Coach Notes: Quinn, Bears, Cowboys, Bills
Teams considering waiting for Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to become available are wary about the possibility that, despite what they’re saying, the Dolphins could hire Quinn to replace Joe Philbin, given the presence of Mike Tannenbaum, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). Prior to joining the Dolphins’ front office in an official capacity, Tannenbaum was Quinn’s agent, and according to La Canfora, that connection concerned the Jets to some degree.
However, a source tells La Canfora that there’s no chance Miami will hire Quinn if he’s available next month — if another team wants to wait on him, that club should have a shot at him (Twitter link). That team isn’t likely to be the 49ers though, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, who tweets that San Francisco hasn’t talked about Quinn in several days. All signs are pointing to Adam Gase for the 49ers, per Cole.
Let’s check in on a few more coaching-related items….
- John Fox‘s interview with the Bears is happening today, tweets Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. Meanwhile, a source tells Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that Kyle Shanahan will be one of Fox’s top offensive coordinator choices if he lands the Bears’ job.
- According to La Canfora (Twitter link), the Falcons “love” Josh McDaniels, but the Patriots offensive coordinator still seems unlikely to leave New England.
- Scott Linehan‘s deal with the Cowboys hasn’t been completed yet, a league source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). He’s waiting for his deal to get done before considering taking interviews and the sense is that it will be finalized soon (link). Linehan currently serves as Dallas’ passing game coordinator.
- It’s not clear yet if Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan will return to the Cowboys, writes Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, who says that eight teams have expressed interest in Callahan. With Linehan now handling the offensive playcalls in Dallas, it’s unlikely that Callahan will be back, in George’s view.
- Tony Sparano won’t be staying with the Raiders now that he didn’t get the team’s head coaching job, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) hears from sources that Jack Del Rio, who is expected to become Oakland’s coach, has been recruiting Marc Trestman for his offensive staff.
- Jay Glazer of FOX Sports joined Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on PFT Live to discuss the events that led to the divorce of John Fox and the Broncos. Glazer explains that the breakup, while shocking on the outside, has actually been a long time coming. Glazer sensed back at last year’s Senior Bowl that it would be a “one and done” for Fox, unless he could win a Super Bowl this season.
- Former Jets defensive line coach Karl Dunbar is joining Rex Ryan on the Bills‘ staff, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jordan Raanan of NJ.com adds (via Twitter) that Pepper Johnson has been told there’s a spot for him on Ryan’s coaching staff if the Giants‘ defensive coordinator position doesn’t pan out for him. Speaking of Ryan, he said today at his introductory press conference that it’s not true that he preferred the Falcons and 49ers jobs to the Bills position, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Bills Notes: Harris, Pace, Ryan
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) tells Bills fans to keep an eye on free agent linebacker David Harris, a favorite of new head coach Rex Ryan. Mehta says Ryan will also want to make a play for outside linebacker Calvin Pace, if the Jets cut him loose. More on the Bills, who are suddenly one of the most intriguing teams to watch for 2015..
- A league source tells Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee (via Twitter) that the Bills have interest in 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari. He’s been with the 49ers since the 2010 season.
- Bills quarterback EJ Manuel has left his agents at Dimensional Sports, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). Manuel is currently without an agent. The FSU product is under contract with the Bills through 2016.
- There’s a ton of buzz about Ryan going to the Bills and amping up their rivalry with the Jets, but Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com says that’s nothing for Gang Green to fear. Buffalo is already an elite defensive squad and the odds of Ryan turning Manuel into an elite quarterback are slim.
Bills Hire Rex Ryan As Head Coach
The Bills have officially made Rex Ryan their new head coach, the team announced today in a press release. Ryan, who was expected to be a finalist for the Falcons’ head coaching position and who was rumored to have serious interest in the 49ers’ job as well, will remain in the AFC East, having coached the Jets from 2009 to his firing at the end of the 2014 campaign.
“Following an extensive search, we are pleased today to announce that Rex Ryan is our new head coach. Rex brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the position that we feel will be a tremendous benefit to our players and the entire Bills organization,” Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. “He was very impressive during the interview process, as were many of the candidates to which we spoke, and we feel Rex is the best fit for our team. We look forward to his leadership and expertise in directing our team to the playoffs and bringing a championship to Buffalo for our fans.”
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that Ryan’s contract with Buffalo will be a five-year pact worth $27.5MM. Mehta adds (Twitter links) that Ryan’s top choice was the Atlanta position, but the Falcons never scheduled a second interview with him, and Ryan never felt that GM Thomas Dimitroff was “in his corner.” The Bills, meanwhile, made Ryan “feel wanted,” according to another tweet from Mehta.
According to Metha (via Twitter), Ryan wants to bring the majority of his Jets defensive staff with him, including defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. That list also includes defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and defensive backs coach Tim McDonald, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. However, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets that the Bills have “every intention” of retaining last year’s defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that Ryan has already asked Schwartz to stay on as defensive coordinator.
Ryan, always praised as a master defensive mind, will have a number of talented defensive players to work with in Buffalo, (although, as John Kryk of The Toronto Sun tweets, 2015 will mark the fifth straight year in which the Bills have alternated between a base 4-3 and a base 3-4 defense, assuming Ryan deploys his favored 3-4 scheme, and it has been a while since Schwartz last coached a 3-4 unit). The offensive side of the ball, on the other hand, was frequently the bane of Ryan’s existence in New York, and the Jets’ general lack of offensive success under Ryan played a significant role in his firing. Ryan plans to bring Jets quarterbacks coach David Lee with him to Buffalo, according to a tweet from Mehta, and Schefter tweets that 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman is the most likely candidate to fill the same position with the Bills.
Struggles at the quarterback position, which persisted throughout Ryan’s tenure with the Jets, were ultimately too much to overcome. Although Ryan’s club advanced to the AFC Championship game in each of his first two seasons in New York, former first-round selection Mark Sanchez never blossomed into the franchise quarterback that the Jets had hoped, and 2013 second-round pick Geno Smith fared no better, as the Jets failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2014 and Ryan concluded his Jets career with a 50-52 overall record.. It seems, therefore, that Ryan will be facing many of the same challenges in his new job as he did in his last one, even with the potential addition of Roman to his coaching staff: a strong defense but a major question mark under center, where E.J. Manuel has done little to prove that he is worthy of the 16th-overall pick that the Bills used on him in 2013.
Nonetheless, Ryan does bring a reputation as a player’s coach who can consistently generate maximum effort from his personnel. Although everyone on the Jets knew that Ryan was going to be fired shortly after the team’s final contest of the 2014 season, the team played perhaps its best game of the year in Week 17, beating division rival Miami 37-24 and giving Ryan a Gatorade shower when the victory was secured.
In addition to an attitude and bravado that the Bills have rarely seen on their sidelines, Ryan also brings an obvious familiarity with the AFC East. Before his first season in New York, Ryan famously stated that he was not brought in to kiss Patriots head coach Bill Belichick‘s rings, and now he will have another opportunity to best Belichick several times a season. If he can overcome the quarterback hurdle that plagued him with the Jets – a big “if” to be sure – he might just be able to do it.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported (via Twitter) that Ryan and the Bills were finalizing an agreement.
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.
Poll: Top Head Coaching Candidate?
It has been nearly two weeks since the 2014 regular season ended, but none of the six teams looking for a new head coach have made a hire yet. The slow process can be partially attributed to the fact that several strong head coaching candidates are still alive in the postseason, but there are plenty of viable targets available now.
Of course, many of this year’s noteworthy candidates are talented coordinators who don’t have any previous head coaching experience, so it’s not necessarily easy to identify the top options. Rex Ryan, Mike Shanahan, and Doug Marrone have had varying degrees of success in past head coaching roles, while Dan Quinn (Seahawks), Todd Bowles (Cardinals), and Teryl Austin (Lions) led three of the league’s best defensive units this season. Throw in Adam Gase, whose Broncos offense has ranked in the top three in DVOA for three consecutive seasons, and there are a number of intriguing coaches out there interviewing for multiple job openings.
So what do you think? If you were running an NFL franchise and tasked with hiring a new head coach, which of these candidates would you make your top priority? We’ve limited our poll to the eight aforementioned names, but feel free to weigh in below in the comments section if you feel strongly about a coach not listed here.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Ryan, Revis, Dolphins
Today’s thrilling divisional playoff contest between the Patriots and Ravens may end up being the best game of this year’s postseason, and it also ensured that at least one coveted offensive coordinator would become available for head coaching interviews. Josh McDaniels and his New England offense will advance to the AFC championship game, but Gary Kubiak is now free to speak to teams about head coaching positions.
As our head coaching search tracker shows, reports have suggested the Bears, 49ers, and Jets have interest in Kubiak, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) that New York still has a request in for an interview. The club is “intrigued” by the Ravens offensive coordinator, per Rapoport. However, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets, Kubiak didn’t say after Baltimore’s loss whether he’d interview for the Jets’ opening, indicating that he’d rather not talk about it today.
Here’s more from around the AFC East:
- Rex Ryan is expected to be a finalist in the Falcons’ search for a head coach, and at least one report says the former Jets coach has serious interest in the 49ers. Now, it appears we can add the Bills to the list of Ryan’s legitimate suitors — Adam Schefter and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com report that Buffalo conducted a second interview with Ryan tonight in Florida. A source tells Joe Buscaglia of WGR550 (Twitter link) that the interest between Ryan and the Bills is mutual, but Buscaglia cautions that it’s too early to tell if things will move forward.
- The Patriots and cornerback Darrelle Revis will meet to discuss a new contract once the team’s season ends, with mutual interest in continuing the relationship, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter links). Howe adds that the idea would be to rip up Revis’ current contract and work out a new agreement. The star corner didn’t have a great game against the Ravens today, but was one of the Pats’ most important contributors during the regular season.
- After registering a complaint about Washington’s hiring of Scot McCloughan, the Fritz Pollard Alliance – which monitors the NFL’s Rooney Rule – is also concerned about the Dolphins‘ hiring of Mike Tannenbaum. “We believe the Dolphins need to clarify Tannebaum’s role such as what role he has controlling the draft board and his overall duties and responsibilities,” Fritz Pollard Alliance counsel Cyrus Mehri tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “Further, they need to explain, given his title, why they think the Rooney Rule does not apply. It appears the Rule applies given his title, but they mistakenly thought it didn’t. If they made a mistake they should own up to it.”
AFC Coaching Notes: McDaniels, Kubiak, Jets
We have already looked at some of the NFC’s biggest coaching stories, and to follow up here are some of the most important AFC rumors:
- The early game today features a pair of offensive minds that could have head coaching opportunities this offseason, in Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, writes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). McDaniels has drawn interest from the Falcons and 49ers, while Kubiak has ties to both the Jets and Bears.
- Kubiak has not interviewed yet, choosing to wait until the team’s season is over. However, even if Baltimore is eliminated, Kubiak may not interview for a head coaching job. He loves the Ravens and has friends with the organization, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
- As former Jets head coach Rex Ryan interviews for potential head coaching jobs, one question teams are curious about is who he plans to bring in as an offensive coordinator. Ryan is pitching a potential union with former Bears coach Marc Trestman, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
- Trestman and Raiders quarterback coach John DeFilippo are in the running to replace Kyle Shanahan as the Browns‘ offensive coordinator, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Fowler writes that the most important qualities Cleveland is looking for in an offensive coordinator are the ability to work with Johnny Manziel and scheme flexibility in case the team moves on from its young quarterback.
- The Browns have also asked for permission to interview Raiders assistant coach Al Saunders, who has experience as an offensive coordinator and head coach during his 30 years in the NFL, reports Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury News.
- If former Bills coach Doug Marrone cannot land another head coaching job this year, he would likely be welcome to join the Texans’ staff as a consultant, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). Marrone is close with Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
- The Jets could be waiting for Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but owner Woody Johnson should be worried about his ability to get the in-demand Seahawks assistant, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. If the Jets wait on Quinn and loses him to another suitor, it could leave the team in a bad spot.
Jets Links: Ryan, Shanahan, Maccagnan
One of Rex Ryan‘s former players believes the coach can succeed elsewhere. Linebacker Bart Scott played under the head coach for four seasons, and the current CBS analyst believes Ryan could flourish in Atlanta.
“I think the Falcons are the best situation for Rex to go into,” Scott said (via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure). “Come on, you’re talking about fixing the defense. I’m sure people see how Matt Ryan has played. He hasn’t had the defense to get him the ball back.
“Rex Ryan is a head coach/defensive coordinator. Let Rex run the show and start dialing up plays to knock Drew Brees out. Look at his history playing against Cam Newton. Rex knows how to keep Cam in the box. And Tampa Bay? Please. That would be like Homecoming.”
Scott also suggested that Ryan could hypothetically lure some of his former players to the organization.
“I think a quick fix for that Atlanta defense is David Harris is up for free agency, and Rex has the ability to bring a guy like that over. He has the ability to bring a guy like Calvin Pace over who knows the system and lives in Atlanta.
“…But then Rex probably has the ability as well to bring a guy like Antonio Cromartie to come over opposite Desmond Trufant and slide right in and get instant experience within the defense overnight.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the Jets organization, including their hunt for a new coach and general manager…
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes the Jets need an “innovative and creative offensive mind” who can develop young quarterbacks (via Twitter). The writer suggests Kyle Shanahan as an ideal playcaller for the team.
- Following news that the organization would be bringing back Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan for a second GM interview, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that it wouldn’t be surprising if Maccagnan is hired this weekend.
- ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini examines the candidacy of Maccagnan, stating that the Texans executive is “most comfortable in a background role.” This has led some to wonder whether he’d be able to handle the pressure in New York, but Cimini counters that Maccagnan “has the ability to work well with people and isn’t afraid to admit when he’s wrong,” an attribute that was lacking from the team’s previous general manager.
- Brian Costello of the New York Post cites a source who says it would be a “travesty” if Maccagnan is not offered the position.
- Many members of the Seahawks are under the mindset that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will accept a head coaching position this offseason. His players aren’t bitter, however, and they believe their coach will succeed in any situation, including with the Jets. “I think he’d be fantastic,” Richard Sherman told Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. “Obviously, you’re not always getting a great team, so it takes some time to develop…But he’ll be fantastic.”
Coach Notes: Philbin, Ryan, Bowles, Trestman
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced last month that the team would be retaining head coach Joe Philbin for the 2015 season, and the next step is to lock up Philbin with an extension. As Aramando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins will indeed make an extension offer to Philbin, to ensure that he doesn’t enter 2015 as a lame-duck coach, and to make sure his price tag doesn’t go up if Miami has a strong ’15 campaign. Of course, if the Dolphins take a step back next season, Philbin could still be dismissed — Ross and the team would just have to eat the remaining cost of his deal.
Here are a few more Thursday coaching updates from across the league:
- Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle is hearing that Rex Ryan‘s first choice is the 49ers, followed by the Falcons (Twitter link). However, it’s not clear if Ryan would be atop the Niners’ list as well.
- The Falcons pushed their interviews for Teryl Austin and Todd Bowles back to Friday and Saturday, respectively, due to the passing of Molly Blank, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. That’s why Bowles is meeting with the Bears today instead of Saturday.
- Meanwhile, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says (via Twitter) that the Raiders have been “knocked off” Bowles’ list, while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears the Cardinals defensive coordinator is making a “very strong impression” in his head coaching interviews. Bowles met with the Jets yesterday, and had the Bears on tap today, before he moves on to the 49ers on Friday and Falcons on Saturday.
- Following Kyle Shanahan‘s departure from the Browns, Marc Trestman‘s name has come up as Cleveland considers new candidates, and the former Bears head coach would be interested in talking to the team, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
- The Jaguars, on the other hand, aren’t leaning toward Trestman to be their new offensive coordinator, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
- The Giants have requested permission to interview Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for their defensive coordinator position, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Noting that the contract of Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver expires in less than two weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) says Tarver is a DC target for some head coaching candidates around the league. The Raiders would like to keep him, but Tarver could choose to pursue a DC job under a new head coach for another team, depending on who lands where.
East Notes: Jets, Casserly, Ryan, Washington
Jets consultant Charley Casserly is open to hiring a new coach before a GM, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. “In a perfect world,” Casserly said on 620 AM WDAE, “You hire the GM first and then hire the head coach…However, sometimes opportunities present themselves on a coach that you can get in competition with and you feel like you need to pull the trigger on the coach first. And then come back and hire a general manager..Now people will say, ‘Well, that can’t work.’ Well, Seattle won the Super Bowl and that’s exactly what they did.”
- The Bills will soon talk to Rex Ryan about their head coaching vacancy but they are concerned that he is leery of their quarterback situation, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. In Buffalo, EJ Manuel stands as the starter and without a first-round pick, there aren’t many clear options for fixing the position.
- The Chiefs denied permission to Washington to interview Gary Gibbs for their defensive coordinator opening, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Gibbs, for his part, says that he turned the interview down, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter).
- Eagles assistant DBs coach Todd Lyght is leaving to become the cornerbacks coach at Vanderbilt, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).