NFC Notes: Packers, Saints, Eagles
A look around the NFC. . .
- Although the Packers’ offense is slumping, head coach Mike McCarthy said after Sunday’s 18-16 loss to Detroit that he won’t take play-calling duties away from coordinator Tom Clements. “I like the way our staff works, and I like the way they work with our players,” McCarthy stated, per ESPN’s Jason Wilde. McCarthy called Green Bay’s offensive plays from 2006-14 before deciding to give the role to Clements this year.
- The 4-6 Saints are entering their bye week, and Larry Holder of NOLA.com writes that it’s the perfect time for head coach Sean Payton to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and give Ryan’s job to defensive assistant Dennis Allen. Payton brought in Allen after Ryan’s defense finished 31st in the league last season. Led by Ryan, the Saints have allowed 130 points over the last three weeks – including 47 in an embarrassing defeat in Washington on Sunday. Afterward, Payton said that “we’re not going to discuss any of those types of changes, certainly not right now.”
- While Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford hasn’t been particularly good this year, Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer submits that Sunday’s output by backup Mark Sanchez was a prime example of why nobody should call for Sanchez to take over the starting job. After an injured Bradford left the Eagles’ game against Miami with Philadelphia leading 16-13, Sanchez came in and failed to help the team to victory – even throwing a costly interception – in a 20-19 defeat. The season’s on the brink for the 4-5 Eagles, and Sielski doesn’t expect their playoff chances to stay alive for long if Bradford misses time and Sanchez has to be the No. 1 signal caller.
- Jeff McLane of the Inquirer believes that Eagles head coach and football czar Chip Kelly‘s decision to trade for Bradford in the offseason was a worthy gamble. However, Kelly could be done in by his failure to surround Bradford with a sturdier offensive line and better receivers, McLane opines.
Latest On Saints, Sean Payton
There is a “steadily increasing possibility” that head coach Sean Payton and some front office execs will exit the franchise in the offseason, a league source tells Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. There’s currently a legal battle being waged regarding ownership of the Saints between Tom Benson and his estranged daughter Renee Benson. If the younger Benson comes out on top, it could lead to major changes for the Saints.
“If [Renee Benson] gets control of the team, a lot of people [in the franchise] are worried that she could fire everyone who has been loyal to Tom,” the league source said, adding that Payton is one of the people in Tom Benson’s corner. “They’re waiting to see what happens.”
It sounds as though Renee Benson could push Payton out the door, but the coach might also push the eject button out of New Orleans. Payton has options and there will be no shortage of suitors for him if he hits the open market.
“Sean has some outs in his deal,” Robinson’s source said. “If there is an ownership change, he has an out. He has some other outs, too. There would be a lot of interest in him – maybe four or five other teams would be interested. … I don’t think he’s thinking about it right now. He’s not pursuing anything. I think he wants to see what happens like everyone else. But considering everything, if I put a percentage on whether he’d be the Saints coach next year, I’d say [it’s] 50-50.”
On Sunday night it was reported that if Payton wants to be a “coaching free agent” at the end of the 2015 season, the Saints would be inclined to let him out of his contract. The Colts and Dolphins have been frequently mentioned as a suitor for Payton’s services should he become available, and the Giants, Lions, and Titans could all be looking for head coaches as well by season’s end. All of those clubs would be willing to pay top dollar for Payton, who has a reputation as a quarterback guru.
Saints Would Release Sean Payton From Contract
If Sean Payton wants to be a “coaching free agent” at the end of the 2015 season, the Saints would be inclined to let him out of his contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Conor Orr of NFL.com). Rapoport adds that New Orleans might not even have a say in the matter. Payton’s current deal includes a “change of control” clause that allows him to terminate his contract if owner Tom Benson is no longer in charge of the club. Benson, 88, is in a legal dispute with various family members regarding control of his teams (he also owns the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans).
But regardless of Benson’s status, it appears increasingly likely that the Saints and Payton are headed for a parting of the ways. The Colts and Dolphins have been frequently mentioned as a suitor for Payton’s services should he become available, and the Giants, Lions, and Titans could all be looking for head coaches as well by season’s end. All of those clubs would be willing to pay top dollar for Payton, who has a reputation as a quarterback guru.
Payton is also relatively young (51) and has a strong track record of success. If he wants to leave, he will have plenty of options. Or, if he returns to the Saints, it could be under a new, even more lucrative deal that gives him increased control over personnel decisions.
As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes, even if the Saints were to allow Payton to pursue other opportunities, an interested team would need to request the Saints’ permission to speak with Payton, and before permission is granted, the two teams would need to negotiate the terms of compensation in the event the new team would hire Payton. Evan Woodberry of The Times-Picayune tweets that he would be surprised if New Orleans allowed Payton to break his contract without at least nominal compensation, adding (via Twitter) that, absent an ownership change, it would reflect poorly on the team if it allowed a well-regarded coach to leave without receiving anything in return.
Extra Points: Relocation, Mariota, Hartley
With the race to Los Angeles heating up, the NFL announced today that the league will conduct public hearings later this month in St. Louis, San Diego, and Oakland to discuss possible relocation (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The town hall meetings are meant to provide fans and community members in those cities an opportunity to ask questions and express views directly to the NFL before any decisions on relocation are made, according to the league’s press release.
As we wait to see how those meetings play out, let’s round up a few Monday odds and ends from across the NFL….
- Speaking to reporters, Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt confirmed today that quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered a sprained MCL on Sunday. However, Whisenhunt said that Mariota is walking fine, and the team will determine later this week whether or not he’ll have to miss any games (Twitter links via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com).
- Former Saints and Steelers kicker Garrett Hartley is fully recovered from his hamstring injury and is receiving some interest, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. New Orleans made a kicking change, but the team opted for another free agent – Kai Forbath – rather than Hartley.
- If Colts owner Jim Irsay decides he wants to replace head coach Chuck Pagano, Peter King of TheMMQB.com expects Irsay to have interest in Sean Payton in the offseason, and adds that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get in touch with Jim Harbaugh as well. King doesn’t expect Harbaugh to leave Michigan, but thinks it would be worth seeing what his price would be.
- Per ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Browns cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu received $3MM today from his loss-of-value insurance policy. It’s the largest amount of money that a player has ever been paid on such a policy, which the former Oregon defensive back was able to collect because his draft stock was significantly hurt by an ACL injury he suffered in college.
Latest On Chip Kelly, Sean Payton
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com created something of a stir this morning when he reported that Chip Kelly and Sean Payton are “among those who will be considered” for the head coaching vacancy at the University of Southern California (link via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). Of course, just because USC is interested in a particular head coach does not mean that the interest is mutual; indeed, the University of Maryland is expected to make a run at Kelly, but no one actually expects Kelly to be on the Terrapins’ sideline next year. Plus, even if there is mutual interest, there are a whole host of contractual and other obstacles that both parties would need to clear.
Nonetheless, given recent reports that Payton would listen to other suitors, and given the Eagles’ struggles in 2015 under Kelly’s watch–not to mention Kelly’s excellent track record at the college level–the rumors connecting both high-profile coaches to one of the most prestigious college football programs are inevitable. As Rapoport points out, Payton’s daughter attends college at Pepperdine University, roughly 30 minutes away from USC, and Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune concedes (via Twitter) that if Payton is ready to move on from the Saints, USC makes a great deal of sense for him. Furthermore, a move to college would not require that compensation be paid to the Saints, whereas New Orleans would be in line for compensation if Payton were to move to another NFL club.
A source close to Kelly, meanwhile, says that the Eagles’ head coach “really likes to be liked and wanted,” which may explain at least some of his reported interest in the USC job. After all, as ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets, Kelly recently purchased a home in the Philadelphia area, and while that may not be overly significant in and of itself, Caplan opines in a separate tweet that Kelly is not thinking of anything but coaching the Eagles for the next several seasons. Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News concurs in a series of his own tweets, in which he takes a not-so-subtle dig at the reports connecting Kelly to the USC position.
John Harbaugh has recently been mentioned as a candidate for the USC job as well, but he predictably and definitively shot down those reports. Moving forward, though, expect plenty of rumors connecting NFL head coaches to USC, and because of his apparent openness to a new opportunity, expect even more rumors about Payton.
NFC Notes: Chip, Payton, Caldwell, RGIII
Before joining the Eagles in 2013, Chip Kelly was one of college football’s premier head coaches. Kelly led Oregon to a 46-7 record and three top five finishes from 2009-12, but his reign in Philadelphia hasn’t gone as well – particularly since he took control of the roster last offseason. Thus, some are wondering whether he’ll return to the college ranks – specifically to USC, a high-profile program on the hunt for a new head coach. If you’re to believe Kelly, it’s not going to happen, and neither he nor his Eagles players are fazed by the speculation, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“We know that he’s fully invested in this program,” said tight end Zach Ertz. “He’s changed so much of the culture here; we know he wants to ride this thing out, and at the end of the day, hopefully, win a Super Bowl.”
- Not surprisingly, the Saints’ unimpressive roster, less-than-ideal cap situation, and the appeal of some potentially vacant head coaching positions after this season could lead to Sean Payton‘s departure from New Orleans, per Albert Breer of NFL.com.
- Although he helped lead the Lions to an 11-5 finish and a playoff berth last year, this season’s 0-5 start combined with the ownership structure in Detroit could spell bad news for head coach Jim Caldwell, according to Breer. William Clay Ford and William Clay Ford, Jr. were responsible for hiring Caldwell in 2014. The elder of the two has since passed away, and the younger has relinquished much of the control over the team to his mother, Martha. The fate of Caldwell and general manager Martin Mayhew lies in her hands, and she could elect to make a change.
- Washington has no shortage of injuries as it prepares for its game against the Jets this weekend. That means third-string quarterback and 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III might dress for the first time this season, ESPN’s John Keim reports (via Twitter). Of course, with both Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy ahead of Griffin on the depth chart, it’s highly unlikely he’ll see action.
- Saints offensive tackle Andrus Peat suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in the team’s 31-21 win over Atlanta on Thursday, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Per Getlin, Peat won’t need surgery, but he’ll miss approximately four weeks. The rookie first-rounder has appeared in all six of the Saints’ games this year, starting three.
Sean Payton Open To Listening To Suitors
With the Saints struggling out of the gate this season, and the roster seemingly in need of a rebuild, there has been plenty of speculation in recent weeks that head coach Sean Payton could leave New Orleans in the offseason. Payton attempted to quiet those rumors earlier this week, telling reporters that New Orleans is “where I see myself” going forward.
Still, the rumors have persisted, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com) reports that Payton would be “open to” listening to inquiries from other teams after the season. Rapoport and Rosenthal caution that those talks – if they even happen – may not go anywhere, but point out that it doesn’t sound like Payton has closed the door on the idea of leaving the Saints.
Payton remains under contract with New Orleans for two years beyond 2015, so if he wanted to explore other opportunities, the Saints would have to give him permission to do so. If Payton received a job offer from another club and wanted to take it, that suitor would likely have to work out some sort of compensation package with the Saints, who are unlikely to fire Payton or to simply let him walk.
Of course, we’re only five weeks into the 2015 season, and plenty could happen in the next few months that could change the outlook for the Saints and for Payton heading into the offseason. But Rapoport’s report is the latest in a series of similar stories this week — ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that multiple teams are expected to inquire on Payton at season’s end, and Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole added on Monday that Payton would be “intrigued” by the idea that a team like the Dolphins or Colts could pursue him.
Earlier today, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that many people around the NFL believe that Payton will be coaching the Dolphins next year, while Schefter and Chris Mortensen suggested that a trade involving the Saints head coach wouldn’t come as a huge shock.
NFC Notes: Cards, Payton, Giants, Lions
While initial estimates suggested Cardinals outside linebacker Alex Okafor would miss two to four weeks, it’s now believed his calf injury will sideline him for up to six weeks, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
Okafor’s extended recovery timetable, along with Kenny Demens‘ season-ending ACL injury, makes Arizona’s signing of Dwight Freeney even more important. And speaking of Freeney, Ed Werder of ESPN.com provides a few more details on his contract with the Cards, tweeting that the veteran pass rusher can earn up to $1MM in sack incentives — $200K for four sacks, then another $100K for each one after that, up to 12 ($1MM).
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Saints head coach Sean Payton addressed the annual rumors about his potential departure from New Orleans on Monday, suggesting that he has no plans to go anywhere in the near future: “I’ll say what I said before. This is where I see myself. And I’ve said that now, for however many years.” Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune noted (via Twitter) that he can’t picture the Saints firing Payton.
- After Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle got banged up in Sunday night’s game against the Niners, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin acknowledged that the team may have to look at adding a receiver this week, though he’s optimistic his players will be ready to go next week (Twitter link via Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network). Jordan Raanan of NJ.com examines some potential outside options for the team in the event that a free agent signing becomes necessary.
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell admitted on Monday that team owner Martha Firestone Ford isn’t happy with Detroit’s play so far this season, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. For now, the Lions don’t intend to make any coaching changes, but we’ll see if that changes in the coming weeks.
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly praised the job Caleb Sturgis did for the team on Sunday, telling reporters on Monday that Philadelphia won’t have any kicker tryouts this week (Twitter link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News). Sturgis missed another extra point in his second game for the Eagles, but made seven other kicks, including four field goals.
- Although Sunday’s loss was a tough one for Washington, there have been signs that the team’s culture is changing, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com, who identifies Terrance Knighton, Chris Culliver, and Dashon Goldson as newcomers who are helping to change the attitude in the locker room.
Cole’s Latest: Payton, Fells, Lions, Cowboys
Saints head coach Sean Payton is “intrigued” by the idea that teams like the Dolphins and Colts could pursue him after the 2015 season, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
That doesn’t mean Payton would leave New Orleans, or that he’d be able to get out of his contract even if he wanted to. However, Cole notes that there are some questions surrounding the ownership situation in New Orleans – presumably a reference to the Benson family’s legal drama – and Payton also may not be able to rebuild the Saints around Drew Brees quickly enough to compete again before Brees reaches the end of his career.
Payton’s situation will be one worth keeping an eye on over the next few weeks and months, as we wait to see how the season plays out in New Orleans, Miami, Indianapolis, and elsewhere. In the meantime, Cole has published several more video reports on noteworthy topics, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- A weekend report indicated that Giants tight end Daniel Fells was at risk of losing his foot due to an MRSA infection, and Cole suggests that the issue has been even more serious than that, calling it “life-threatening.” While Fells is in good shape for the time being, he has undergone several procedures and had parts of his foot removed already, according to Cole, who says the tight end’s playing career is over.
- After a blowout home loss to the Cardinals, several Lions players expressed concern about the relationship between the team and head coach Jim Caldwell, says Cole. Per Cole, some Lions players were dissatisfied with the way Caldwell handled the aftermath of last Monday night’s loss to the Seahawks, when he didn’t appear to fight hard over the fumble call that cost the team the game. For what it’s worth, Caldwell said today that the club isn’t making changes to its coaching staff this week (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com).
- Citing two sources, Cole reports that Matt Cassel is “highly likely” to be the Cowboys‘ starting quarterback in Week 7, following the team’s bye.
- The Chiefs are split on whether Knile Davis or Charcandrick West will be Jamaal Charles‘ primary replacement going forward, assuming the star running back is indeed out for the season. According to Cole, head coach Andy Reid prefers West, since his running style is similar to Charles’, but Davis has plenty of support within the organization from those who believe he’s a better overall back than West. We heard this morning that Kansas City is also bringing in veteran back Ben Tate for a workout tomorrow.
East Notes: Hardy, Fins, D. Lewis
Greg Hardy is set to make his Cowboys debut today, though it will not come without some extra controversy. On Tuesday, in his first media session since he signed a one-year deal with Dallas this offseason, Hardy made some bizarre and ill-timed comments regarding Tom Brady‘s wife and returning to the field with “guns blazin,'” and a rap video heavy on strippers and guns–which Hardy made during his suspension–surfaced just yesterday. The NFL’s first vice president of social responsibility, Anna Isaacson, recently issued the following statement:
“I couldn’t disagree more with Greg Hardy’s comments, and they do not reflect the values of the league. We are working hard to bring attention to the positive role models many other players represent and also to continue our education with all members of the NFL family.”
As the early Week 5 games approach, let’s take a quick swing around the league’s east divisions, including more notes on Hardy:
- Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett reportedly admonished Hardy for his comments, but on Friday, owner Jerry Jones took to the airwaves to defend his player. In so doing, says Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News, Jones undermined his head coach and further enabled the apparently oblivious Hardy.
- In a bit of Twitter repartee this morning, ESPN’s Ed Werder and former Packers executive Andrew Brandt discussed the Hardy signing. Brandt points out that, in normal circumstances, Hardy would have generated interest from 12-15 clubs, but given his impending suspension, only one or two teams were interested. Werder says that, had teams known Hardy would have agreed to the team-friendly terms that the Cowboys offered him, there would have been at least 15 clubs in the running. The lack of interest, Werder says, was not based upon morality.
- The Dolphins might have just fired Joe Philbin, but it was not that long ago that owner Stephen Ross was determined that Philbin would lead his club for the foreseeable future. Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Miami vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum pushed Ross to at least pursue Dan Quinn, who was ultimately hired by the Falcons, but Ross would have none of it, and the Dolphins never even made an effort to contact Quinn.
- Whether or not the Dolphins are able to land Sean Payton in the offseason–and all indications are that Payton will remain in New Orleans—James Walker of ESPN.com says the interest in Payton makes it clear that Miami will be seeking an experienced head coach at season’s end.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe explores why the Patriots, who rarely invest in running backs, recently signed Dion Lewis to a contract extension through 2017 after just three games. As Volin points out, the Pats got tremendous value out of the deal, as Lewis has no guaranteed money for 2016 or 2017, and his cap number for 2017 will be the second-lowest among all starting running backs. New England is privately shocked that Lewis accepted a deal so far below market value.