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Sean Payton

Coaching Notes: Fangio, Kocurek, Broncos, Dolphins, Falcons, Gray, Lions, Bills, Bears

February 2nd, 2023 at 3:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers showed interest in Vic Fangio, joining almost every other DC-seeking team. But Fangio’s former team did not have the chance to bring him back in for an interview; Fangio finally committed to the Dolphins on Thursday morning. The 49ers were interested in a Fangio reunion, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, and 9News’ Mike Klis adds Fangio was also intrigued by coming back to San Francisco. The 49ers’ usage of a 4-3 scheme throughout Kyle Shanahan‘s tenure would not have been a major issue regarding a reunion with the 3-4 guru, Branch adds. That would make sense, as the 4-3/3-4 divide is not nearly as big an issue — thanks to sub-packages’ rise — as it was several years ago.

San Francisco remains on the hunt for a DeMeco Ryans replacement, placing Steve Wilks and Chris Harris (not the cornerback) on its interview list. The 49ers also are considering promoting defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. The well-regarded staffer has been Nick Bosa‘s position coach throughout the All-Pro’s career and has fostered development from others as well. Ryans, meanwhile, is interested in bringing Kocurek to Houston as his DC.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Some recently dismissed assistants may be on the Broncos‘ radar. Ex-Sean Payton staffers Joe Lombardi, Kris Richard and Dan Roushar are in the mix for Broncos gigs under their new coach, Klis notes. Lombardi worked on Payton’s Saints staff for 11 years, the final five as QBs coach, but lost his Chargers OC gig recently. The Saints parted ways with both Richard and Roushar recently. The ex-Seahawks DC was in New Orleans for just one season (2021) under Payton, while Roushar had been on the Saints’ staff for the past 10 years. Richard may be in the running for Denver’s DC post, though Klis adds the Ejiro Evero-Payton talks began Wednesday night. The parties continued discussions today. Evero, who is under contract, staying on staff and leaving for a head coaching job in 2024 would net the Broncos two third-round picks.
  • The Falcons brought in former DC Jerry Gray as an assistant head coach. Gray, 60, spent the past two years as the Packers’ secondary coach but worked with Arthur Smith in Tennessee. Smith and Gray were both Titans staffers in the early 2010s, when the latter was Tennessee’s DC. The Falcons hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive boss last week, but Gray will be a key assistant. Green Bay let Gray’s contract expire, with ESPN’s Rob Demovsky noting (via Twitter) Gray and DC Joe Barry were not on the same page.
  • Once again, the Dolphins will look for a new offensive line coach. Miami fired Matt Applebaum after one season, Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes (Twitter link). Mike McDaniel‘s next hire will be the Dolphins’ eighth O-line coach in nine seasons. Applebaum, 39, joined McDaniel’s staff in 2022 after spending his previous coaching years in the college ranks.
  • The Lions added two fairly recent NFLers to their staff. They brought in Dre’ Bly and Steve Heiden to coach cornerbacks and tight ends, respectively. Bly, who played for the Lions from 2003-06 and made two Pro Bowls with the team, has not coached in the NFL previously. He spent the past four seasons coaching cornerbacks at North Carolina, his alma mater. Heiden will come over from the Cardinals, who employed the ex-NFL tight end as their tight ends coach throughout Kliff Kingsbury‘s tenure. The ex-Cardinal had been on Arizona’s staff for 10 years.
  • Acting quickly after making a change late last week, the Bills filled their safety coach role by hiring Joe Danna. Working under Lovie Smith with the Texans this season, Danna was in Jacksonville under Doug Marrone and Urban Meyer for the previous five yeras.
  • After the Falcons hired Nielsen, they fired Jon Hoke. But the veteran position coach will land in Chicago. The Bears hired Hoke as their cornerbacks coach and passing-game coordinator. This is a reunion for Hoke, who coached Bears DBs for six seasons (2009-14) previously. The team also promoted Omar Young from the quality control level to assistant QBs and wide receivers coach. Young is a 14-year coaching veteran who spent time with OC Luke Getsy in Green Bay.

Broncos Want Sean Payton To Retain Ejiro Evero

February 2nd, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 2: Evero and Payton will discuss the prospect of working together Thursday, Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. With the Cardinals and Colts’ HC positions having not yet been filled, Evero continues to have options on multiple levels. The Vikings are now interested in interviewing him for their DC gig. It is safe to say the ex-Rams position coach is one of the NFL’s fastest-rising staffers. Evero remains under contract with the Broncos, though CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adds Payton has a few names in mind for the DC position (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 1: With Sean Payton set to leave his one-year post as a FOX analyst and take over the Broncos, the topic of his staff will come up. Ejiro Evero remains in the mix for the Cardinals and Colts’ head coaching jobs, but the Broncos would like to retain the Nathaniel Hackett-tabbed defensive coordinator.

Payton will have final say over his staff, but Mike Klis of 9News notes Broncos brass would like to keep Evero on for a second season as DC. The Broncos hired Evero to head up their defense last year, offered him their interim HC job after Hackett’s firing and made him one of their first interviews for the full-time position Payton just landed. It is unclear how Payton feels about keeping a holdover for such an important position, but the Broncos were clearly impressed with Evero’s first season.

[RELATED: Payton Addresses Decision To Accept Broncos’ Offer]

As Denver’s offense imploded, the team still rarely found itself in blowout losses. Evero’s defense, despite injuries and the Bradley Chubb trade, largely kept the team in games. The Broncos ranked 10th in defensive DVOA and seventh in total defense. Evero has longstanding ties to Hackett, with the two having been friends since college, and has come up in head coach and coordinator searches.

The Broncos showed their cards with Evero by blocking him from interviewing for the Falcons’ DC post, which would be a lateral move since Evero called plays last season. Evero, 42, remains under contract. The Rams are also interested in bringing Evero back, in the event Raheem Morris lands a head coaching gig. While coaches from five-win teams are not poached often, Evero interviewing for all five HC positions this year paints a fairly clear picture of his rise.

Payton employed Dennis Allen as his DC from 2015-21 and figures to bring his own staffers to fill most of the Broncos’ assistant spots. He has been tied to Vic Fangio, and while the acclaimed defensive leader has said he has not signed a contract with the Dolphins just yet, it would be a surprise if he returned to Denver so soon. The Broncos fired Fangio after three seasons, with the exec who pulled the trigger on that move — GM George Paton — still in place. The Broncos stand to upgrade tremendously on offense with Payton, but losing Evero could hurt their defense — or at least bring significant change to one of the NFL’s better units.

Multiple factors held up the Broncos’ Payton process, per Klis, who notes the Saints indeed followed through with the Jon Gruden asking price. The Saints first set the Payton price at two first-round picks and two seconds — the cost Tampa Bay paid Oakland for Gruden 21 years ago — before moving down to the Bill Parcells haul. The Jets sent the Patriots first-, second-, third- and fourth-rounders over a three-year period to acquire Parcells’ rights back in 1997. Denver balked at both price points, and after Paton and Mickey Loomis spent days negotiating, the GMs eventually settled on the Chubb pick (No. 30 overall) and a 2024 second-rounder in exchange for Payton and a 2024 third. This transaction doubles as the first coaching trade in 17 years, since the Chiefs sent the Jets a fourth-round pick for Herm Edwards.

The other delay here involved Jim Harbaugh. The Michigan HC resurfacing in the Broncos’ search altered the process, NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan tweets. Both Harbaugh and DeMeco Ryans resided as Broncos favorites at points during this lengthy search, as each did not require draft compensation to hire. Ryans ended up preferring the Texans, and Harbaugh twice informed the Broncos — the second time after CEO Greg Penner flew to Ann Arbor for a second meeting — he was staying at Michigan. The Broncos did not make Harbaugh an offer, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The Vikings also did not offer Harbaugh their HC job after their 2022 interview.

Although the Broncos had targeted other coaches, Payton had long been a frontrunner and still possessed considerable leverage here. The Super Bowl-winning HC had the option of staying at FOX — something Breer adds the Broncos believed he would do (Twitter link) — or moving forward with one of this year’s HC-needy teams. Payton informed the Panthers he was no longer interested in their position, Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports notes (video link), and the Cardinals adding a few names to their mix Monday provided a good indication they were not in the Payton race any longer. But the Broncos will pay up to guard against Payton doing TV for another year and potentially hopping on the 2024 coaching carousel for a higher-profile job.

Payton’s Broncos deal with average between $17-21MM, per Klis and Denver7’s Troy Renck (Twitter link). That will place the longtime Saints HC in the top coaching tax bracket. Rob Walton‘s ownership group will be in position to pay up for the assistants Payton wants, adding some intrigue to Denver’s staff. While the team almost certainly will not insist Evero stays, such a move will be encouraged.

Sean Payton Addresses Decision To Accept Broncos’ Offer

January 31st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Four teams pursued Sean Payton this year, and the former Super Bowl-winning HC would have been a coveted option next year. Rather than stay at FOX and wait out potential openings of jobs he was previously connected to, Payton decided to become the Broncos’ next head coach.

Addressing the decision to relocate to Denver — in a transaction that probably doubles as the highest-profile coaching hire in Broncos history — Payton broached a few topics. Among them, the team’s new owners.

“I tried to put ownership at the top from the beginning, and I was impressed with how much they want to be successful,” Payton said, during an interview with NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, of the Broncos’ Walton-Penner ownership group. “We had great support in New Orleans. I can’t recall Mr. or Mrs. B [Tom and Gayle Benson] ever saying no to something. … This was the opportunity I was looking for.”

Payton, 59, also interviewed with the Cardinals, Panthers and Texans. He made the Broncos his first meeting, and Duncan adds the former Saints coach spoke with Rob and Carrie Walton Penner via Zoom this past weekend. Rob Walton was not part of the Broncos’ contingent to initially meet with Payton in Los Angeles more than two weeks ago. Denver’s ownership did not announce interviews this year and made a surprise trip to Ann Arbor to meet with Jim Harbaugh, who had previously announced he was staying at Michigan. The winding HC search still led back to Payton, who was believed to be the franchise’s top choice throughout.

Waiting out the prospect of the Cowboys or Chargers’ jobs becoming available next year would have included opportunities to coach Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert. Not long ago, Russell Wilson would have resided as an asset for coaching candidates. Thanks to a stunningly woeful season that came shortly after the Broncos’ new ownership group authorized a five-year, $245MM extension, Wilson can be viewed as a liability. Reports had indicated Payton was onboard with coaching the former Seahawks great, however, and his Tuesday decision will greenlight this pairing as one of the more interesting in recent memory.

“Russell is a hard worker and has played at a high level and won a lot of games in this league,” Payton said. “The pressure is on us to put a good run game together and reduce the degree of difficulty on his position. I’m excited about him.”

Wilson, 34, reached out to Payton about coming to Denver and will have one of this era’s top play-callers overseeing his bounce-back opportunity. The Saints were on Wilson’s initial 2021 trade-destination list; he added the Broncos later that year. The Broncos traded an eight-asset package for Wilson, including two first-round picks and two seconds, to land the nine-time Pro Bowler in March 2022. The early returns were alarming, but Wilson going from an overmatched Nathaniel Hackett to Payton should represent a strong spot to re-emerge as an upper-echelon starter. If Wilson cannot resemble his Seattle form this season, the Broncos will need to look at other options. Of course, Wilson’s contract will make such a move more difficult — even by 2024.

The Wilson situation heightens the importance of the Broncos’ Payton hire. Payton unleashed Drew Brees in New Orleans. The former Charger morphed from a player the team obtained Philip Rivers to replace into one that totaled a record-shattering five 5,000-yard passing seasons. Payton guided the Saints to seven NFC South titles and nine playoff wins. The team ranked in the top 10 offensively 11 times during Payton’s 15 years on the sideline; it also did so during Payton’s 2012 Bountygate ban. After the Broncos gave Wilson considerable autonomy to co-design an offense last year, Payton should be expected to hold the reins tightly.

Mickey Loomis and Broncos GM George Paton spent the past three days hammering out a compensation package for Payton, Duncan adds. Payton has been rumored to wanting to bring some personnel people with him to Denver, which could certainly cause a conflict with the Paton-led front office. The high-profile coach should have the opportunity to structure things as he sees fit, given his pedigree and the leverage he possessed. For now, however, Paton remains in place.

Both Payton and Paton — that will make for some confusing conversations as long as this partnership lasts — will report to Broncos CEO Greg Penner. That marks a change from 2021 and ’22, but the Walton-Penner group only arrived in Denver late last summer. Payton and Paton also spoke privately often ahead of this hire, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

“George and Mickey were great,” Payton said. “It took a minute, but they worked through it hard and got a deal done. … It works out great in Denver because we’re in the AFC.”

The Saints were believed to have asked for two first-round picks from teams for Payton, and while the price undoubtedly would have been higher had the Panthers made the hire, the Broncos collected a 2024 third-rounder in the deal. Still, Denver will go into this draft without first- or second-round picks and will not have a 2024 second-rounder. That will make matters difficult for the Payton-Paton tandem, but this will be the power structure in place in charge of helping the Broncos crawl out of their biggest slump in 50 years.

Latest On Broncos’ Coaching Search

January 30th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the offseason enters its fourth week, this Broncos ownership group’s first coaching search looks to have skidded off track. A host of updates have emerged in recent days regarding the new owners’ HC pursuit, but the team’s preferred candidates are mostly out of the picture.

Jim Harbaugh loomed as a frontrunner early but bowed out of the race, while Dan Quinn was well-regarded during his time in the derby. He recommitted to the Cowboys for a second straight offseason. The Texans look to have the inside track for DeMeco Ryans, who had gained steam with the Broncos late last week. For the time being, the Sean Payton-to-Denver talk has faded.

While CEO Greg Penner flew to Ann Arbor to meet with Harbaugh, the meeting caught other Broncos HC candidates off-guard, according to The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription required). Harbaugh said the Broncos’ job would be the one he’d want if he returned to the NFL, with this stance emerging not long after the longtime Michigan HC recommitted to his alma mater. But the Broncos are not believed to have made an offer. Harbaugh remains at Michigan, and Denver’s set of second-tier candidates do not appear closer to landing the job.

Despite this rocky search, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the other batch of candidates the Broncos have met with — Rams DC Raheem Morris, former Lions HC Jim Caldwell and ex-Stanford HC David Shaw — have not gained momentum for the job. With DC Ejiro Evero also not being connected to the post since interviewing nearly three weeks ago, this would leave Payton still atop the team’s wish list. Indeed, the Caldwell-Evero-Morris-Shaw contingent has been informed no second interviews are on tap, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.

Payton made the Broncos his first interview; that occurred more than two weeks ago. Initial reports indicated Payton was behind the new Broncos ownership contingent, but a subsequent offering suggested pause. Payton directly refuted that he feared a power struggle with one of the team’s new owners, and the former Super Bowl-winning HC addressed his status over the weekend. The door remains open for Payton, per Renck, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport suggested the franchise still wants to swing for a “big, big, big” hire.

Payton, 59, is the only candidate who would seem to fit that description, and other teams may be realizing they will not be able to entice him to leave FOX this year. Linked to preparing a big Payton push, the Panthers hired Frank Reich. The Cardinals adding a host of new candidates Monday points to them realizing Payton is likely an unrealistic goal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com offered during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Payton interviewed with the Cardinals on Thursday. It will take a first-round pick and at least some Day 2 selections to pry Payton’s rights from New Orleans, but the way this search is going, hints of desperation may soon come out of Denver.

If the Broncos cannot lure Payton from FOX, they will either need to circle back to what appear to be their lower-tier candidates or add names to the list. As of Monday night, no new names are on the radar, Klis reaffirms, adding the Broncos will not send the Saints two first-round picks for Payton. That was a rumored Mickey Loomis ask weeks ago. For a team that entered the offseason preparing an “ultra-aggressive” search for an experienced HC to execute a turnaround, this figures to be a pivotal week for its new ownership contingent.

Sean Payton Addresses Coaching Candidacy

January 29th, 2023 at 2:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Only one team which entered this offseason in need of a new head coach has found their next bench boss, as the Panthers hired Frank Reich to kick off the 2023 cycle. That leaves four others in search of a HC, and speculation persists regarding this year’s top candidate.

Sean Payton has been connected to three of the remaining four vacancies, and was universally seen as the prize most clubs would be competing for in their search for experienced, accomplished offensive coaches. Between the matter of draft compensation being required to be worked out with the Saints, along with the possibility he remains at FOX for one more season, though, it is not guaranteed the former Super Bowl winner will be on the sidelines in 2023.

With not much known about his immediate future, the 59-year-old spoke about it during this morning’s FOX pregame show. When asked by his colleague Peter Schrager, he denied that the door is now closed to the possibility of him coaching one of the teams currently looking to hire him (Twitter link). As he indicated, things could start to take shape in the coming days.

“It’s been a busy week, a great week,” Payton said, via Pro Football Talks’ Mike Florio. “We’ve had a chance to visit with a lot of great owners, a lot of outstanding organizations… I think with the way the coaching hiring process has changed this year, we’re seeing it play out a little longer for these clubs.”

Payton has already met with the Texans and Cardinals; he was expected to interview for a second time with the Broncos this past week, but that sit-down has been put on hold and there are serious doubts regarding his chances of winding up in the Mile High City. He also drew interest from the Panthers before they ultimately went with Reich to lead their staff. With second interviews set to continue after today’s conference title games, though, searches should begin to wind down soon.

“I think in the next week we’re going to know a lot more,” Payton added. “There’s a handful of things that still are taking place for these coaches, and myself.”

Cardinals Narrowing List Of HC Candidates

January 29th, 2023 at 9:15am CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals appear to be narrowing their head coaching search. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com recently reported on The Pat McAfee Show, the team will either work to hire Sean Payton — whom they interviewed on Thursday — or will look to bring in another candidate for a second interview (video link). Per Rapoport, Brian Flores, Aaron Glenn, and Ejiro Evero would receive a second look if Arizona does not bring Payton aboard.

Rapoport added that the Cardinals are “resetting” in the wake of the Payton interview, though it’s unclear exactly what that means for Payton’s candidacy. The formers Saints HC, who is still under contract with New Orleans, has seen his momentum towards a return to the league stall a bit, and an earlier report from Rapoport indicated that Payton might not secure an HC job this year. Part of the reason for that could be the fact that the Saints are said to be demanding two first-round picks in exchange for Payton’s rights, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via NFL reporter Dov Kleiman on Twitter). That is consistent with a report from NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan earlier this month.

We recently heard that Flores was “firmly in the mix” for Arizona’s HC post, with several outlets suggesting that he is the frontrunner. Of course, the Cards hired former Patriots exec Monti Ossenfort as their general manager, and team owner Michael Bidwill is reportedly interested in pairing Ossenfort with Flores, the Patriots’ former defensive coordinator. Flores has also been connected to several current defensive coordinator vacancies, though one would imagine he would accept an offer to become the Cardinals’ head coach if Bidwill goes that route.

Glenn, meanwhile, boosted his HC stock thanks to the Lions’ strong finish to the 2022 campaign. Detroit’s defensive coordinator oversaw a unit that started the season 1-6 but ended on an 8-2 run that nearly led to a playoff berth. During that impressive stretch, the club’s defense yielded 20.2 points per game, the 11th-best mark in the league. Glenn has also earned praise for his development of defensive players like Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston, Jeff Okudah, and Kerby Joseph. As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports observes, Glenn has known Murray and his family for some time, which could help his cause (Twitter link).

Along with Flores and Glenn, Evero would be another defensive-minded finalist. The Broncos’ defense was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal 2022, and in addition to the work he did with Denver, Evero has apparently acquitted himself nicely in his sit-downs with NFL clubs during this year’s cycle. The 42-year-old secured interviews with all five teams in need of a new head coach, and he advanced to the second round with the Colts and Texans,

Here’s how the Cards’ search is shaping up:

DeMeco Ryans Advancing In Broncos’ Search; Sean Payton Souring On Team’s Ownership?

January 26th, 2023 at 7:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:35pm: Payton has provided information straight from the source, disputing that there is any truth to Maske’s report of his fears of a power struggle in Denver with a tweet this evening. Payton denies that any issue exists with Broncos’ ownership stating that they were fantastic and that they “had a great visit.”

Ryans is still gaining traction and Caldwell and Shaw are also strong contenders, while Quinn has stated his desire to remain in Dallas, but if Payton is to be taken at his word, he should still be considered one of the favorites for this position.

3:01pm: Vowing to be “ultra aggressive” in its first coaching search, the Broncos’ new ownership came into this process with a goal of adding an experienced head coach. Recent developments may be leading the team in a different direction.

DeMeco Ryans has emerged as a frontrunner in this race, Mike Klis of 9News reports. The second-year 49ers defensive coordinator met with the Broncos and Texans late last week, nixing interviews with the Cardinals and Colts, and has been steadily rising in this race. While the Broncos are still considering Sean Payton, Jim Caldwell and Dan Quinn, Ryans’ rise is obviously notable considering his accomplishments with the 49ers this season.

But the team has cooled on Payton, Denver7’s Troy Renck adds (via Twitter). Payton also looks to have lost some interest in this job. A sense of what might have changed emerged Thursday. Recently, the former Saints HC was believed to be high on the Broncos’ new ownership group. Now, it might be a negative for the FOX analyst. Payton fears a potential power struggle with one member of the contingent, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. Payton would want to work with Russell Wilson, who reached out to him recently, and is believed to be high on Denver’s defensive pieces. But an issue with ownership may well nix this potential partnership.

Rob Walton, CEO Greg Penner and co-owner Condoleezza Rice have been the ownership group’s key members during this search, joining GM George Paton. The latter is the only experienced football staffer involved here, given the ownership contingent arriving last summer, but Penner is set to make the final call on the team’s second HC hire in two years. It does not seem Rice, who joined the group after the Walton family, is Payton’s concern. The veteran HC has “loved” his interactions with the former Secretary of State, Maske adds (on Twitter).

The Broncos have not gone through second interviews yet, separating their search from this year’s other four. The Panthers just made their hire — Frank Reich — after interviewing he and Steve Wilks twice. If the Broncos want to hold a second interview with Ryans, they must wait until Jan. 30 because of the 49ers’ advancement to the NFC championship game.

David Shaw was believed to be a sleeper candidate for this position, but Klis omitted the longtime Stanford HC from the team’s mix Thursday. Shaw stepped down from his Cardinal post after three losing seasons in the past four years. Penner and Rice’s Stanford ties were thought to represent key connective tissue to Shaw, but Denver going with an NFL-seasoned coach makes sense given the recent failures of college hires.

Ryans, 38, has helmed the NFL’s top-ranked defense this season and has been viewed as likely to land one of this year’s jobs for a bit now. All five HC-needy teams reached out to the former linebacker. The Texans remain in the mix for their former defender, per Klis, but they certainly look to have competition from the Broncos.

Coaching Rumors: Payton, Flores, Evero

January 26th, 2023 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

By far the biggest name on this year’s coaching carousel, Sean Payton looks to have seen his momentum stall a bit. While Payton is interviewing with the Cardinals today, his candidacy has not produced a second interview anywhere yet. The Panthers met with Payton this week but just hired Frank Reich. While the Texans remain on the radar for the longtime Saints HC, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com does not get the sense much momentum is present for such a partnership. The Broncos have been connected to other names recently as well, but that path may be dwindling as well. There might not be a place for Payton — as odd as that sounds, given his track record — on this year’s market, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com offers (video link)

Trade compensation being required to land the Super Bowl XLIV-winning HC, with the price varying from a first-rounder and other early picks to two first-rounders, has affected teams’ plans here. Payton, 59, has also been mentioned as waffling on this year’s lot of jobs. Returning to FOX for another year and surveying the 2024 market, when two jobs he has long been connected to (Chargers, Cowboys), could be available might be what comes out of this run of interviews. Payton remains in this year’s mix, but buzz has died down.

Here is the latest from the coaching landscape:

  • Regarding the Cardinals‘ search, Brian Flores remains firmly in the mix. GM candidates received the impression Arizona is high on the three-year Miami HC-turned-Pittsburgh linebackers coach, Fowler notes. Previously mentioned as a frontrunner — due partially to the Cards hiring ex-Patriots exec Monti Ossenfort as GM — Flores may have a right-hand man on defense lined up. Some around the league expect the ex-Dolphins HC to bring Gerald Alexander, Miami’s defensive backs coach for the past three years, with him to Arizona, per Fowler. With the Dolphins looking for a new DC, Alexander may be on the move anyway. While ESPN colleague Dan Graziano points to Vance Joseph and Aaron Glenn remaining strong candidates, Flores has generated the most buzz to this point. Flores has also interviewed for the Falcons and Vikings’ DC posts.
  • Raheem Morris booked a second HC interview with the Colts and also met with the Broncos and Texans. Should the Rams‘ DC land a second HC opportunity, Albert Breer of SI.com notes Ejiro Evero is the team’s top candidate to replace him. The Denver DC is no lock to be available. He is under contract with the Broncos, who blocked a Falcons DC interview, and has gone through second HC interviews with the Colts and Texans. Denver could pass on retaining Evero by hiring a defensive-minded coach, of course. Evero came to Denver from Los Angeles; he spent five years on Sean McVay‘s staff.
  • The Browns considered bringing in Vic Fangio for a DC interview, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes, but they stood down and ended up hiring Jim Schwartz. Cleveland having run a 4-3 defense in recent years may have been a reason for passing on a Fangio meeting, Cabot offers. Fangio has remained quite popular still, having interviewed for three DC jobs — the Dolphins, Falcons and Panthers — already.
  • The Bills are making a change to their defensive staff. They fired safeties coach Jim Salgado, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com tweets. Salgado had been on McDermott’s staff throughout the head coach’s six-season tenure.
  • Giants DC Don Martindale is attached to a three-year contract, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Giants thought enough of the veteran coordinator, whom the Ravens did not bring back last year, they gave him the three-year deal as opposed to the more common two-year pact. Giants ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey also received extensive interest from other teams, with Duggan adding the Chargers joined the Panthers in offering him their ST coordinator jobs. McGaughey, who has been with the Giants since 2018, turned down a Bears interview and opted to stay and work for Brian Daboll.

Cowboys Move On From Joe Philbin, George Edwards, Four Other Staffers

January 26th, 2023 at 9:05am CST by Sam Robinson

Coming off their second straight 12-win season, the Cowboys will still make some notable staff changes. They are parting ways with six assistants, including senior defensive assistant George Edwards and offensive line coach Joe Philbin.

The Cowboys jettisoned Edwards, Philbin, running backs coach Skip Peete, assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett and assistant Rob Davis, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill (all Twitter links). The staffers’ contracts were all up, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com, who adds (via Twitter) offensive assistant Kyle Valero will also not return. But this still marks a fairly significant shakeup for the resurgent NFC East team.

A former Dolphins HC, Philbin was a Mike McCarthy staffer for much of the latter’s Packers tenure. Hired before McCarthy arrived in Green Bay, Philbin stayed on under McCarthy through 2011 and returned to Green Bay after his Miami stay ended. McCarthy rehired Philbin as his OC in 2018, and the Packers named him interim HC following McCarthy’s firing later that year. Philbin, 61, oversaw a position group that featured some moving pieces this season. Tyron Smith‘s injury led to first-round pick Tyler Smith sliding to left tackle in late August, and the All-Decade blocker played right tackle when he came back. Jason Peters also transitioned to guard during his age-40 season.

Edwards joined McCarthy’s staff a year before Dan Quinn‘s arrival, but the ex-Vikings DC served as Micah Parsons‘ position coach. Edwards expressed confusion at the Cowboys’ decision, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets, noting that Quinn — upon returning from his second Cardinals interview — was also caught by surprise by the move. A defensive coordinator for three teams before coming to Dallas, Edwards joined Lett in assisting with unleashing Parsons’ unique skillset over the past two seasons.

Lett, who enjoyed a memorable playing career in Dallas, has been with the team since 2011. The Cowboys added the former D-lineman to their staff early in Jason Garrett‘s tenure. Peete initially joined the Cowboys’ staff upon Wade Phillips‘ arrival back in 2007, staying six seasons, and returned upon McCarthy’s hire. He played a rather important role in Tony Pollard‘s development into a Pro Bowler. Davis worked with McCarthy for most of his Packers run, residing as Green Bay’s player development director before coming to Dallas in 2020.

Jerry Jones has repeatedly endorsed McCarthy and did so again Sunday, indicating the 49ers’ divisional-round win will not impact the three-year HC’s job. But the team moving on from multiple multi-stint McCarthy staffers, along with other experienced assistants, represents an interesting decision after going 24-10 over the past two seasons. Sean Payton has been linked to being interested in a Dallas return for several months, and a recent report said a mystery team loomed for the high-profile coach. Dot-connecting could point to the Cowboys, but NFL.com’s Jane Slater tweets McCarthy’s job is safe. The team has not contacted Payton, nor has it discussed any trade with the Saints, Slater adds (on Twitter). McCarthy’s fourth Cowboys staff stands to look remarkably different, especially if Quinn lands one of the three jobs for which he has interviewed.

Broncos Sean Payton Hire Becoming Less Likely?

January 24th, 2023 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos had scheduled a second Sean Payton interview for this week, but NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan notes (via Twitter) the meeting is now on hold. Next on Payton’s docket will be interview No. 1 with the Cardinals, but chatter about the FOX analyst hopping off the 2023 coaching carousel to join a potentially flashier ride next year persists.

Payton will meet with the Cardinals on Thursday, per Duncan, who adds the delays in the longtime Saints HC’s schedule lend to the notion he will stay put and not coach in 2023. Payton’s initial Broncos meeting may not have gone as well as initially reported, either. Neither side looks to view this as a “must-do deal,” Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes. One GM said, via La Canfora, he expects Payton to stay at FOX for another year — a long-rumored path — and wait out potentially better jobs.

A Payton hire would be a blockbuster for the Broncos, who have struck out with first-time HCs in 2017 (Vance Joseph), 2019 (Vic Fangio) and 2022 (Nathaniel Hackett) and are believed to be prioritizing experience. But it would be expensive — both in terms of financial and trade compensation. A two-first-rounder haul has been floated, though some around the league believe a first-rounder and both of Denver’s 2023 thirds could be enough for New Orleans. The Saints would undoubtedly ask for a bigger return from Carolina, given the potential intra-NFC South jump in that scenario. The Broncos have been more closely connected to Payton compared to the Panthers, but The Athletic’s Joe Person adds Denver may no longer have the former Super Bowl-winning HC as its frontrunner (subscription required).

Considering what has come out on the Broncos’ HC search, it would surprise if the team passed on Payton. Russell Wilson reached out to the well-regarded play-caller, who, as of Monday, was still believed to have the inside track for the job. But the team has interviewed a host of other candidates, including Cowboys DC Dan Quinn, who was close to landing the job last year. If Payton does not have a substantial lead in this race, the Broncos backing off and hiring a coach they would not need to trade for would make sense. Then again, Payton is by far the most accomplished candidate available.

The prospect of Payton waiting out 2024 jobs continues to be discussed around the league, La Canfora adds. This will keep the dots connected to the Chargers and Cowboys positions, gigs Payton has eyed for several months. The Chargers announced intentions to retain Brandon Staley, despite a historic wild-card collapse, and the Cowboys do not look like they will be canning Mike McCarthy after back-to-back 12-win seasons. That said, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini tweets a mystery team of sorts could lurk. Said team is observing this process and could make a move once it “gets [its] ducks in a row.”

Anonymous suitors notwithstanding, Payton will soon have interviewed for four of the five open positions this year. It is not known if an offer has come his way, but Panthers owner David Tepper was believed to be quite interested in this splashy hire heading into their meeting. Tepper’s reputation of being a “hands-on” owner might also impact Payton’s interest, Person adds.

The Texans, who hold two first-round picks (including No. 2 overall), are believed to intrigue the veteran coach. But buzz about the NFC championship game defensive coordinators — DeMeco Ryans and Jonathan Gannon — and this position is circulating as well, La Canfora adds. Gannon has long been connected to the Texans job, which he interviewed twice for in 2022, and Ryans spent the first six seasons of his playing career in Houston.

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