisco, is a late entry being considered for Washington’s defensive coordinator position, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While there’s no indication of how serious Washington’s interest is, or whether it’s mutual, the fact that Fangio could be in the mix suggests the team still has yet to make its final decision.

WEDNESDAY, 1:33pm: Echoing what Keim, Jones, and Boyer reported earlier, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 tweets that Washington hasn’t hired Barry yet, and goes a step further, calling the initial report “false,” even though Rapoport didn’t say a deal had been completed. There’s still no indication that Washington is leaning toward another candidate, and Keim tweets that a number of the team’s assistants expect Barry to land the job. However, it definitely doesn’t seem to be a sure thing at this point.

8:53am: Three Washington beat reporters – ESPN’s John Keim, Mike Jones of the Washington Post, and Zac Boyer of the Washington Times – have all tweeted that there’s no agreement in place yet between Barry and the team. However, Rapoport’s report didn’t explicitly say that the two sides had agreed to terms — just that Washington intends to hire Barry. None of the Washington writers have indicated that the team is leaning in any other direction, so it still looks as if Barry will ultimately land the job, even if nothing’s official yet.

8:41am: Washington has decided on a replacement for recently dismissed defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the club will hire Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry to fill the position. Rapoport had indicated yesterday that either Barry or Raheem Morris appeared likely to land Washington’s DC job.

Barry has one previous stint as a defensive coordinator under his belt, with the Lions from 2007 to 2008. Of course, Barry left that position at a low point, following the club’s 0-16 campaign in ’08. Barry’s run in Detroit is perhaps best remembered for prompting one reporter to ask his father-in-law, head coach Rod Marinelli, if he wished his daughter had “married a better defensive coordinator.”

Since leaving the Lions, Barry has worked as an assistant for the Buccaneers, USC, and the Chargers, holding the position of linebackers coach at each one of those stops. His hiring in Washington comes after the team also reportedly interviewed candidates like Morris, Eric Mangini, Ed Donatell, and Wade Phillips. According to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (Twitter link), Morris’ interview with the club was “just okay,” which presumably opened the door for Barry to land the job.

As Washington’s new defensive coordinator, Barry will be tasked with turning around a unit that finished 27th in DVOA in 2014, including 32nd against the pass. The team also allowed 27.4 points per game this season, tied for the third-worst mark in the NFL.

Coach Notes: Meyer, Browns, Fangio, Raiders

January 13th, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

Wins over Alabama and Oregon in the NCAA’s first College Football Playoff created plenty of buzz for Urban Meyer, but the Buckeyes head coach quickly dismissed any speculation that his success at Ohio State would result in a jump to the NFL this offseason. “Not right now. I have a commitment to Ohio State and these players,” Meyer said when asked about the possibility of an NFL job, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Let’s check in on several coaching situations from around the league, as a handful of teams look to hire new head coaches and/or coordinators….

  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links) provide an update on the Browns‘ hunt for an offensive coordinator, with Rapoport noting that Marc Trestman interviews tomorrow and Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo meets with the team on Friday. Per Schefter, the Browns have also requested permission to talk to Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn about the position.
  • Raheem Morris‘ meeting with Washington about the team’s defensive coordinator vacancy is expected to be the last of the club’s interviews, tweets Rapoport, who believes either Morris or Joe Barry will land the job.
  • Michael Silver of NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that the word in coaching circles is that 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio may want to leave the team unless he (or Mike Shanahan) is hired as the head coach. In that case, writes Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the Raiders should kick the tires on Fangio as a potential head coaching candidate.
  • Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who is working on a new deal of his own, says defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has told him he wants to stay with the team, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Per Archer, talks on new contracts for the team’s coaches are ongoing.
  • In a tweet, Kawakami also suggests keeping an eye on Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, who has multiple options, and would likely be Jim Tomsula‘s top choice for defensive coordinator if he lands the 49ers‘ head coaching job.
  • If Todd Bowles is hired as a head coach, he’d like to take Cardinals linebackers coach Mike Caldwell with him as a defensive coordinator, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910.
  • The Giants are interested in talking to former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen about their defensive coordinator position, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, adding that it’s not clear whether an interview has been scheduled yet.

Coach Updates: Shanahans, Bears, Bills, Jags

January 6th, 2015 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

Mike Shanahan has already talked to the 49ers, Bills, and Raiders about their head coaching vacancies, and it sounds like he’ll have at least one more interview. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Shanahan will meet with the Bears about their head coaching position after the team hires a general manager, which could happen soon — Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times says the team has set a Saturday deadline.

As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter), there are multiple signs pointing to Shanahan as a viable candidate in Chicago. For one, Chiefs executive Chris Ballard is considered a strong contender to be the Bears’ next general manager, and he’d likely be pro-Shanahan. La Canfora adds that Shanahan and quarterback Jay Cutler have remained close, and believe they could thrive together.

According to La Canfora (Twitter links), while it’s possible that Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan ends up working for the same team as his father, the two men are charting their own courses, and aren’t shopping themselves as a package. The younger Shanahan is set to interview for the Bills‘ head coaching opening on Thursday, tweets La Canfora.

Here are a few more non-Shanahan coaching updates from around the NFL:

  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms (via Twitter) that in addition to Shanahan and Teryl Austin, Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will interview with the Bills this week.
  • Rapoport also has an update on Washington‘s defensive coordinator interviews, reporting that Chargers linebacker coach Joe Barry arrived in town yesterday to meet with the team, while 49ers defensive backs coach Ed Donatell will speak to the club on Wednesday (Twitter links). Wade Phillips‘ interview for the Washington DC job is scheduled for Thursday, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com.
  • With no concrete updates to provide on the Jaguars‘ hunt for an offensive coordinator, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union suggests that head coach Gus Bradley either hasn’t shifted the search into high gear, or he’s secretly casting a wide net.

New Year’s Roundup: Jets, Coaches, Colston

January 1st, 2015 at 8:55pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets are moving very quickly in their search for a new GM, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The team interviewed Browns personnel executive Bill Kuharich in New Jersey this morning and is currently interviewing Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner. Citing a league source, Costello also tweets that New York plans to interview Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan and Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller on Sunday or Monday. Costello reiterates (via Twitter) that the Jets would like to hire a GM before making a decision on a new head coach, but they of course must stay active in the head coaching market lest they lose a top candidate to another club. According to another tweet from Costello, one of the most significant questions the Jets are asking GM candidates is what coaches they would like to work with.

As much of the country fixates on the Sugar Bowl, let’s take a look at a few other notes from around the league:

  • John Mullin of CSNChicago.com notes a couple of early patterns in the Bears‘ search for a new head coach and GM, pointing out that the early coaching candidates “have a preponderance of winning in their immediate pasts” and that the team is not concerned whether their new coach has more of an offensive or defensive pedigree.
  • Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times examines the most important early decisions the Bears‘ new GM must make, which include determinations on the respective futures of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall and how to handle the looming free agency of Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, both of whom are entering the final year of their current contracts.
  • ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Washington, seeking to fill its newly-vacant defensive coordinator position, is setting up interviews with 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, 49ers DB coach Ed Donatell, and Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry.
  • Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com looks at some of the Eagles‘ potential cap casualties, including James Casey, Trent Cole, and Cary Williams.
  • With a new mega-deal in his near future, Cowboys star wideout Dez Bryant is focused on Sunday’s playoff game against the Lions, not his next contract, writes Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. Byrant said, “I’m just going to keep working. I can’t worry about the contract.”
  • Saints wide receiver Marques Colston knows his future in New Orleans is up in the air, and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that, although Colston would like to stay with the only team he has ever known, he may be released or asked to take a pay cut with two years remaining on his current contract. If asked to take a reduction in pay, Colston said his relationship with Drew Brees and Sean Payton would play a role in his decision.
  • Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 tweets that the Buccaneers are expected to request an interview with Titans tight ends coach Mike Mularkey for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

 

West Notes: Shanahan, Gase, 49ers, Fangio

January 1st, 2015 at 12:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Adam Gase and Mike Shanahan have several striking similarities — both are sharp offensive minds, have been employed by the Broncos, and most newsworthy, will be interviewed by the 49ers for their head coaching vacancy this weekend. According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Gase, Denver’s offensive coordinator, will meet with the Niners and the Falcons on Friday, before interviewing for the Bears’ HC position on Sunday. San Francisco’s decision-makers, owner Jed York and GM Trent Baalke, will also visit with Shanahan, who resides in the Denver area. Here’s more from the West divisions…

  • The 49ers have a busy weekend ahead of them, as the club will also interview former Jets head coach Rex Ryan on Sunday, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (via Twitter). Ryan, who is also a candidate for the Falcons job, could have leg up for the SF gig because he “loves” Colin Kaepernick, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
  • While their focus is on finding a new head coach, the 49ers could be on the verge of losing several key assistants. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio would like to be a head coach, and could opt to pursue other options if he’s passed over for the San Francisco job, reports Matt Barrows of the San Francisco Bee (via Twitter). Washington is interested in interviewing Fangio for its vacant DC position, but as he’s still in the mix for SF’s top job, they haven’t yet been granted permission to speak with him, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Washington wanted to meet with Fangio last year regarding its HC gig, but didn’t get the opportunity because of San Francisco’s extended playoff run, per Barrows (on Twitter).
  • Meanwhile, Washington has been granted permission to speak to two other assistant coaches about its defensive coordinator job, and both are currently employed by West division clubs. Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry and 49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell will meet with Washington as the team looks to replace Jim Haslett, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
  • 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is a candidate for the team’s head coaching position, and if he is promoted to the top job, he’ll look to bring in Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver for the same position in San Francisco, reports Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter), who notes that Fangio wouldn’t be interested in remaining on staff under Tomsula.
  • Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters, including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, that he doesn’t expect to make any changes to his coaching staff.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.