Chargers Extend Mike McCoy Through 2017
Four days after announcing that they would be retaining Mike McCoy for the 2016 season, the Chargers have gone one step further. General manager Tom Telesco announced today that the club has added another year to McCoy’s contract, extending him through 2017 (Twitter link). The agreement will keep the San Diego head coach from entering ’16 on a lame-duck deal.
In a statement on Monday confirming the decision to retain McCoy, Chargers president of football operations John Spanos admitted that he was disappointed with the club’s results in 2015. However, he expressed confidence in San Diego’s decision-making group going forward.
“I have the utmost confidence in our leadership. Tom Telesco, Mike McCoy, and I have already begun evaluating every aspect of the team to take the essential steps to put a winning product back on the field. We will waste no time in making the necessary changes,” Spanos said. “Throughout a trying season, our players never wavered in their dedication or commitment to the team. I firmly believe the decisions made today and moving forward will get us back on track in 2016.”
Since then, the club has parted ways with offensive coordinator Frank Reich, with Telesco indicating today that the Chargers want to go in a different direction on offense, and are hoping for “a little bit more balanced” (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune). Philip Rivers led the NFL in 2015 with 661 passing attempts, easily topping second-place finisher Drew Brees (627). Per Telesco, the Chargers have spoken to a “good amount of people” this week about the six vacancies on their coaching staff, but haven’t yet met with Ken Whisenhunt, who is considered a candidate to return to the team as its offensive coordinator (Twitter link via Gehlken).
As for McCoy, he’ll continue on as the Chargers’ head coach whether the franchise is playing its games in San Diego or Los Angeles in 2016. In his three years with the club, he has compiled a 22-26 record, though the 4-12 mark in 2015 contributes significantly to bringing down his winning percentage. San Diego was 9-7 in consecutive seasons in 2013 and 2014, winning a playoff game in McCoy’s first year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: M. Lewis, Flacco, Smallwood, L.A.
Marcedes Lewis is eligible for free agency this winter, but the Jaguars tight end is hopeful he won’t reach the open market, preferring to work out a new deal that keeps him in Jacksonville, as Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com details.
“You rarely see players play 10 years for one team, let alone finish their career [with the same team], so it’s something that I want to be able to do,” Lewis said. “Hopefully we can get it done before all the other stuff even starts, if it’s possible. … I know where I want to be.”
As Lewis notes, he has spent the last decade with the Jaguars, catching 331 balls for the club during that stretch. Still, it’s not yet clear how serious the team will be about keeping him around going forward, now that Julius Thomas is in the mix. The 31-year-old hasn’t caught more than 25 passes since the 2012 season, and his 16 receptions in 2015 represented his lowest total since his rookie year, way back in 2006.
Here are more Thursday odds and ends from around the NFL:
- Speaking this morning to Glenn Clark of PressBox (link via Justin Silberman of PressBoxOnline.com), Joe Linta – the agent for Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco – was cagey about his client’s contract situation. Flacco is projected to have one of the league’s highest cap numbers, at $28.55MM, but Linta said there are no negotiations ongoing with the Ravens at this point, adding that the veteran QB isn’t in any rush to rework his deal. “I mean, that’s the price of these types of quarterbacks,” Linta said. “Every deal that’s going to be done is going to be in that realm.” Earlier today, GM Ozzie Newsome acknowledged that the Ravens would like to reduce Flacco’s 2016 cap hit, but said the team has a plan to work around it if it remains at $28MM+.
- Big 12 rushing leader Wendell Smallwood changed his mind about staying at West Virginia, and has now decided to enter the 2016 NFL draft, as Allan Taylor of the West Virginia MetroNews writes. Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk notes that Smallwood will join teammate Daryl Worley in heading to the NFL, despite the fact that the cornerback doesn’t project as a top pick.
- During Wednesday’s team owner meetings in New York, Panthers owner – and Carson supporter – Jerry Richardson was “silent all meeting,” according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who wonders if Richardson may be backing down from the joint Raiders–Chargers plan.
- Cornerback Josh Norman is one of the most noteworthy players eligible for free agency this winter – he ranked third in PFR’s most recent free agent power rankings – but he says he won’t think about a new deal until the Panthers are eliminated from the playoffs or win the Super Bowl (link via ESPN’s David Newton). Meanwhile, GM Dave Gettleman admits it’s a “headache” trying to figure out how to keep Norman and all the other potential free agents the Panthers don’t want to lose, but he’s optimistic that the club will figure it out (link via Newton).
Eric Weddle Says There’s No Hope For Re-Signing With Chargers
No huge surprise here, but Chargers safety Eric Weddle doesn’t envision re-signing with the club this offseason. The veteran clashed with the organization many times during his protracted contract battle and it appears that the relationship cannot be repaired. 
“The last game was hard because I still thought there was hope to come back,” Weddle said, according to U-T San Diego. “But I don’t think that’s a possibility now.”
Weddle, a three-time Pro Bowler with San Diego, would reportedly be open to an offer from the Dolphins if he gets one. For his part, the safety says that winning a Super Bowl is his No. 1 priority and the opportunity to win will take priority over finding the biggest payday.
The 31-year-old said in December that he wouldn’t rule out re-signing with the club. Now, after things got extra ugly near the end of the regular season, Weddle has apparently done just that and he will set his sights on 31 other potential suitors.
The Bolts informed Weddle last month that he was being fined $10K for remaining on the field during halftime of a game to watch his daughter perform during a dance ceremony. While Weddle and agent David Canter declined to go public with the fine at the time, the agent opened up after the Chargers placed the safety on IR, a move that was made against his wishes. Per Canter, the team also informed Weddle that there would be no room for him to travel on the team plane to the regular season finale in Denver.
Weddle has been with the Chargers since being selected by the club in the second round of the 2007 draft. In his nine seasons with San Diego, he has appeared in 137 total regular season games (122 starts), earning three Pro Bowl berths and two All-Pro nods. The 2015 campaign was his first year without an interception — he has racked up 19 over the course of his career.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Los Angeles Relocation
The latest on Los Angeles:
- The Rams‘ relocation bid contends that they have the best plan for both the city of Los Angeles and the NFL, as Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno write of the Los Angeles Times write. “The Rams’ Inglewood project presents the league and all of the member clubs with the best opportunity for successful long-term operations in Los Angeles,” the application said. Of course, the Rams are going up against a joint bid from the Chargers and Raiders, who claim that their Carson plan projected to open in 2019 is the best choice. Although the developers at the Inglewood site have long said their stadium would be ready for the 2018 season, the Rams’ application targets 2019 as the proposed start date as well.
- The L.A. Times duo points out that the Rams are looking for more than regular NFL dates to be held at their venue – they also want to host the Pro Bowl, NFL Combine, and other major league events. The Rams also argue that they have the strongest L.A. fan base of the three teams seeking to relocate. That’s a bold claim considering the proximity of Oakland and San Diego.
- The mayor of St. Louis has fired back at the Rams’ comments in the application, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes. Some highlights of Francis G. Slay’s comments on Twitter include: “I’d rather blame the Rams for an unimaginative offense than for harsh words in a sales document,” and “Blame Kroenke. #kroenkecomplaints.“
- The Coliseum has been ID’s as a likely temporary site until a permanent L.A. stadium is built, but that venue has only committed to hosting one NFL team, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. It is possible that the NFL would need a second temporary site in order to bring over a second team.
- Every owner entering meetings in New York City today is adamant about voting next week and not pushing the relocation vote off any further, Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego tweets.
Rams Owner May Build L.A. Stadium With Or Without NFL Approval
10:31pm: Inglewood mayor James Butts has since refuted the idea that the Hollywood Park stadium will be built no matter what, according to CBS St. Louis. While it’s still possible that Kroenk’s group will decide to move forward with the stadium even if the Rams don’t receive NFL approval to relocate, it’s not a certainty, the mayor told KMOX.
“The decision as to whether the stadium is ultimately built would be that of Hollywood Park Land Company, which is combined with the Kroenke Group,” Butts said. “That will only be determined by them at the time the [NFL’s] decision is made.”
9:56pm: Rams owner Stan Kroenke has plans to go ahead with a multibillion-dollar stadium and entertainment complex in Inglewood, California, even if the NFL votes down the Rams’ proposed move, Brian Feldt of St. Louis Business Journal writes. Kroenke claims that he will built a stadium that can host future World Cups, Olympics, award shows, and other major events if it cannot feature the Rams for 2016.
[RELATED: Chargers, Rams, Raiders Apply For Los Angeles Relocation]
If Kroenke’s bid to move to Los Angeles is turned down by the NFL’s owners, Kroenke could either accept a proposed $1.1 billion stadium along St. Louis’ north Mississippi riverfront or remain in the Edward Jones Dome on a year-to-year basis. Each of the three teams vying for Los Angeles – the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders – will need to secure 24 yes votes in order to move.
In a matter of days at the owners meetings in Texas, we’ll find out which of those teams (if any) will get to move to Los Angeles. For his part, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt expects at least one NFL franchise to be play in L.A. in 2016, as The Associated Press writes.
“All three of those franchises have tremendous fan bases in their home markets,” he said. “In an ideal world, I’d like to see them all stay where they are. It probably won’t work out that way. There will probably be at least one team moving to LA. I can’t speculate who that might be.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/5/16
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the league. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2016 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ 90-man rosters.
Arizona Cardinals
- Taylor Boggs, C (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com)
- Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, C
- Mike Reilly, OLB
- Tyrequek Zimmerman, S
Baltimore Ravens
- Jerod Johnson, QB (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Zach Hocker, K (Twitter link via team)
- Dezmond Johnson, DE
- Floyd Raven, S
Green Bay Packers
- QB Ryan Williams (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
Indianapolis Colts
- Burton Pierce, OT
- Ben Heenan, G
- Edwin Jackson, LB
- Kitt O’Brien, G
- Dezmen Southward, DB
- Joshua Stangby. WR
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Quanterus Smith, DE (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Kenny Cook, WR
- Dominique Davis, DE
- Cameron Gordon, LB
- Jordan Kovacs, DB
- Trey Millard, RB
- Alameda Ta’amu, DT
Miami Dolphins
- Jahwan Edwards, RB
- Robert Herron, WR
- Terrell Manning, LB
- Vinston Painter, G
- Anthony Steen, G
- Dax Swanson, DB
- Julius Warmsley, DE
- Jordan Williams, DE
New Orleans Saints
- Ashaad Mabry, DT (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune)
- Chris Manhertz, TE (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Advocate)
New York Jets
- Joe Anderson, WR (link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com)
- Deion Barnes, LB
- Brandon Bostick, TE
- Jarvis Harrison, OL
- Julian Howsare, FB
- Wes Saxton, TE
- Kevin Short, DB
- Deon Simon, DL
- Julian Stanford, LB
Oakland Raiders
- Garrett Gilbert, QB (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Giorgio Tavecchio, K
San Diego Chargers
- Kasey Redfern, P (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)
- Torrence Allen, WR
- Michael Huey, G
San Francisco 49ers
- Corey Acosta, K (link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle)
St. Louis Rams
- David Arkin, OL (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)
- Justice Cunningham, TE
- Zack Hodges, LB
- Zach Laskey, RB
- Deon Long, WR
- Matthew Wells, LB
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Mangini, Rams
The 49ers have not interviewed any candidates yet nor scheduled any, GM Trent Baalke told reporters, including Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (on Twitter). He added that there are no in-house candidates at this time which is interesting given the presence of defensive coordinator Eric Mangini. Geep Chryst, the team’s offensive coordinator, has had head coaching buzz in the past, but his stock isn’t terribly high after a dismal 2015 season in San Francisco.
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- While keeping option open at the position, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said that quarterback Case Keenum will enter the 2016 season as the starter at quarterback, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets.
- Fisher also said that team intends to bring in competition for kicker Greg Zuerlein, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets. Zuerlein is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
- Fisher liked the job Rob Boras did as offensive coordinator, but has not made a decision yet on whether Boras will keep the job, Thomas tweets. Fisher indicated that there could be coaching staff changes made this offseason.
- In addition to offensive coordinator Frank Reich, the Chargers announced that offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, wide receiver coach Fred Graves, defensive line coach Don Johnson, and tight end coach Pete Metzelaars have been let go.
Chargers, Rams, Raiders Apply For Los Angeles Relocation
The Chargers, Raiders, and Rams have all filed their applications to relocate to Los Angeles, according to a press release from the NFL. Today was the first day that teams were allowed to formally submit their applications.
[RELATED: Latest On Potential St. Louis Stadium]
“We have tried for more than 14 years, through nine separate proposals and seven different mayors, to create a world-class stadium experience for fans in San Diego. Despite these efforts, there is still no certain, actionable solution to the stadium problem. We are sad to have reached this point,” the Chargers said in a statement.
Now, all three teams and their respective cities will wait to see what happens when NFL owners convene in Houston on January 12-13.
San Diego’s latest proposal called for $350MM in funding to come from the city, but a public vote to OK that measure isn’t slated to take place until June. Of course, with the owners meetings happening in a little over a week, that was not a suitable timeline for the Bolts or the NFL. The San Diego plan suggested that a new stadium would cost $1.1 billion in total with $200MM from the NFL, $363MM from the Chargers, and personal seat license sales accounting for $187MM. That plan will have no chance of coming to fruition, of course, if the league greenlights the Chargers L.A. move.
Months ago, the Raiders and the Chargers teamed up on a proposal that would have put both teams in a shared, $1.7 billion stadium in the city of Carson, California. Meanwhile, Rams owner Stan Kroenke has appeared hellbent on moving his team to a proposed site in Inglewood. As of late, some NFL owners have been looking to break up the Raiders/Chargers partnership and instead marry off the Chargers and Rams in Los Angeles.
The Rams and Raiders each issued two-sentence statements which didn’t provide much in the way of detail.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/16
Now that the 2015 regular season is in the books, teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts, adding those players to their 90-man offseason rosters. Generally, these players finished the season on a team’s practice squad, though some were free agents at season’s end.
Here are today’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons signed four players (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)
- Matt Simms, QB
- C.J. Goodwin, WR
- Gus Johnson, RB
- Collin Rahrig, G
Baltimore Ravens signed seven players (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun):
- Brennen Beyer, LB
- Leon Brown, G
- Nordly Capi, DE
- Blaine Clausell, T
- Chuck Jacobs, WR
- Nick Perry, S
- Harold Spears, TE
Buffalo Bills signed seven players (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
- Cyril Richardson, G
- Phillip Thomas, S
- Blake Annen, TE
- Jacob Maxwell, TE
- Cedric Reed, DE
- Jonathan Dowling, S
- Ronald Patrick, C
Chicago Bears signed nine players (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune):
- De’Vante Bausby, CB
- Matt Blanchard, QB
- Cornelius Edison, C
- Paul Lasike, RB
- Marcus Lucas, WR/TE
- Danny Mason, LB
- Nathan Palmer, WR
- Gannon Sinclair, TE
- Martin Wallace, G/T
Cleveland Browns signed six players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Sean Baker, DB
- Dan France, OT
- Garth Gerhart, C
- Connor Hamlett, TE
- Tim Scott, DB
- Dylan Wynn, DE
Dallas Cowboys signed eight players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Donte Foster, WR
- Mike McAdoo, DE
- Brandon McGee, DB
- Derek Akunne, LB
- Buddy Jackson, DB
- Ben Malena, RB
- Efe Obada, DE
- Keith Smith, LB
Denver Broncos signed four players (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9NEWS)
- Cyrus Gray, RB
- Jace Davis, WR
- B.J. Lowery, DB
- DeVier Posey, WR
Detroit Lions signed five players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Khaseem Greene, LB
- Casey Pierce, TE
- Ryan Spadola, WR
- Corey Washington, WR
- Tyrus Thompson, OT
Jacksonville Jaguars signed nine players (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union):
- Rasheed Bailey, WR
- Kadeem Edwards, OL
- Shaq Evans, WRt
- Ben Koyack, TE
- Rashad Lawrence, WR
- Sean Porter, LB
- Chris Reed, G
- Rashaad Reynolds, CB
- Earl Wolff, S
Miami Dolphins signed one player (link)
- Tyler Davis, WR
New Orleans Saints signed five players (link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune):
- Reggie Bell, WR
- Alden Darby, S
- Brandon Dixon, CB
- Cyril Lemon, G
- Bryan Witzmann, T
New York Giants signed six players (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Tavarres King, WR
- G.J. Kinne, QB
- Shane McDermott, C
- Leon McFadden, CB
- Tom Obarski, K
- Jake Rodgers, OT
Philadelphia Eagles signed seven players (Twitter link via team):
- Brett Boyko, G
- Malcolm Bunche, G
- Brandon Hepburn, LB
- Freddie Martino, WR
- Kevin Monangai, RB
- Travis Raciti, DE
- Deontae Skinner, LB
San Diego Chargers signed six players (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)
- Richard Crawford, DB
- Brad Sorensen, QB
- Tim Semisch, TE
- Chuka Ndulue, DT
- Isaiah Burse, WR
- Ben Gardner, DE
Seattle Seahawks signed three players (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Andrew East, LS
- Ronnie Shields, TE
- Phillip Sims, QB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed nine players (link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times):
- Josh Allen, G
- Andre Davis, WR
- Antoine Everett, G
- Ben Gottschalk, C
- Gerod Holliman, S
- Martin Ifedi, DE
- Derrick Lott, DT
- C.J. Roberts, CB
- Joel Ross, CB
Tennessee Titans signed five players (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com):
- David Fluellen, RB
- Kevin Greene, TE
- Nick Harwell, WR
- Josue Matias, G
- Will Poehls, T
Washington signs three players (link via team):
- Christo Bilukidi, DL
- Desmond Bishop, LB
- Jerrell Powe, DL